Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-18
Mistellansuus Reading.
GIRL WHO STOLE THE WAR MAPS
All Japan Ringing With Miss Ando
Yoshi's Exploit.

authorities have just permitted to be
known.
Her name is on everybodys lips.
She is being cheered by the students
and merchants in torchlight process
sions and by the boys waging the war
game in the temple grounds almost as
much as Admirals Togo and Uriu.
Moreover, she has been highly COM
mended by the Mikado, and in all
probability will receive a decoration
from him.
Miss Ando Yoshi deserves her coun-
| trymen's praise. At great risk she
stole important war maps and papers
from the Russians at Port Arthur, and
in disguise carried them through the
Russian lines to Pekin, where she de-
livered them to the Japanese minister.
These maps, it Is understood here,
have influenced the Japanese general
staff to a considerable extent in its
plan of war, since they give detailed
information concerning the measures
taken to protect Port Arthur and Dali
ny-harbor defences, strength of the
garrisons, dimensions Of the fortifi-
cations, etc. They also show the To-
cation Of forts throughout Manchuria
and the disposition of the Russian
forces up to the day the maps were
stolen.
Then there are fnll details Of de-
fences to be erected in case Of jap
anese invasion, and instructions con-
cerning the mobilizing of the troops
in such an event. Means Of transpor-
tation and the possibility Of laying
railroads for the purpose are minute
ly outlined, and the names of the regi-
ments to be sent to the front at once
and their destinations are given.
Miss Ando primarily owes her fame
to the circumstance that her family
was too poor to support her. She OBJ
jected to becoming a geisha girl, and
hearing that many Of her compatriots
were making a good living in Manchu-
ria, she decided to go there.
She landed at Port Arthur about
four years ago. There she began SELL
ing rice cakes for living, first to the
Japanese and the Chinese population,
and later on to the Russians.
Miss Ando, according to japanese
standards, is a prepossessing young
woman and it was not long before she
attracted the attention Of some Of the
Russian officers. According to ma
tive account, ut was her lacquer black
hair and bright eyes" which worked
havoc with the Russians. Whatever
the cause, Miss Ando found favor In
the eyes Of the officers and was per-
mitted to sell rice cakes in the officers
quarters.
When the news reached the Jap
anese at Port Arthur that the relations
with Russia were strained, Miss Ando
had long enjoyed the freedom Of bar
racks and officers quarters. Indeed.
she was not infrequently present at
many of the entertainments given by
the officers
Miss Ando, upon learning of the i'm
pending war, determined to put her
privileges to some account for her
country So at the first sign Of trou-
BILE she did not flee from the city with
the majority of her countrymen. In
stead, she sold rice cakes as before,
but she also kept her eyes open.
Her chance came some days before
Port Arthur was bombarded. In going
about the quarters at night she came
upon a group of officers engaged In
conference over lot Of maps and
papers.
Although she could not understand
the Russian language we'll enough to
ascertain what the officers were talk
ing about. she intuitively realized the
importance Of the papers, and deter
mined to secure them at all hazards
and take them to Japan.
She noticed that the officers were
drinking heavily, and, to encourage
them in their cups, as soon as the
supply of vodka gave out she replen-
various occasions. The Russians, ac-
cording to Miss Ando, did not object
to her presence, possibly because she
was in the habit of dropping in to sell
her wares at all times.
At any rate, she was allowed to re-
main through the conference. When
it broke up all the officers were more
or less under the influence Of the
vodka she had served to them so lib
orally, and not one of them had
enough sense to secure the maps and
papers and take them away to safety.
Miss Ando was not slow to improve
her opportunity. With the disappear
ance of the last Russian she hastily
seized the papers, slipped them under
her kimono. fastened them around her
body. and made her way out of the
quarters.
Her thoughts now were of immedi-
ate escape. She knew that she was
well-known in Port Arthur as pet OF
the officers. and that her presence at
the railway station might be comment
ed on and lead to her detection.
When she had made her way to her
room in the foreign quarter of the
town she disguised herself in the dress
OF a coolie and started for the railway
station. Being unfamiliar with the
way she soon became confused ana
spent precious minutes trying to To-
cate herself. At last, in her despera-
ton, she hailed a cab that happened
by and was taken to the station, repre-
senting to the driver that she was