The Minneapolis journal., 1905-08-23

name, which I could not disclose with
out exposing myself to the revenge Of
formidable enemies. AS it is, run a
very great risk in making revelations
which affect some of the most powerful
personages now living; and it is only by
the exercise of the utmost discretion
that l can hope to avoid giving ofense
in quarters in which the slightest dis
respect is apt to have serious conse-
quences.
If I should be found to err on the
side OF frankness, [ can only plead in
the confidence placed in me by the
various governments and illustrious fam
1l1es which have employed me from time
to time; The late Prince Bismarck once
honored me by saving: 'To tell Sc
crets to Monsieur v is like putting
them into a, strong, box, with the GER
talnty that they will not come out again
until one wants them to-.
In these "reminiscences it is my object
to recount some of the services [ have
rendered to civilization in the course
OF my career, while abstaining as far
as possible from compromising exalted
individuals or embitt e1lng international
relations.
That l am not man who opens his
mouth rashly may be gathered from the
fact that, altho at any time during the
long struggle between Briton and Boer
for the mastery in South Africa I might
have completely changed the situation
with word, that word was not uttered
while q single Boer remained under
arms.
In order to explain how I came to be
CONCERNED In this affair, I had better
begin by giving few particulars about
myself and the almost unique position
which [ hold among the secret service
bureaus OF Europe and America.
By birth | am citizen Of the United
States of America, being a SON Of a
Polish father, exiled on account Of his
political opinions, and French mother.
From my childhood I showed an extra
ordinary aptitude for languages, so that
there is now scarcely a civilized conn
try outside Portugal and Scandinavia
IN winch l am not able to converse with
mo hatlVes IN their own tongue. At the
same time, l was possessed, ever since T
can remember, with a passion for in
Lflgue and mystery. The romances of
Gabor1au We're the favOrite reading
OF my boyhood, and it was nv amhi,
I1on non to become a famous detective, the
.Vldocq of America.
Fired by these visions, I ran avay
parents had placed me, when I was
little more than sixteen, and applied
Tor admission to the ranks of the f..
nous Pinkerton police Altho nv
youth was against me, my phenomenal
command OF languages turned the scale
Very soon I had opportunities til 8 Of yfldi: dis
tlngu1sh1ng myself in more than one
mission to Europe, on the track of ah-
scond1ng criminals; and in this wav T
earned the, favorable notice of the
heads Of the detective police in Lon
don, Far1s, Berlin and other capitals.
unique qualifications for the work Of
an international secret agent, I decided
to quit the Pinkerton service. and set
up for myself, making my ieadouars
fers IN Paris. From that day to this
have had no cause to repent of nv
audacity: ld l have been employed at
government in the world, and my eli
ents have included nearly every crown
ed head, from the late Queen Victoria
to the Dowager Empress of China. |
nave been sent for on the same day by
the ambassadors Of two hostile powers.
each Of which desired to employ me-
against the other.
On one occasion l acted on behalf of
g. famous German chancellor against
his then master, and on another on be.
half OF the emperor against his chan,
cellor; and neither had cause to com.
strumental in freeing a queen renowned
Tor her beauty from the persecution OF
blackmailer set on by a. forei on
court; and have more than once de.
tected and defeated the plots of an
archlsts for the assassination Of thei1
rulers.
In this way it has come about that
enjoy the friendship and confidence OF
many lllustrlous personages, whose
names would excite envy were at lib
erty to mention them in these pages,
and that few events of any mag gnitude
happen in any part Of the globe with
out my being in some measure con
cerned in them.
Often, when some great affair has
been proceeding, I have felt myself a:
occupying the position Of the STAGE
manager, who looks on from the wings
directing the entrances and exits o,
the gorgeously dressed performers wht
engross the attention and applause O.
the Ignorant spectators on the othe
side Of the footlights. ~ '''
The true story Of the famous tele
gram winch may be said to have ren
dered the South African war inevitabl
is one which strilzingly illustrates tn
extent to which the public may be de
ceived about the most important trans
actions Of contemporary history.
Everyone is familiar with the situa
tlon created by that celebrated dis
patch For some time previously al
England, and, in fact, all Europe, ha
peen agltated by the intelligence tha
Johannesburg was on the eve of il
surrection, that the Beers were draw
ing their forces together about tn
doomed city, that DR.. Jameson ha
dashed across the frontier with fiv
hundred followers in a mad attempt t
come to the aid Of the threatened out
landers, and that his action had bee
formally dsavowed by the British gov
ernment.
Close on the heels of these tiding
came the memorable day on whic
London was cast into gloom bv lon
streams Of placards issuing from tn
newspaper Offices bearing the disms
legend, "Jameson Beaten and a Pris
oner!' -
While the populace were yet rec
ing under the blow, divided betwee
distress at this humiliation for tn
British flag and indignation at tn
criminal recklessness which had stake
the. country's honor on a gambler
throw, there came the portentous new
that the head of the great Germa
empire, the grandson Of Queen Victt
ria, had sent a public message of COZ
graduation to the Boer president, n
joicing with him, in the face of th
world, over an event which every Ems
lishman felt as a national disaster.
That hour registered the doom of tn
Pretorian government. Jameson We
scornfully forgotten. The British PEE
pie, as proud as it is generous, mad
up its mind that the forbearance S
lOn0 extended to vassal Of its Oyv