The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-04-28

!: The Fate ola Spy. :
How Russian Circle Handled
One OF Them


tcopynght 1850. by American Press As.o-
c.ation.l
We don't realize here In America
bow many nndercurrents 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
witch then. We are us unconscious
Of the plot and counterploS constantly
going on between these two foreign
classes rs We are OF the vast trufic in
the subways underlying the city of
New York 1t is only when we 70
down there that We see life and mo-
ton. such as are above. and Il Is only
when one gets the conadenee Of a
Russian refugee that he ix Introduced
to this constant war between them
and theSspies.
Fate led me TO such IN INTRODUCTION
and enabled me TO tell this story. One
morning. having injured my watch, I
stopped Mt n watchmaker's shop to
have 1t repaired. found there-I
win call him ivan. AIexie1-a Russian
and went there afterward quite fre-
quentiy 10 get him to do little Jobs
for me. One morning / found him
with his head resting in bis arms on
his work table sobbIus convulsiveiy.
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 car. Ivan Alexiefr
Mt the same time fed TO the United
States. He WIS n gentleman born
and. in accordance with 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 II
view Of their mutual protection. Not
one Of them but had lost some rela-
tive either by the executioner or In the
desolate wilds OF Siberia.
l became deeply Interested In Alex
iefr. and he came to coRtde 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 tribuIation. BE told
me that some time before refugee
had come to the place and been admit
ted to their circle. They now suspect
ed thar he was spy in the pay of the
Russian government The man passed
under the name OF obIendoS and kept
little cake and candy shop.
l agreed to make the acquaintance
Of ooiendoT and see If could get his
confidence and his secret. picked up
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.
When told him Of the one did
know about gained his confidence.
and 1t was not long before went to
my friend the matchmaker with I'M
doubted proof that the suspect was
spy.
( a plan was laid. and a 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 spy.
He then submitted declaration TO
every member stating that he had vol.
unfairly conlmltted suicide. All signed
the paper. the spy maintaining good
nerve and signing with the others. BE
must have known that be WAS suspect
ed.
The leaders next moSe was 10 take
pistol from desk drawer and show
the members that its six chambers
were empty. After this he put 4 ball
cartridge IN one chamber and. hold
Ing the Hammer. turned the cylinder
rapidly. giving every member permis-
sion TO do the same with averted 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
the table while he did SO. presumably
that no one could see where the car.
fridge lay. Then he said:
"one OF US must die. and the spy.
whoever he may me. must take his
chances with US. l will ire the first
shot ut myself and II not killed will
pass the weapon to my left. each man
to fire his in turn"
Raising the pistol to his temple. be
drew the trigger. There was snap.
but 70 explosion. The second rau did
the same. with the same result. and 50
on I'LL the pistol came to the fourth
man. the spy. BE was white US
sheet. but still held his nerve. Posi-.
bly, be conceived the affair u bluff
that the cartridge was sham. At
any rate, putting the pistol TO his tenn
pie. he pulled the trigger and fell
dead.
The next morning the papers con-
tanned ~ account OF srIcide Of a
stranger. supposed TO be II Russian.
The deed was committed In room the
3 -