The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-26
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The Fate of a Spy.
How q Russian Circle Handled
One OF Them.
[Copyright, 1908, by American Press Asso-
,toeto,, I

[Copyright, 1909, by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
We don't realize here In America
how many undercurrents there are of
foreign influences. For instance, we
have thousands Of Russian political
refugees among us, and we have hun
dreds of Russian government spies to
watch them. We are as unconscious
Of the plot and counterplot constantly
going on between these two foreign
classes as we are Of the vast traffic In
the subways underlying the city OF
New York. 1t is only when we go
down there that we see life and mo-
tion, such as are above, and It is only
when one gets the confidence of
Russian refugee that he is introduced
to this constant war between them
and the spies.
Fate led me to such an Introduction
and enabled me to tell this story. One
morning, having injured my watch.
stopped at watchmaker's shop to
have It repaired. found there-l
will call him Ivan Alexieff--a Russian
and went there afterward quite fire.
quently to get him to do little Jobs
for me- One morning found him
with his head resting in his arms on
his work table sobblng convulsively
Then came his confidence He told
me that the year before on that day
his brother had been executed In St
Petersburg for completely with n plot
to assassinate the czur. Ivan Alexleff
at the same time 1ed to the United
States. He was gentleman born
and, In accordance with "a custom
among his peers to educate their chill
dren to some trade. had learned to be
matchmaker. There were four 9th.
er refugees, with whom he met at
stated periods for consultation with a
view of their mutual protection. Not
one Of them but bad lost some rela-
tive either by the executioner or I'm the
desolate wilds of Siberia.
became deeply interested In Alex
Jeff, and he came to confide in me as
implicitly as In his fellow refugees.
Indeed, did some detective work for
him in this wise: found him one
morning in great trlbulation. He told
me that some time before refugee
had come to the place and been admit
ted to their circle, They now suspect
ed that he was spy in the pay Of the
Russian government The man passed
under the name of 0biendoff and kept
a little cake and candy shop.
agreed to make the acquaintance
OF obiendoff and see II l could get his
confidence and his secret. ! picked up
child on the street, took bim in the
shop. bought him candy and chatted
with the owner. This repeated often,
talked bitterly OF assassins in, Russia
and IN time told him l knew Of several
circles of refugees In that very town.
| When l told him of the one ! did
know about gained his confidence,
and 1t was not long before went to
my friend the matchmaker with un-
doubted proof that the suspect was n
spy.
plan was laid. and meeting OF
the circle was called, at which the spy
was present. The leader locked the
door and announced to the members
| N
He then submitted a declaration to
every member stating that he had vol
UNFAIRLY committed suicide. All signed
the paper, the spy maintaining good
nerve and signing with the others. He
must have known that he was suspect
ed.
The leaders next move was to take
| a oh
the members that its six chambers
were empty. After this he put ball
cartridge in one chamber and. hold
ing the hammer, turned the cylinder
rapidly, giving every member permits
sion to do the same with averted gaze
Thus the position OF the cartridge was
lost. The leader then took the pisto
and slipped a rubber band over thS
cylinder, holding the weapon under
the table while he did so. presumably
that no one could see where the car
fridge lay. Then he said;
zone of us must die. and the spy
whoever he may me. must take his
chances with us will fire the frs
shot at myself and II not killed will
pass the weapon to my left. each mar
TO fire his In turn"
Raising the pistol to his temple, h'
drew the trigger. There was a snap
but no explosion. The second man dit
the same. with the same result and 50
on TIL the pistol came TO the fourtl
man, the spy. He was white as 1
sheet, but still held his nerve. Possi
bly, he conceived the affair blum
that the cartridge was sham. A
any rate, putting the pistol TO his tenn
Pile, he pulled the trigger and fel
dead. a
The next morning the papers con
tanned an account OF a suicide OF I
stranger, supposed TO be a Russian
I THE dead vvaa comfnittad IN a room IN,