Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-01-31
SECRETS OF BLACK CABINET.
How Spies in Europe Open Letters
Without Tearing Paper

is room set apart in a central, or
general, posto1ice, where the CORE
spondence of certain people in whom
for some reason or other the powers
that be are taking a close interest, is
opened and read without their know
ledge, says the London Mail.
Though few governments acknow-
ledge the existence of black cabinet
connected with their postal service,
il is nevertheless a fact that these spy
ing institutions exist and are support
ed ont Of secretservice funds. Their
organization and work are in the
hands OF trusted members of the Sc
cret service. especially detached for
the purpose.
After letters are opened and read,
and sometimes Photographed. they
are put back into their envelopes, re.
sealed and delivered TO the addresses
without his being any the wiser, the
delay in delivery seldom exceeds a
single post
The means used to open letters vary
but lttie in the various countries
above mentioned ami an official OF
ordinary Intelligence soon acquires
deXterity in opening and manipulating
letters.
WneI. it is desired to open an ordin-
AIRY envelope the flaps of which have
been sealed down with gum the op,
Grafton IS very simple one The en-.
yelope is placed, with the address,
downward on a table. The narrow
end Of a tapering penhodor. or even
the sharponed end Of thin pencil is
inserted under the flap in the top left
hand corner
gentle pressure is then exercised
and the pencil or penholder is turned
slowly downward with a scew-ike &C,
ton As it moves it separates the
eummed edge from the paper below,
and with each turn this gummed edge
Is raised, without tearing the paper
until the middle OF the envelope is
reached The pen or pencil is then
i Unanswered on the lower side Of the
flap, which in nearly every envelope
is only lightly gummed and, therefore,
is more easily separated than the up
4 per or gummed side of the hap. Once
the flap is undone it Is pulled out and
! IT becomes an easy matter to hanile
the contents of the letter.
If, however, as occasionally hap
pens, the envelope is SO strongly
sealed that there is danger Of tearing
the paper, recourse is had to steam,
ing the envelopes over a kettle. The
Kettle used is, as often as not, an ordi
nary kettle. over the spout Of which
the envelope is held by means Of a
spring, so as - receive the full force
Of the steam. Sometimes bron.
chids kettle with long spout is used.
In dealing with a letter scaled
down with sealing wax a long. very
3 thin and flexible steel blade Ii used
This is heated sufficiently for the pur-
pose and Is then deftly passed under
+ the seal until il is lifted from the en-.
ETelopa Il then becomes compare
lively easy matter 10 open the en-,
velope by proceeding as before. When
The letter has 0een closed again the
seals are gummed back in their place
with strong gums.
A good desl Of practice is required
in opening these letters, and the man
ipuiator practices for a long time on
dummy envelopes before he becomes
/ paFfecs and Is allowed to operate UP.
/ on q letter sealed 1own with sealing
wax
The most difficult envelope which
the blacE cabinet operator has 10 deal
with is that with q small lead seal
armed with teeth which are bent on
the INSIDE Of the envelope so that it
is impass ib,e 10 open the envelope
without aatng or tearing the paper
u such cases as This the manipula.
tor takes tire bold course Of Sitting
the letter open by passing a razor on
an exceedingly sharp knife close along
the edge Of the flap This has to be
done carefully or the contents Of the
letter may be damaged In reelosing
the flap Of an envelope opened in this
manner a strip Of eummed paper "a
fastened to the inner side Of the flaI
that has been cut open
The gummsd paper Is wsa] and
the flap is put back and pressed
down very carefully, 50 that unless
The envelope IS closely examined tho
fact that 1t has b@en cut open would
scape notice. OF course, If the re
ceiyer Of the letter were to scru
tinize the inside of the envelope he
wotld perceive the strip of summeC
paper
In many cases whore the envelope
/ is seated down with scaling wax OF
a special kind Of seal without being
gummad and It is possible to pass
IN instrument inal9e the Zap, a long
Thin pair Of pliers passed through
the aperture Of tie Zap 70 grip Nh.
contents which are then rolled
round the pliers AMI Withdrawn. After
being reed the letter Is replaced in
the same manner by being nnfoided
10 the envc!op".
The Girl He Left Behind.