The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-03-01
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|: The Fate of a Spy.
How Russian Circle Handled
ore of Them.


ciati0n.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 hum
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. II rs only when we 20
down there, that we see life and mo-
ton, such as are above, and II Is only
when one gets the confidence OF a
Russian refugee that he is introduced
to this constant war between them
and the spies.
Fate led me 20 such an Introduction
and enabled me 10 tell this story. One
morning, having injured my watch, l
stopped at a watchmaker's shop to
have It repaired. found there--I
win call him Ivan Alexieff-a Russian
and went there afterward quite. fire.
quentiy TO get him to do little Jobs
for me. One morning 1 found him
with his head resting In his arms on
his work table sobbing convuIsively.
Then came his confidence. He told
me that the year before on that day
bis brother had been executed In ST.
Petersburg for completely with a plot
to assassinate the car Ivan Alexief
at the same time ned TO the United
States. He was a gentleman born
and. In accordance with a custom
among bis peers 10 educate their chil-
dren to some trade, had learned to be
a matchmaker. There were four 9TH
er refugees, with whom be met at
stated periods for consultation with a
view Of their mutual protection. Not
one Of them but had lost some rela-
tive either by the executioner or in the
desoIate wilds OF siberia.
! became deeply interested In Alex
ieff, 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 Meat tribulation. He told
me that some time before a refugee
had come to the place and been admit
ted TO their circle. They now suspect
ed that be was spy in the pay OF the
Russian government The man passed
under the name Of obiendo6 and kept
little cake and candy shop.
agreed to make the acquaintance
Of obiendoff and see II could get his
confidence and his secret. | picked up
q child on the street, took him 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 knew of several /
circles OF refugees in that very town. I
When | told him of the one ! did |
know about gained his confidence,
and IT was not long before went to
my friend the matchmaker with un-
doubted proof that the suspect was a
spy.
A 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
that one OF their number was a spy. I
He then submitted a declaration to I
every member stating that be 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 pistol from desk drawer and show
the members that It's 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 pernisr
sion to do the same with ayerted gaze.
Thus the position Of the cartridge was
lost. The leader then took the pistol
and slipped rubber band over the
cylinder, holding the weapon under
he table while he did so, presumably
hat no one could see where the car
ridge lay. Then he said:
Zone of US must die, and the spy,
whoever he may me. must take his
.hances with u.s. / win fire the first !
hot at myself and If not killed win
PASS the weapon to my left, each man
o fire his In turn"
Raising the pistol to his temple, he /;
rev the trigger. There was d snap,
tut no explosion The second man did
he same. with the same result, and so
N till the pistol came to the fourth :
nan, the spy. He was white as a
beet but still held his nerve. Possi-
ly he conceived the affair q bluff
hat the cartridge was a sham. At $
ny rate, putting the pistol to his tenn 2
le, he pulled the trigger and fell
cad.
The next morning the papers con-
aimed an account Of a suicide of q
tranger, supposed to be a Russian.
he deed was committed in room the o
enter Of which did not appear, but |
be suicide left paper acknowledging t
is intertion. As soon as | read this q
ccount ! knew that the circle had z
lade away with the spy. went to 2
nee TO the matchmaker and found !
i'm, as usual, mending watches. !
1owed him the article. He glanced r
over, shook his head and went back v
work without uttering word. il
The same day a member of the cir j
e called on me. thanked me for the 2
formation had given them, but a
Id me at the same time that it must