The San Francisco call., 1898-05-09
Guilt of George Downing Held by the Military
 Authorities.
Promptly Arrested After Mail ing Information to a Span
 ish Official at Toronto.
In the Intercepted Letter He Tells About Relief for Dewey and
 Plans of the Navy.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office. Riggs House.

Washington, May 8.
 Chief Wilkie of the Treasury Secret
 Service to-day expressed his unquali-
 lied belief in the guilt of the man ar rested at his direction last night as a spanish spy All the circumstances in the case, many of which Mr. Wilkie sets forth, lead up to this irresistible conclusion. He preferred that the story or the mans arrest should not have
 been made public at this time but he feels, now that an incorrect version has leaked out, that it is just as well that the correct story should be told The mans name is not Rawlings, as origi- nally announced, but George Downing, apparently about B years of age, five feet seven inches in height, of athletic
 build and Bohemian in appearance. MT. Wilkie tells an interesting story of the mans doings lately and of the steps which led up to his arrest
 Downing" he says, lis an English man by birth, but is a naturalfzed American, and was formerly chief yeo- man on the cruiser Brooklyn His dis charge from that ship occurred about two months ago. Our information shows that last Friday he had a con- ference with Lieutenant Carranza. who " do cl llei al dlldCUt Ol SDdn1Sn Minis ter de Bernabe, and who was then at Toronto. He furnished Carranza gen. eral information about the navy, and particularly about the Brooklyn navy yard. After one and half hours talk he came to Washington at the direction of the lieutenant. He left Toronto Fri day afternoon for this city. Before leaving Toronto Carranza gave Down. ing an address which apparently that officer furnished in Montreal to which he was to send all information he ob- tained. Downing arrived here yester- day afternoon and went directly to 916 E street, where he had stopped no longer than a week ago. When he left he told the landlady he was going to Virginia. Shortly after reaching the house he went out again to the post office and dropped letter into the box for the address in Montreal which had been given to him.
 T should say right here that our officers recognized Downing as soon as he arrived at the railroad depot and kept strict watch on his movements all during the afternoon and evening up to the time of his arrest The let ter which he mailed was promptly and it's contents examined. It contained a statement as to certain matters in Washington, said the writer would soon be able to forward some important information about the Hol- and submarine boat; gave a summary of the steps for the relief of Admiral Dewey and promised datja as to the movement of American colliers. Down. ng also said he intended to go to Nor folk (which place he hoped to reach Tuesday,, and expected to obtain i'm portant information. The letter was signed simply with the initials e. e. We were well satisfied that the man was a spy, and set about to secure his apprehension. We communicated with Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn of the War Department, to whom we gave a summary of the information in our pos session, and then with Judge Advocate General Leiber of the army, who ad- vised that the man be arrested and turned over to the military authorities. Downing returned to his room during he evening. after dining and reading he news bulletins.
 Accompanied by Captain Sage of the Eli ghth Artillery, corporal and a pri- vate, by my own officers and by a we went to Downing's house, where we secured him without trouble. He offered no resistance, but l frightened and much sur )riSed at what was taking place. He | vas handcuffed to the private, who, | accompanied by Captain Sage and the | corporal, took him to the arsenal, where | le is under guard. We have turned | Jim over to the military authorities for heir disposition. As I said before, | hink there is no doubt of the mans | ,uilt, sufficient, in my judgment, to jus fly the extreme penalty of the law"