New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-04
Cars Representative in
Vienna Object of Grave
Suspicious.
ORGANIZED ESPIONAGE
LAID AT HIS DOOR
cclsed, Too, of Promoting Sedi-
ton in Northeastern Section
Of Oval Monarchy.
IFron Tho tribune Correspondent. !


Berlin. Dec. 1i-An International scan
dial Of some magnitude. IT would seem.
is now brewing quite recently the Rus
sian government recalled its longtime
representative and ambassador in Vienna.
NJ de Giers. and replaced him with NJ. n.
y Shebeko. NJ de Giers is Of a conciia-
tory disposition, frank withal. and what
is usually called "a good fellow" NJ.
Shebcko IS rather the reverse Of all this.
Ills last post was in Bucharest. where
bold artl-Austrian Htrigues were his
chief occupation. and for the successful
though biocdless Rumanian campaign
against Bulgaria this Russian diplomat
Is. so common report says, largely re-
sponsible
Though not OF high birth (Which in
Russia counts for much). and still very
young. NJ. Shebcko has. solely owing to
his exceptional ability, already made
brilliant career I'm statecraft. and his
friends prophesy that, ere long. he Will
be the Russian Chancellor. On his arri-
val here a few weeks ago he spoke in a
very hopeful strain of the future relations
between Austria Hungary and Russia,
and this despite all sorts of threatening
indications.
This same VI. Shebeio is to-day. e.,
before his formal presentation to the
Emperor and before he has actually
started in on the legitimate duties Of his
offce-the object of grave suspicious. 80
much so. in fact, that he has been, even
during the last week, the object of an
Interpolation in the Austrian "delega-
ton An Interpolation is most unusual
in this country. and the Secretary Of For
eign Affairs was constrained 10 reply.
Circular Letter to officers.
The things that are laid to NJ. Shebe-
kos charge are numerous. It's contenc-
cd, in the first place. that he has come
here to reorganze the Russian espionage
system OF a larger and more compre-
hensive scale than has hitherto obtained.
For this very serious accusation there
exist. l am given to understand, more
than sufficient grounds. In the army or
gan. the "Milit Rundschau.' a circular
letter was reprinted verbatim, which has
been sent to hundreds of Austrian and
Hungarian army officers occupying posi-
tons of trust and influence and possess
ing knowledge of military secrets. In this
letter these high officers were asked point
blank, one and all OF them, TO betray
their country to Russia by delivering up
such hidden information as they might
have, and were assured that the recon-
pense would be large enough to make
them independent for life. Some passages
in this remarkable letter read as follows:
"rhe work which ] expect you 10 do re-
duires man of brains and skill for such
a one there is no danger In It. |
assure you that if the last victim had not
been too greedy and eager exposure would
never have occurred. and he and all his
relatives could now spend the remainder
Of their lives I'm some luxurious villa, sur
rounded by wealth and comfort. Can you
ever expect all this from your present
service%
Whether all OF these alluring epistles
have come into the hands Of the govern
ment or not is an unsolved question. So
is the question whether mischief has been
done already by them or whether mischief
is on the way BY the last victim and
exposure" i'm the quotation from this let
ter above is meant, Of course, Colonel
Redl. Of the general staff whose suicide Is
still green I'm memory.