Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-05
OVER THE SEAS.
The Strained Relations Between
Russia and Germany.
The lntricacies of the Grimm Case
Made Plain.
Some Of the European Reaencies and
Their Reason.

relations between Russia and Ger
many are likely to be far more serious
~ affected by the espionage affair
known as the Grimm case at Warsaw
than might be gathered from the very
brief dispatches that have reached this
country concerning the matter 1t is
one of the most important pieces of
treachery that are to be found in mod
ern military history. For, whereas in
the DreyfuS case and analogous in
stances that have commanded public
attention during the past hundred
years, the man accused of selling the
military secrets of his country to for
eign governments has usually been an
officer of subaltern rank. generals, colo
nels of the staff and even aides-de-
camp of the Car are implicated in the
Grimm affair. Most of the officers In
question belong to the Western mill
tary districts of RusSia-that is to say,
to the crack forces of the Muscovite
Empire. since Russia for more than 10
years past has always regarded that
portion of her frontier bordering on
Germany as most in need of attention
and care.
How grave the affair is looked upon
at st. Petersburg may be gathered
from the fact that General kouropat-
kline, the minister of war. came secretly
from the capital to Warsaw, spent
three days in the latter city quietly in
vestigatinG matters, without any of the
military authorities being aware of his
presence, and only at the end of this
private inquiry of his allowed people
l. Of lN..i,, he Inv
taking charge in person of the whole
proceedings. 1t is to him, the minister
of war, that primarily belongs all the
credit of having unearthed this affair.
The Russian War Department, like
that of every other country, has a Sc
Cret plan of mobilization of it's military
fofces, which is to be put into opera
tion the moment war is to be decided
Upon According to this plan, certain
dispositions of divisions, brigades and
regiments are made. With the object
rof avoiding ny.Ireachery that portion
of the plan of mobilization which re-
lates to the disposition of the troops
along the Western frontier is changed
every three years, and the Minister of
War, who is very shrewd and wide
awake man. became alive some time
ago to the fact that each time this sec
ton of the Russian mobilization
scheme underwent a change it was fol-
lowed some weeks afterwards by cor
responding movement of German
troops on the German side of the
frontier. 1t mustthoroughly be under
stood that there was no actual triennial
movement of Russian troops save on
paper since theschanges were only to
come into operation in the event Of
war, and everything connected there
with being regarded as the most i'm
ortant of state secrets. But as the
movement of German troops actually
took place, of course, could not be con-
Cealed, though nobody save those
cognizant of the changes in the Rus
sian plan of mobilization could know
that they bore any reference to the lat
ter.
This convinced the Minister that
there was a leak somewhere among the
phigher members of the general staff,
who alone knew of the changes of the
mobilization plans. He resolved to get
to the bottom Of the matter, but had to
proceed most cautiously, not knowing
whom he could trust. Eventually his
attention was attracted to Col. Baron
Won Grimm a relative of the artist
Grimm who worked for SO long as il
illustrator for American newspapers and
who died in New York some years ago.
Indeed. the Colonel, like the artist, is a
grandson of that Baron Grimm who
had acted tutor to Emperor Alex
ander H. and to his brother, and who
enjoyed in very marked degree the
favor and regard of the imperial Rus
sian family. SO complete had been the
! trust placed in Colonel Grimm on ac-
count of the association of his 1aihlly
with the reigning house that he had
been employed on the most confldentlal
military missions. and. indeed, was
used for several years as the informed
jarv between the general staff at ST.
Petersburg and that at Paris. with a
view to united military action between
| France and Russia in the event or war.
The Minister of War found that Col
| onel Grimm was giving evidence OF
moro wealth than that with which he
was credited in his record at the War
Department and also that he was IN
| the habit of associating with a number
| of filled ladies' bearers of Polish names,
who were frequently travelling between
Warsaw and Paris, stopping over on
tbe way at Berlin The Minister seems
| to have caused the jealousy of Colonel
| Cri,nm's wife to be aroused in connec-
ton with his intimacy with the Poiish
ladies above mentioned. and when
proofs. more or less authentic, were
submitted to the Baroness of her nus
bands faithlessness, she seems to nave
lost her head completely, and. bilhded
by passion and anger. to nave mace
threats against him which furnished TO
the Minister of War the clue for when
| he was seeking.
| Baron Won Grimm was inveigled pF
an anonymous letter to the English no
tel at Warsaw one evening, where ne was
| seized by the police and hurried OH L"
the citadel of Warsaw, while his apart
ments and offices in the Hamoyski fal-
ace. which is the headquarters OF the
general staff of the military district OF
Poland. was subjected to the most
searching investigation, compromising
| documents being discovered IN all