Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-08
Miseellaneoas gsading.
SPIES WITH NERVE.
Neither Jap Nor Russian, Hesitates at
Any Deed Of Daring.

Neither Jap Nor Russian, Hesitates at
Any Deed of Daring.
Russia and Japan have had an army
Of spies watching each other for sew
eral years, and the adventures Of these
men would form the material for scores
Of thrilling romances.
Russia employs more secret agents
than any other country. She has sew
eral of them in every important city
in the United States. A recent debate
in the German parliament showed that
Prussia is honey -combed with them;
F.! there are scores in London, under the
command of that wonderful woman,
Nine. Olga Novikoff, better known to
the literary world as 20. K.;" and
the bazaars Of India are never free
from the presence Of the Russian
agent, usually an Asiatic subject Of
the czar.
The recent arrest and execution Of
the Japanese interpreter at the Rus
sian legation in Toxic are believed to
have destroyed the key Of an elabor-
ate system Of Russian espionage In
Japan, but no doubt the cZar still has
plenty Of other secret service agents
there.
Central Asia has been the greatest
field for the exploits Of Russian spies
in the past. Many Of them have per-
formed deeds of bravery unsurpassed
by any of the men who have fought
openly for the czar on the field Of bat
tie.
Many of the best Russian secret SER
vice agents are officers who, for one
cause or another, have been reduced
to the ranks. They are willing to dare
any peril in order to win back their
former commissions.
I'm America and England" said an
English traveller who has closely stud
led the Russian military system in
Asia, "the authorities dismiss from the
army an officer who has made false
STEP and however good a man he may
be professionally he is practically lost
to the country.
I'm Russia, on the other hand. he
Is simply reduced to the ranks, strip
ped of his titles, and sent to some
frontier district Of Asia to serve as
private soldier.
Such a man naturally becomes
desperate. He forms splendid ma
terial for a dashing leader in time of
war, and as a secret service agent he
Is most valuable, for he is ready to
dare anything"
Alikhanoff, the most famous secret
service agent in Central Asia. was one
Of these men. He is an Asiatic. by
birth a Daghestani.
He obtained a commission In the
Russian army and rose rapidly under
Skobeleff. During the Russo Turkish
war he served in the Caucasus as aide
de-camp to the Grand Duke Michael.
who commanded the forces in that
region.
Toward the close Of the war Alik-
anoff suddenly fell into disgrace
through quarrelling with a superior
officer and challenging him to fight
duel. He was tried by court-martial,
deprived of his rank and decorations
and reduced to the ranks.
Some years afterward Private Alik-
hanoff turned up again In Central
Asia and won a commission as cornet
of dragons by his valor in the Tur-
conan campaign. But that did not
satisfy him.
The Turcomans routed at Cock Tepe
fled across the desert to the Merv oasis,
where they gathered their forces to-
gether for a desperate resistance.
The Russians decided that 1t was nee
essary to make a military survey of
the oasis and the routes by which 1t
could be reached.
Alikhanoff was chosen for the task.
He Travelled to the oasis disguised as
an Armenian trader, taking with him
caravan consisting of a camels. A
cornet of Cossacks, named Sokolof,
&C .ompanied him, disguised as a ma
tive caravan clerk.
They reached Merv safely after six
days journey across the desert, and
encamped at night in the midst of the
Turcomans. Alikhanoff might simply
have spied out the land and departed,
but he flew at higher game. Next day
he boldly threw off the mask. pro-
claimed himself to a gathering Of the
chiefs as the representative Of the
Great White Car, and haughtily de-
manded their submission.
Of course, they were furious. Swords
were drawn and pistols levelled at his
head by dozens of raging Turcomans.
but he calmly rolled cigarette and
said:
You can kill me IL you like, but
if you do you will throw away your
last hope of mercy from my master.
the cZar.
Submit, and he will treat you as a
father Resist, and your tribes shall
all be blotted from the face Of the
earth"
The chiefs whom Russia had bought
1uieted the others, and Alikhanoffs
bold bearing made a deep impression.
The Turcomans agreed to discuss the
matter, and Alikhanoff stayed with
them for a fortnight. in imminent peril
Of death all the time.
Disgusting himself again, he used
every opportunity to explore the oasis.
Each morning, just after dawn, he
stole out from his camp to secure un-
observed a complete survey Of the for
tifications erected by the Turcomans.