Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-27

THE world has heard many strange
accounts Of the exploits OF German
army spies in all parts OF Europe
but surely the strangest of all is that
they have concealed themselves in the
Catacombs OF Rome in order 10 spy on
the operations of the Italian army.
Where the earliest Christians con-
structed these wonderful secret hiding
places In the rock to escape the blood
thirsty tyranny Of the Roman emperors,
these efficient moderns have concealed
themselves for the purposes OF war.
Where the earliest Christians sought ref
uge to conduct their sacred services i'll
safety, the modern militarists have made
a stronghold for the most subtle and
deadly objects Of the gospel of war
Even the construction OF gun emplacc-
ments in factories on French soil and the
storing OF munitions in disused French
QuarrieS by the Germans can hardly equal
this exploit
Both before and after the outbreak of
war the Italians conducted their military
preparations with a secrecy remarkable
even when compared with the precautions
of this character taken by all the other
Powers
Before the war they started to weed out
and eXprl all the German and Austrian
spies and secret agents who swarmed
from ore end of Italy TO the other, and
followed every OcnpaloN. notably tHoSe
of hotel walter and professor.
Still they found that remarkably accu-
rate information concerning Italian plans
was going to Austria and Germany. 1t
was then that an officer OF the Italian
army Intelligence Department" caught
sight of a specialized. very TeutOnic look
ing person living in an obscure howell
near the Catacombs He watched him
and found that he making use OF one
of the man7 secret entrances OF the
Catacombs.
The Italian War Office was aware OF
the significant fact that recent explora-
lions of the Catacombs have been mainly
in the hands of alleged German scientists.
The CataComb OF San Sebastano, for in
stance. was until month ago the scene of
busy German operations, and this happens
to undermine an important Italian mill
tary post.
The Italian soldiers made descent in
force and captured number OF Germans
who had concealed themselves behind q
rampant OF ancient skulls in the depths
OF the Catacombs. They were supplied
with provisions for months and portable
electric lights, with which they could find
their way in the darkness. The Italians
are stated to have seized a quantity OF pa.
pers in which the Germans had made
plans OF Italian Notifications and notes
of military preparations. Some OF these
had been cleverly concealed behind the
altar OF the oldest chapels constructed by
the early Christians
The Germans had also made many
sketches Of religious decorations in the
Catacombs. which are unriyalled in the
field of early Christian art, hut whether
they had done this from purc love of art
or TO cloak their other operations may be
questioned. Ii is equally uncertain
whether the Italians have captured all
the Germans VINO were concealed in the
Catacombs.
that Tho Germans this
place &c 2 kind OF headquarters where
they could spy on the plans OF the War
Office in Rome and on local movements
OF troops, assemble information. dispatch
messengers to Germany when there was a
good opportunity, and perhaps make an
attack at = critical moment on the local
defenses. The Italian War Office natural
~ refuses TO reveal all that II has found
out concerning the German espionage
operations
The Catacombs furnish an almost i'm
pregnable hiding place, for there are