Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-04-02
DREW PLANS
ON Her BACK
German Officer Drew Fort Plans
on His Fiancee's
Skin.
THE SOLDIERS BAD FALL
Plan to Marry on $4,000 Obtained
From Russia is
Frustrated.
THE SOLDIERS BAD FALL

Berlin, March 30.-The approach
ing trial of a young army officer
who turned traitor in order to get
money to wed and tattooed the
plans Of fertilization on the back
of his fiancee so that she might go
to Russia without detection and
win the $4,000 offered for the in
formation, is expected to be the
most sensational in the history of
the German army.
August Schorveder, a lieutenant
in the garrison at Posen, was madly
in love with Ida Mullerthal, a pref
ty German girl. Both were poor
and their marriage seemed hopeless.
Other accounts have it that they
were not engaged. The despair of
the couple became known to a Rus
sian secret agent who long had been
trying to get the plans of the fort
ress. He cultivated the acquaint-
ance of the couple, and, having
studied his man, came out frankly
and made the officer an offer of
$4,000 If he would get the plans
and deliver them in Warsaw.
Schorveder found no opportunity
to get his hands on any OF the val
liable blueprints and drawings of
the fortress. He knew he was
watched closely, as were most Of
the officers. He took counsel with
his fiancee. He pointed out that If
he drew the plans on paper, they
could not be sent by mail. They
might be detected and again he did
not propose to give up the plans un-
til he had the money.
Woman's wit suggested a way.
Tattoo the plan on my back and /
can travel to Warsaw without fear
OF detection" cried the girl. At
first, he would not hear of it. He
pointed out that the operation would
be painful and that she would have
to expose her back to others.
"But see. it will eliminate in our
happiness" insisted Ida. 1t ended
with an adoption OF her suggestion.
That very night Schorvedor began
the painful operation of tattooing a
rough plan of the fortress on his
fiancee's fair shoulders. The torture
was SO severe that the girl frequent
ly begged him to stop. The work
occupied several nights and the lieu
tenant assauged the pain with many
a kiss on the ugly red marks.
Fraulein Mullerthal travelled to
Warsaw. She was. kindly received
by the governor, who had been ad-
vised that young woman was COM
ing with important information"
Where Is the information you
were to bring?" he asked.
Here" replied the girl. taking
off her blouse and showing her
Wonderful" said the governor,
who quickly recognized the salient
points of the fortress in the rough
sketch. The stipulated sum was
paid her.
But the Posen military authori-
ties had become suspicious of Schor-
veder. He had been seen in COM
pany with the Russian agent and
Ida Mullerthars trip to Warsaw
became known. Suspicious were
by the freedom with
which Schorveder and his fiancee
began to spend money. The
girls home was searched, but moth
Ing was discovered. Still the mill
tary authorities were unconvinced.
They decided to arrest her.
Taken to jail she had in accord
ance with rules and regulations to
be searched by a matron. even to
the point of disrobing. In vain she
pleaded that she had done no
wrong. AS the prison matron asked
her II there were any scars or iden-
LITIGATION marks on her body. Ida
knew that all was dis
covered. As the girls waist came
off the matron saw the plan on her
shoulders and the secret OF the sud-
den wealth was out. Ida dropped
TO the prison floor sobbing hysteri-
cally.
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