The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-11
SECRET SERVICE STAR
THE DARING WORK OF CAPT,
WHITNEY IN PORTO
RICO
He BRAvELY RISKED HIS LIFE

the Country of the Enemy--For
Two Weeks the Neck of the Sol
der Was in Constant Danger
On Miles STAFF.
| NEW YORK, Sept. 10-Among the
American soldiers who have returned
to New York from Porto Rico is Capt
Henry III. Whitney, an adjutant OF
Miles staff, In the glamour that has
surrounded the commanding general of
! the armies OF the United States. Can't
whitney has been obscured, but he
mas won distinguished honor as being
the only military spy on the American
! size during the recent war
| Capt. Whitney is a model hero; his
deeds have oil the fire Of romance of
the OLD school, his actions are the acme
! or the drawing room repression of the
| new schools. His trip through the
Western part of Porto Rico was filled
with narrow escapes. 1t Is as thrilling
as any tale Of adventure, yet he never
drew his pistol, never had to fight his
way to liberty, and all that he did
was done quietly by pure nerve and
bluff
How does it feel to be a spy2" he
was asked
do you know" was the answer, cts
for all the world like poker-a little
nerve and big bluff
'Exciting?"
"Splendidly so, and fascinating. So
fascinating that you can't do without
ut. don't play poker because I know
if I did I should do nothing else"
Capt. Whitney is small--the smallest
man on Gen. Miles staff. His height
IS about five feet nine, and he does not
weigh more than 140 pounds He has
soft blue eyes that look squarely, but
! not fiercely, and his features are as
delicate as a woman's. His voice is low
and finely modulated, and he chooses
his words with precision. His manner
is the perfection OF cordiality, and his
laugh is warming and true, go that one
who hears wonders how he could lie
and laugh in that way-but that is
his bluff.
BAD FOR MORALS.
"This business of being a spy" he
said, lis bad on the morals. It makes
fellow hate himself to stand and hear
his country traduced and to join in the
vituperation. You feel like warning
your friends not to trust you.'
Capt. Whitney was sent to Porto
Rico by Gen. Miles. He was dispatched
there secretly to make maps Of the har-
! bors and Notifications, to discover
whether mines were In the harbor Of
Ponce, and last-and 1t is doubtful If
more difficult task could fall to a
spy-to discover the genuine feeling of
Porto Ricans toward America This
! must he do, and not allow even the
one questioned to know that it was be-
ing done.
II was in Porto Rico two weeks. 1
entered the country disguised as an
English sailor I had a three weeks
growth of beard, which hid my face,
and 1 anticipated no trouble in land
| Ing though l was ready for any emer-
| gency. The Spanish officers searched
the boat thoroughly. I learned the
| next day that the officers were hunting
an American spy. A girl told me.
American spy!' said to her. with
laugh. If we catch one Of those
! pigs we shall hang hinY
AYE, aye said the girl, and I
| bought some cigars from her."
Capt. Whitney smiled. He has a
pleasant way Of smiling. and one
thought of the pleasant Irritation he
| had with the dark-eyed senorita who
! was telling him now near he had come
to death and how close the officers
were on his track
IF you had been caught how long
would you have had, do you think, to
repent of your past sins?'
Perhaps until SUNRISE" and the spy
did not smile.
"By the way, you speak Spanish flu
emily, Of course-like a native?" was
! asked.
mot a bit. Just enough to get
along"
Yet he covered 200 miles of the west
ern part of the island and got all the
| information he was sent to get
| Il was at the next town and I want
| ed to find out how the natives regard
ed us in that part Of the country 1t
might be useful, you know, in case we
landed near there. The Porto Ricans
are really friendly to the United States
very friendly, after their fashion. I
| found so many who were anxious to
be annexed If they were sure the
Americans could protect them that I
grew a bit careless
See here said one, I believe you are
a newspaper correspondent
II accepted the role boldly and said:
We'll, what If 1 amp
"'There is an order to imprison all
newspaper correspondents, and the
| authorities are on the watch for them.
said my informant, so 1 dropped news
| paper work quickly"
Capt. Whitney was also an English
officer. This honor, too, was thrust
| upon him, and he was made to play the
part OF Britisher with violent anti
American sympathies.
For two weeks the lgnominious death
| Of spy was always on either side OF
the road within which he walked. Yet
Harry" Whitney is as young as when
he graduated from West Point, presi
dent of his class, in 1852 There is not
nerve that has weakened under the
strain.
MILES PLAN THE RESULT.
There was long delay about getting
out of the island. The small boat miss
ed him at first. He was likely to rs-
main In Porto Rico and be captured.
But he did get away, and the fruit of
the information that he gained is Gen.
| Miles campaign.
Are you in large part responsible
for that plan?"
"Oh, the reports will show enough.
They will show the information I fur
nished."
Yet 1t is nearly certain that Gen.
Miles followed his young staff officers
advice. Capt. Whitney fully explored
that part Of Porto Rico invaded by Gen.
| Miles.
Whitney's chance came in this wise:
He was appointed military attache to
Buenos Ayres, and last April was Sc
lected to go on a secret mission to
Cuba and Porto Rico. Time dragged
and delays became dangerous. Car
ranzas spies were watching him Then
one day he received permission to go.
He did not walt for details, but drew
his own money from bank spent II.
| borrowed from a consul and want ~,