The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-04-08
A DIPLOMATIC
EPISODE
1t Occurred In Connection
With the War Between
the States
By HUDSON e. EASTON
BY HUDSON E. EAsToN


Everybody who knows anything Of
the diplomatic history attending our in
ternal war knows that Napoleon Ill.
endeavored to induce England to join
him In intervening and putting an end
to the struggle by a division Of the
states. 1t is equally well known that
the czar of Russia, not content with
neutrality, said to the ambassador Of
france, Tell your master that If he
nterferes In the American civil war
will strike him." At the same time he
showed his readiness to stand by the
federal government by sending a feet
to New York.
This is history or rather a synopsis
Of the diplomatic history of that time.
But in diplomacy, while the results
come out, the moves on the chess
board that go to make game usually
remain secret. True, now and again
some one of these moves leaks out, but
it never bears the official stamp of
truth. The following episode is case
in point:
One day the American minister In St.
Petersburg called an official Of the en-
bassy into his private office and said
to him:
II have just come from an audience
with the car He has told me that he
has sent word to the emperor Of
France that he will not permit the dis
memberment of the American republic
by European interference But the
car fears that Napoleon will induce
England to join him in intervening be-
fore the latter learns of the cars po-
sition. England once committed can
not well withdraw. and England and
France together will be too strong for
Russia, especially as the matter would
be fought ont on the water It is Of vi
tai importance that the British govern
ment be at once advised of the czar's
position, and | wish you to carry an
official communication to that effect |
warn you that that fox. Napoleon, has
the best spy system in the world, and
1t exists right here in st. Petersburg
as it does in Paris. The French am
bassador will endeavor to keep the
English government in ignorance of
the czar's stand as long as possible, so
that her master may make an English
alliance for the purpose Of Intervention
before the cars intention is known IN
Downing street
I'VE are watched by French spies.
Our mail in going through the Russian
post is watched by Russian officials in
the pay of the French ambassador
There is no avenue that is not spied
upon. Your going will be known, and
only the most unceasing vigilance will
enable you to get to London with your
message. If possible do not sleep on
the way unless you are guarded. Re-
member the union of the states de-
ponds upon your success"
That same evening the official, whom
we shall call Roger Coleman, entered
railway station in St Petersburg and
was making his way to a westbound
train when a railway official, with a
This way, sir" led him to a coach,
opened a door and put him in. There
was but one vacant seat, and as soon
as Coleman had filed 1t the official shut
the door and locked it.
At the first stop most of those who
were in the compartment with Cole
man got out, and at the second station
the seats were all left vacant except
one occupied by young girl Several
persons, seeing that there were only
two persons in the compartment, start
ed to enter 1t, but they were told by an
official standing by the door to go to
another coach. Some time before the
train moved on he shut the door and
locked it.
The light in the coach being poor,
Coleman folded his arms, closed his
eyes and leaned his head back on the
cushion. He had no intention Of going
to sleep. He was simply thinking of
the journey before him and wondering
how he would be lnterfered with if at
all. For some time he sat perfectly
mOtionless. Then between his eyelids
he saw the girl, who sat on the other
side of the coach and opposite him, be-
gin to look at him. Suspecting her, he
began to breathe like a sleeper and
finally to snore Then she reached for
his travelling bag, which he had placed
on the seat beside him. Coleman snor-
ed Justify The girl opened the bag,
and her face lighted up with pleasure
at seeing passport lying on the very
top of some toilet articles. withdraw
ing it, she thrust it in her bosom, shut
the bag and, leaning back In her seat.
pretended to sleep.
Instead Of endeavoring to prevent the
theft, Coleman snored on. And this is
what he said to himself: "That being
pne of several passports 1 have with
me, shall not be delayed by its loss
/ was guided to this compartment by
railroad official or a man disguised
as railroad official in the pay of the
French ambassador, the compartment
having been previously packed by the
same person with those who held tick
cts for the first and second stations on
the route This girl was to be left
alone with me to steal my passport"
At the next station the girl left the
coach, and Coleman, being alone in the
compartment and learning from the
guard that the train did not stop again
for an hour, get little sleep. After the
next stop there was none till the train
reached Wilma, and since no one got In
with Coleman he slept till reaching
that city The first important stop he
reached after having crossed the Dor
der was Koningsberg in Germany. and
from there. after skirting the Baltic,
he passed through Hamburg and Brem-
en- and reached Holland without ad-
venture. Indeed, he did not look for
his enemies in Germany, believing
that Holland, being much nearer Paris,
would be far better ground for their
operations. He purposed to cross the
North sea from Rotterdam.
Besides his hand bag, Coleman car
ried with him a leather portmanteau,
but his official letter from the Ameri-
can minister at st. Petersburg to the
prime minister Of England he carried
ON his person. On entering Holland in
order to outwit his enemies he kept his
portmanteau on the floor Of the car
between his heels. A lady entered tho
compartment who seemed to be i'll,
leaning her head back on the cushion
and closing her eyes, At the first stop
after her entrance she said, evidently
with effort, to Coleman:
would monsieur be so good as to
go into the station and bring me a
glass of water? / am suffering with a
burning thirst"
Certainly" replied Coleman, and he
went for the water. When he returned
fhe sick lady and hia auit case ware