The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-17
TREASON SUSPECTED
Paris Paper on Track of a
Public Betrayal.
AUTHENTIC PLANS SOLD
Halt Starved italian Holds
Genuine Documents.

Paris. May l6.-The Mathis London cor
respondent. having obtained nesrly
hundred authentic plans OF the fortihca-
tons at Toulon, besides numerous other
compromising documents, that paper this
morning begins the publication OF the
history Of a treason affair which seems
likely 10 exceed in Importance the ofrenses
with which Captain Dreyfus was charged.
On April q the correspondent received
a letter written in a queer semi French
semi-Italian jargon, and signed 'Fragola
Pietro,'' telling him that the writer. who
was employed at a hotel had been acting
as a guide to two persons who had come
to London TO sell a large parcel of docu-
ments of the highest Importance concern
ing French naval defenses The letter
stated that the men had gone TO Brussels
leaving the writer penniless. he, there
FORE wanted 10 negotiate for the trans
fer of certain documents but was unwill-
ing to treat direct with the French gov
eminent, preferring 10 deal with the
Matin or some other newspaper. The cor
respondent thought the letter was prob
ing his answer to the postoffice to be call
ed for. and making an appointment, which
Fragola duly kept. The mans desperate
state Of hunger evidenced his sincerity.
Fragola told the following story: He was
formerly, he said employed at the war
ministry in Rome. but became COM
promised in a case of espionage and was
sentenced to six months Imprisonment.
Subsequently he came TO London, living
from hand to mouth. Secondly he had
acted as guide and secretary 10 two men
of italian origin. with one of whom, a
naturalized French citizen he had former
ly been acquainted at the war ministry
in Rome. Both of these gentlemen, Fra
COLA said worked for foreign govern
ments and had sometimes sold important
secrets TO Germany at high prices. The
Italians name was Cesar Colo and that
of the naturalzed Frenchman Jeremie
Mesqui. The latter had long been con-
tractor on public works at Toulon. They
had gone 10 Brussels several days ago.
leaving him entirely without means OF
living. He found after their departure
that Colo had left DOCUMENTS behind him
and these he wanted to sell Fragola
thereupon produced eighty-five plans of
the Toulon forts. some of them the French
originals and other accurate copies made
TO the Italian war ministry. He also had
in his possession list Of plans of Cher
bourg, Brest and Toulon, with typewrit-
ten instructions, alleged by Fragola to
have emanated from the German staff
the marking of batteries of
pointing a rendezvous at the Thuringer |
Mof Berlin. for November 10. signed TX"
To this was attached a card inscribed /
Felix Frederick Scholtz.'
The Mathis correspondent gave Fragola |
4 few shillings and persuaded him to |
cave the documents in his hands in order I
hat an examination of them might be |
made. The next morning he took them /
% the French embassy where the naval
ittache declared them to be absolutely |
genuine. The Matin will continue its |
-evelations tomorrow.
Don't carry a cough around with you
Piso's Cure has made coughs unneces-
iary.
st. Louis. May 16-The rise Of the
yladiolas from the rank of back ward
liant to a commanding position among
he floral queens is demonstrated at the |
worlds fair. Many bulbe have been
planted in the ten acre rose garden to
supply wealth of color when the glory
f the roses begins to wane. Besides the
'ulbs in the rose garden, bed cover
ng half an acre has been planted on the
vest side of the palace Of agriculture. and
wo other beds each 10 feet square near
he palace Of horticulture Planting will
'e continued for six weeks in order TO
roduce a succession of blossoms
The development of the gIadiolus is as
reat as that of the chrysanthemum, and
orists think it destined to become even
more Of popular favorite. The bloom