The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-06-19
The Eye Of the
Government
BY RYLAND BELL


.yl'. 40 Fly overturned by revolution,
kel;, !. ~.Ii": record of strangers pass
ing through their domains. Not that
tourists a.e today ignored, bat the
methoCs are not now so obtr>1sive as
they Were then.
In 1882 William Starkweather of Al
bany, NJ Y, while in Berlin was fol-
lowed :bo,:t hv man who was I'M
doubtedly Il spy Of the government.
Ten years later he had occasion to
again visit Berlin. He remembered his
previous XTerience and wondered II
it would be repeated He saw nothing
however. to excite his suspicious till he
was leaving the city. lie stepped into
O compartment of Il coach-each COM
partment WAS separated from the 9TH
ers at that tilnp-in which there was
no other passenger. Just before the
train started Il one eyed man carrying
a valise entered the compartment and
as he did so eyed Mr. Starkweather
sharply.
Here he is" thought the American.
HE has but one eye, but for spying
purposes it is quite as good as two"
The man took a seat as far away
from Starkweather as possible. and in
stead of putting his valise in the rack
overhead placed it i'll the seat beside
him.
Starkweather reached a satchel from
the rack. took ont book and began to
read He bad perused several pages
when, looking aside, he saw the single
eye-the eye of the government he
called it-looking at him.
AS Starkweather looked up the man
put his hand on the valise beside
him, and, since his expression indicat
ed that he was ready to fight if neces-
sary, the American thought that he
was intending to open the yalise and
take out a brace of pistols. Stark
weather, who kept what money ne
had with him in his right hip pocket,
involuntarily put his hand there. The
man started and put his own hand to
his hip, keeping that single eye of his
on his fellow passenger. Starkweath-
er, inferring that the man supposed
he had reached for pistol, withdrew
his hand in way to avoid, so far as
possible, giving that appearance. New
ertheless he dreaded lest the man, ex-
pecting that he would draw a weapon,
should do so quicker than he and send
bullet crashing through his brain.
However, when the other saw his emp
ty hand he, too, withdrew his own and
without anything in it
By this time Starkweather, being
alone in compartment with a man
whom he believed had been sent by
the police to watch him and shoot him
down if he attempted to play any des-
perate game, considered i quite time
to disabuse his antagonist of his sup
position as to his character. Fortu-
nately he spoke German very well and
thus addressed the one eyed man In
that language: -
Since you seem to be interested In
me; sir | take it that you think me
revolutionist. assure you that have
no interest in this country whateyser.
am a eitizcfre4f tff1e- city 4 Ibarz.,
the state of New York, in the United
States of America beg you, there
fore, to cease your attentions and let
me alone
This brief speech seemed to have a
contrary effect on the one eyed man
to what was expected. He glared at
Starkweather, clutching his valise In
one hand, while he kept the other I'M
der his coat in the region Of his hip.
When Starkweather had finished he
made no reply. but looked about ap-
parently for some means OF stopping
| the train. Starkweather lost patience
with the fellow and, forgetting to
speak in German, blurted out in first
rate American:
What in thunder is the matter with
you?"
what in thunder is the matter with
your" was the reply in the same Ian
guage.
"You understand English?"
"Of course | 90 | don't understand
anything else
"Not what | said to you just now in
German:
mo. Who are your
Pm William Starkweather Of Al.
| bany, N. Y. L. s. A"
'"Then you know me and have my Sc
sret.''
81 don't know you and neither have
nor wish to have your secret
I'm from Albany myself-145 G
street. live around the corner from
you l suppose you learned of my mis-
sion there and have followed me to get
| the securities"
what securities:"
"That Pm taking home for the state
government" I
Stark wea Their burst into a laugh.
what are you srinnjnG at:' inquired
the other.
DO you know I've been taking you
for a spy of the PruSs;ian government
who suspected me of being n revolt
zionist -
why did you think hate
You looked at ne VI hen you entered
the coach rs if You had spotted me-"
81 didn't lie ri,,iig in Il compart
ment with one other man, having $780,
BOO in bonds in my valise."
"Oh, that's the explanation. is it!
What's yorr nance
"Phi!ip Van Ge.$en."
"Oh, you're the assistant state treas.
urer."
eyes