The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-04-18

Spelled Out the Canuck In Phoneties,
but He Mastered It-Taken Up Spy
by Both sides. Neither Believing story.
u never told you about the time 1 acted
as spy in "a, did II" asked Uncle Sam
Hoyt, as h leaned back In a chair and
pulled cOmp.acently at pipe that seemed
TO gain in strength as it advanced in
years. No, ] suppose not, for Ii is a
story that involved some matters which
Will probably remain a secret for all time.
/ can't even tell you all / know, for It
would be violating an oath which ! gave
TO Abraham Lincoln thirty-five years ago.
Il was Captain at that time. and had
taken a short leave. / came on TO Wash
ingt0n 10 see what I could see and hear
what l could hear 1t happened thai that
was one of the most exciting periods Of
the war A great many battles were be-
ing fought and things were humming at
the Capital. The War Department was in
hot water over a number of matters.
RumoTs Of a certain plot had reached the
ears of Stanton. but ii was impossible to
get all the details. Then there was q
leakage OF certain exclusive information
which found its way TO the Confederate
headquarters. a most careful search mad
failed to locate the channel through which
the news trickled, and yet it was of the
most vital Importance that it should be
discovered Ii was learned that II went
from Washington TO Canada, AMI from
there back TO Richmond. OF course. 1t
was rather roundabout way, but it was
the surest unless a most daring and eX-
pert spy We're employed. The news was
transmitted by wire, but the Federal au-
thorities could not read the DISPATCHES
they obtained. There was evidently a
very ingenious code used. for not one Of
the messages could be deciphered.
II don't know how the idea occurred to
me. but thought | could solve the prob
familiar language was employed, not any
of your Greek and Latin, for there were
a whole lot of professors who knew that,
but one out of the ordinary run. Now, |
knew a good many languages. / did not
have any college education, but when it
came 10 talking any of the civilized lam
guages spoken in the United States, or in
America for that matter. l was about as
expert as any OF them. As for the Indian
LIMOGES. | could rattle them off better than
the tribes themselves. After thinking the
matter over l determined 10 put ny idea
into execution.
Lincoln Favored 1t.
az was well acquainted with Lincoln,
for l had lived near him when l was
boy / had met him in later life, and We
became the closest friends. | felt that /
was we'll enough acquainted with him to
lay my plan before him. When | Tinally
got 10 see him he received me cordially,
and heartily approved of the plan. My
project was to go down into Virginia and
tap the wires and see if / could not read
the messages Mr.. Lincoln favored it as
a venture that might untangle the skein,
for no one had thought of so simple
solution He told me of the danger of the
and when he found that
that did not deter me he gave me his full
est confidence.
II have mad grave suspicious as 10
the source Of this leakage ne went on 10
say But you know as well as | DO that
il would be fatal TO let the traitors know
that We mad discovered them. Therefore.
| will ask you TO report TO me personally,
and to keep forever silent concerning the
you get
L promised him that what i learned
would be sacred TO re. He made ar
for my venture, and gave me
full authority to get what | pleased.
When | saw how deeply he took the mat
ter 10 heart l would have swung before /
would see him suffer. l picked up
a telegraph operator, who was a brave
fellow and an experienced man. We
started out together. 1 was disguised as
a colOnist who wanted 10 buy some land
in the Southern States. | was TO work
the thing on the basis that land must "
very low in war times and farmers would
sell more cheaply. l got myself up in
such style that my own mother would
not have known me. My partner was not
as he was not going so near %
the enemys lines that he would need it,
To tell the truth about the matter, my
plan was not very cle2- in my mind, and
as 1 look back on II, it seems a great
W Onder mat did not make most fright
fUl bungie OF the affair.
When We got within a few miles of
the Confederate OutpOStS, this side OF
Richmond, | sent NY man up to tap the
wires and nnt out what was coming over
them We were in 4 wooded place. WheT..
We could not be seen unless some one was
right close up 10 US. He fixed his instru-
mentS in good shape and got ready tor
any message that might be coming. Pref
" soon ne began 10 get excited.
" There's something coming, ne cried
as his receiver began To tick. 1 could not
tell thing about what was the matter,
for all ticks were alike TO me- The oper-
ator was considerably worked up, fOr We
hadn't expected anything so soon. \ look
Of disgust passed over his face.
This il q CyTaatr "a caf5
he turned toward me. 1 can't make any
thing cut of it
Take it Gown anyway, whether you
understand il or not / cried, for / was
beginning to get excited. / saw that my
former suspicious were proving correct.
and all that vas needed was 10 have the
dispatch written cut SO that l could trans
late II. Take it down and spell il Out
just as it sounds 10 you, whether you IN
il o. not. I'll do the trAnslat-
ing.
For about five minutes he worked
about as hard as = man ever worked.
His broWs were knitted like whipcords,
and l could see that he was having Z
struggle with the photography. At last
his face cleared.
It's coming in English now, and it's
easier he crowed as he pushed his pen
ell across the paper. That's all. and ne
handed the sheets 10 ne.
Cauuck in Phonsties.
II wish you could have seen the mess
he save me. Talk about your cipher
codes. They would have been sign-board
print in comparison 10 the stuff that met
my eyes. The poor operator had written
the message down in phonetic spelling.
Imagine fellow turning out Greek in
Josh Billings English. That is Just the
kind Of a deal that / had to stack I'D
q gaiREL
Il took the paper and sat down 10 study
IL over. At first / thought / would never
De able 10 make head nor tale out OF the
anair. The English al the end did not
help me. for | knew that IL was merely
d blind. l thought over all the Indian
laugua g-s that ! knew, but none met The
requirements Then | Tried il in Spanish.
IN The hope that some ef the Texans
might have given IL in Mexican dialect.
But that was no go. At last a happv
thought struck me. ] had learned the
oarosrOus Canuck that was in vogue IN