The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-03-09

put together afforded no clue to the mys-
terry which the police were seeking to
solve. At last some chance led the agents
to move the hearthrug, when underneath
1T was seen note conceived in these
terms: Monsieur. lie Comte-You weary
me with your demands. Can 1 do more for
you than l am doing? What risks 1 run
to earn scanty reward! You will be sur
prised tomorrow at what l shall show YOU
be at home at seven in the morning. 1t is
now ten. and I am laying down my pen
after obtaining the state Of the grand army
in Germany. given in summary. as it
stands today fourth corps is being
formed: l know 1t fully but l have not
time to give you the details The imperial
guard will form an integral part of the
grand army. Tomorrow, at a. NM"
This document was taken to the perfect
Of police, from whom it was claimed by
Savary. A copy Of it was sent to the
French foreign minister; with the original
Savary proceeded to the war office to dis
cover the writer. There no one could be
identified. Recourse was then had to the
chief of the staff, Berthier, and 1T was dis
covered that in his office was a clerk named
Michel who lived above his means. Speci-
mems Of his handwriting were procured
the resemblance was unmiStakable and he
was Immediately arrested, when he con-
fessed his crime.
Every fortnight the general state" of
the army was drawn up for Napoleon S
use in a large quartO volume. This, how
ever. had to be bound before the emperor
could use it. When read it was handed to a
messenger named Moses, to be taken to the
binder. The time he would take to go to
and fro was exactly measured, and he
caused no suspicion by any delays. But, as
a matter of fact, Michel had tempered with
him. He ran to a wine ship; there met
Michel who had one or two confederates
waiting with ruled paper, and the figures
were hastily copied Besides Michel and
Moses two men named Salmon and Saget
were involved. Thanks to their treachery
1.-The mysterious and sacrOsanct document
which carried the fortunes Of France" had
been placed at the disposal Of a secret
enemy. 1t was ascertained that this espion-
age had been going on for eight ten
years the porter of the Russian embassy
a named Wustinger. keeping touch
with Michel. though Russian ministers
came and went He was decoyed outside
the embassy. and promptly arrested.
CZernitchef had not yet crossed the from
tier, and could have been seized, but such
seizure would have meant war. for which
Napoleon was not yet ready. The aide-de-
camp was therefore permitted to escape
and silence was preserved for the time
being to the discoveries made by the
police. Michel and his confederates were
not to be tried until the final breach with
Russia had come. Napoleon had been op-
portunely furnished with proofs that Rus
STA. at the very time of her most intimate
alliance had treated him as suspect and
an enemy"
In April the trial came as now Ma
poleon's preparations were complete and
he wished to show France that the war
with Russia had been all through newt
able. Michel Salmon. Moses and Saget
We're tried at the Seine assiZeS, Wustinger
appearing as evidence against them. The
completely of Russia was hidden no longer
Czernitchef was held up to reprobation as
corrupting French officials when represent
ing the sacred person of his sovereign
The evidence was conclusive against
the charge Of having conspired with a
foreign power against France, and exc
cuted. Saget fined and ordered to
were acquitted. as they had no idea of the
use to which Michel was putting the copies
made by them Of documents. Thus the
trial was public, and there can be no doubt
that strict justice was done.
The point of contact between the Dreyfus
and this earlier instance of espionage
is the ridiculous with which copies of
confidential documents can be obtained
for the papers which Dreyfus is accused
Of selling were entrusted to a corporal
the fact that in each case it was the plan
Of mobilization that was required, and the
presence of Jewish names. But in the
Michel case the Jews were acquitted and
the Christians condemned. Mchels trea-
son was far more dangerous and venomous
than Dreyfus. even if we accept the worst
that is said of this unhappy man.