The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-01-12
SWARM OF RUSSIAN
SPIES WORK IN
UNITED STATES
Ex-cHlEF OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN
ESPIONAGE SAYS THEY ARE
CONNECTED WITH AMERICAN
SECRET SERVICE.

| III DelHH anu DIdnCu OIlceS III All the
great cities OF the world is at present
IN New York. He is here under the
alias of Theodore Rosenberg and to
reporter he has given a remarkable
account OF the methods OF the Russian
secret service and OF It's atfliation
with the secret service OF the United
States
Once prosecutor OF revolutionists.
a human bloodhound. he has at last be-
come a revoiutionist himself and Is
anxious furthermore 10 eXpiate the
many wrongs he has done against the
Russian people.
For more than five years Nicolaefr
dominated the foreign secret service
OF Russia and SO effective was his
work that he became known as the
longest finger OF Plehve,' the arch
spy OF the car.
In the course of this Interview, the
only one which Nicolaef. who is in
constant fear both of the spies OF the
government and OF the revolutionists,
has given, the colonel told some inter
esting details OF his career.
| Not the least of these Is the story
OF his reformation, which Is as fol.
lows:
A certain $ who belonged TO q
wealthy family and who was also a
revolutionary leader was exiled TO 81
IBERIA, whence he succeeded in escap-
ing TO France, where he became a nat
uralized citizen. Afterward moving to
| Berlin he became familiar figure In
high life and was soon identified by
the Russian spies, who. however, were
not able TO discover legal reason for
his extradition.
Bribed His Servants.
He was suspected of supplying the
Russian terrorsts with information
and means and accordingly Nicolaeff
himself undertook to spy upon him.
He made copies Of his letters, bribed
his servants and interviewed his cor
respondents. sparing no pains to dis
cover the intimate details OF SIS life
He found, however, that S. was
| by no means the terrorist he was pre-
pared TO find, and that instead of this
all OF his efforts were for the reforma-
ton OF the Russian clergy, whose in
fuence upon the peasants was, he be-
lived, the real cause OF their oppres-
sion.
ln.the meantime Nicolaeff, who had
met s. often discussed with him
the dangerous subjects OF religion and
politics. All that he heard simply i'm
pressed him with the wonderful char
acter and ideality OF the man with the
result that he. the spy and the ac-
cuser began TO think And now he
heard voice, that grew louder and
louder-the voice of his conscience
which had slept for many years. His
remorse at last became truly terrible
and one day when he met s., whom
he had followed to Paris, he unbosom-
ed himself and told him all.
Il am villain and scoundrel,"
he said. Il am not the man | have
| led you to believe. | am the spy Nico-
laef. | have acted like criminal.
What shall do? Can you forgive me?
T have left the service forever What
shall ! do?''
S forgave the spy Nicoaeff and
advised him 10 go TO America.
When Nicolaeff left the service he
took with him many important docu-
ments, the contents OF which he in
tends TO publish in his "reminiscences.
He also took the precaution TO sell all
of his property and with the proceeds
OF this he expects to buy some prop.
erty in Texas.
asked him TO tell me something OF
his Americon espionage and he said:
My American Office was In Broad
way here in New York. and my repre-.
sentative was a Mr.. Nj, who still
does double business as importer
and spy. His Office was apparently a
place Of business. On the door was
written Russian Import and Export,
Besides NJ there were about 80
others in New York aud 200 In the
United States, ten OF them being WON
en- OF refined appearance.
rhe chief object of the American
espionage was TO watch the exporta-
ton Of revolutionary literature and
arms. which were mostly sent from
the port of New York. There was a
revolutionary printing Office at that
time in Brooklyn In the studio OF an
American artist who was an ardent
sympathizer. Here were printed rev.
dictionary appeals to the officers, 10
the soldiers and the navy. IL supplied.
Notwithstanding all my efforts TO sup.
press 1t, the Russian army with the
red literature SO offensive to the car.
This, as | afterward discovered, was
sent to Russia hidden in agricultural
machines and in manufactures
rs 1t true that the Russian spies
nave hiundptu ptODlt. the
reporter asked.
"Off1cially no, but truly yes" he re-
piled. The chiefs do not issue such
orders. But an agent who has poison.
ed or killed one who is particularly
obnoxious is well rewarded Such
crimes are never put into the records.
Father Gapon, Hertzenstein, DR.. Jo-
los and many others | could mention
| WQrp all killed hy spprpf auapfg
AnnaratIic for the In a tIn., u