The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-04-06
BoER SPIES IN ENGLAND.
The London Secret Service Agents
Constantly ON the Watch
for Them.

The officers of the special branch of
the criminal investigation department.
at Scotland Yard are, and have been
for some time past, actively engaged
in keeping under observation Boer
agents and spies at work in London,
says the London Mail.
After the invasion of Natal many
of these men thought it prudent to
shift their quarters to Paris, Brussels
or Berlin, but some remained and are
pursuing Investigations at Woolwich
and other military centers with a
holiness and audacity not reconcile
bic with a knowledge that their every
movement is watched.
Not since the days when the refugee
foreigner, taking advantage of our
''open door," made London the head
quarters of anarchism has there been
such activity in the department of
which Chief Inspector Melville is the
head ;.t the present time. There is Nc
show of increased vigilance, but the
duties entailed have taken a wide
range. involving unremitting vigilance
on the part of the officers engaged.
OF the results. already achieved it
would. of course, be undesirable to
make more than passing reference.
The Boer legation in Brussels is con-
stantly in touch with its agents in
London, and every intrigue and de-
vice resorted to is within the knowl
edge of our authorities. The spies
have shown great deal of acuteness
in not intrusting their communica-
lions to the post office. Even the code
telegram has no attraction for them.
1t is not far cry TO Brussels, and
even if the police did intercept them,
a silent tongue would be insufficient
to establish their guilt, for they have
a natural objection to be found in
the possession of discriminating docu-
mentS.
The time may come when it Will be
necessary to discuss the association
OF certain members of parliament
with men who are the avowed enc
mics of England in the present strug-
gle. Should this be so, some inter-
esting disclosures may be anticipated.
and the records of Scotland Yard and
of the detective department of Dub
lin castle will supply information for
which the public is unprepared at the
present moment.
An incident at Woolwich will serve
to show the methods adopted to cir
cumvent the Boer spying. A Daily
Mail representative was opposite the
arsenal, when a typically dressed ar
IL l.. IA
ing an involuntary glance of recogni-
ton, entered the '.four-ale" bar of
an adjoining public house, then
thronged with men who had left the
arsenal. The artisan was a we'll
known detective officer who had as
sumed that disguise for the time be-
ing.
Admission to the arsenal grounds
is now regulated with a strictness
hitherto unknown. This precaution
is regarded as necessary, owing to
the desire for information evinced at
the Boer legation in Brussels. Scot
land Yard has been equal to the &C.
casion, and a good many inquiries
made at WooIwich and elsewhere
have been rewarded with comic opera
results.
An American who was unable to dis
guise his pro-Boer prochvities took
up his quarters recently in hotel
near Fleet street. He was suspected
of being a Boer agent. One morning
he made the acquaintance at break
fast of gentleman of the same po-
litical views as himself, who hap
pened to occupy the bedroom next
to his.
There was an exchange of conf
dences. and it took the American pro-
Boer the best part of week to dis
cover that his newly-made acquaint-
ance was detective. Then he sud-
denly went in search of pleasure else
where.