Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-12-04
tOopyrishs, 1914. by the wheeler syndicate. Inc,

| from Kasimir Kowalsky, an Austrian
agent whom you will find at Donau-
strasse "a. BY the way, do you know
him?"
| / said no.
Mission That Did Not Appeal.
In this case" went on Won Siam
mer, Il shall give instructions to facil-
itate matters. 1t is necessary for you
to have passports. Have you any
reason to fear your previous mission
to the BaIkans?"
He referred to an incident in 1908,
a week previous to the assassination
of King Alexandra and Queen Draga
Of Servia-an incident I don't like to
think Of, for it landed me against a
blank wall looking into six ugly Maui
ser tubes.
| considered that there were only
two men in the Balkans who could
have placed me from that incident.
One, Colonel Niglitch, was dead. He
| was slain at the time OF the double
assassination. the other was SIAM
boulof. and he was no doubt moving
in the circles where my mission
would take me. No. was in no way
keen to undertake this mission. My
previous experience in the Balkans
had given me a thorough distaste of
the people there. There is no mix
ture of races so dangerous. Based
on my experiences, nearly every man
there is for a small sum a traitor and
a potential assassin. had had a
taste of Balkan methods, and / didn't
want another.
Won Stammer must have noticed my
hesitation, for he grinned and said:
Nervous about It'll"
was, and frankly told him SO.
yes, / understand your attitude
Besides, you have been ON the go for
quite several months and should have
rest. beg of you to consider
though, that you are the only man we
have at our disposal who can see this
thing through"
He then began to hint In such q
way that # became plain TO me that
refusal on my part wouM not be al
all to the liking of the Wilhelm5trasse
Refusal would mean loss of favor and
with it the choice jobs. AS an added
inducement, Won Stammer promised to
double the usual remuneration. Frank
ly, this was a point. / considered thai
the mission would not take me ovel
three or four weeks and he haG
agreed to pay me $4,000 aside from
the bonus always attached to success
full and quick work.
Still, | wasn't sure that wanted t.
go. knew there was the danger O
| nd III -
, hot headed people / was going among
It was far more dificult, far more haz
ardous. than any mission l had eve
undertaken in England or France
: even the tremendous responsibilities
} of the affair in the Black FOREST car
ried with them none of the persona
dangers that this did. Pressed for
decision, | requested some little tim
to think things over Asking me 4
I telephone his home before one o'clocl
, at the latest and let him know wha
was going to do, Won Stammer de
. parted.
3 Matter of Solitaire.
t l hope 1 am still Christian, bu
e contact and intercourse with tn
mysticism of Africa and India hay
] ul6 bupSESJIliOuS. nave
a curious habit at momentous times Q
g INDIGESTION of taking two full package
t of cards and playing Napoleon's sol
taire. II get 1t out once in thre
g times l generally go into the matte
d in hand without question. 1t neve
i has failed me. Twice in my life
n went against it; twice / had bite
4 cause for regret.
3 Well, didn't give Won Stamer hi
9 decision on the moment because
. wanted to try the old test Kim Dr.
t. duced the cards and began to pIa,
It got it out the second time. Coin
Q to the telephone, / called Won Stan
d mer and told him / would undertak
D the mission. He asked me to com
a at once to his house, and there | n
J. eeived final instructions and pas
Q ports. the latter essential south of til
Austrian frontier.
II At three o'clock in the morning
n boarded the Orient express, via Vie
y ma, and made a stop-over of a day
Budapest. / went Immediately
10 Donaustrasse % and saw the Au
trian agent Kowalsky. From him
4 gained points that were invaluable
O. me. For instance, he gave me IL
Is names of men who frequented certat
places in Belgrade, men who would /
IN of use to me. He also warned me
certain persons, especially wome
II. whom he knew to be In Russian Ell
es ploy. That night caught a train Il
SO the Servian capital, well satisfied Wi
@. the results OF my visit in Vienna.
n Before dinner time the next day.
ls was installed at the Hotel De Par
Ut in Belgrade. My rooms had been e
st gagged for me beforehand and tn,
at were the most expensive in the hot
w for a reason. / found myself
" an elaborate suite, on the first foo
rs known as the suite Des Princes Tt
IN was a necessary show of parvenuis
as money is the first and last word
the Balkans. Belgrade and everybo
lu In 1t pride themselves on their up
% date Partisan style Everybody liv
ut in the Partisan way. Army office
On whose pay is infinitesimal, all Ii
st at the rate of Russian grand duk,
How they are able to manage this
the official Servian army salaries
n- 65 cents a day would naturally puzs
IN an outsider. To the insider the !
ee swer is Russian gold. It buys al
Mt thing and everything south of I'm,