New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-07
Spy Fever

In all the countries concerned the war
has had a stimulating effect on popular
imagination of the grosSer kind. 1t seems,
as it were, to have sharpened the wits of
the dullest without greatly strengthening
their understanding, so that some who IN
normal times were phlegmatic, blocklsh,
and generally undisturbed by fancy have
grown curiously, even morbidly, sensitive
to certain vague impressions, responding
to them with an alacrity they would not
have manifested before the war under the
most powerful and compelling of stimuli.
1t is related of Scottish gamekeeper
that his suspicious were aroused by one
who had lately been seen about his pre-
serves, and though far removed from any
place Of apparent strategic Importance
the stranger was instantly associated in
his mind with the war. True patriot that
he was, he lost no time in calling the at
tention of the military authority to the
supposed spy. He was asked if he had
spoken to the man, and whether the man
spoke English. "Ay," says he, chat was
the most suspicious thing of all: his Eng
lish was too damned good"
An instance quite as striking has lately
been brought to light in trial for SANDER
and libel before the Lord Chief Justice Of
England. Both plaintiff and defendant
served in the London National Guard, and
it appears that for some reason or other
the plaintiff, one Colyns, was suspected Of
being q German. The reason was not
made clear at the trial, but, whatever it
may have been, it sufficed to convince his
comrade, Mr.. Hill, that the case Of Collyns
was worth investigating.
Accordingly he resolved to place the
matter in the hands Of the Anti-German
Union, and in their turn the directors Of
the Union employed a notable Hun-baiter,
Major Stuart-Stephen, TO do little spy
ing. The result was that Collyns, who
had hitherto been employed on some very
OF England against German invasion, was
called off and ultimately informed by the
commanding officer Of the grave suspicious
against him.
He had no difficulty In clearing himself.
He was in fact an Englishman and free
man Of the City Of London, his father had
served in the East India Company and his
family had been well known In Somerset
for at least two centuries. In short, there
was not a trace of German in him, and
his accuser had no choice but to apologize
publicly and admit that the accusations
against him were "a pack Of lies from be-
ginning TO end"
The kind Of evidence on which the sus-
picions were grounded may be gathered
from the notes Of the ingenious Major
Stuart-Stephen, who, If he is the same
Major Stuart-Stephen that so accurately
forecast the Sim Fem rebellion, cannot be
accused of stupidity in all things. Here
are some of the more important gleanings
concerning the supposed spy:
Suspiciously accurate knowledge Of
German army corps. For example, cor
rected our friend to the present head
quarters Of a German army corps used
as test. Lives IN htuuAHb NOH hhu
returns home with Teutonic regularity
az $3.50 always. Is local figure Of i'm
portance st Horns pubchouse.
Great man for giving drinks.
Made friends In local pubs" through
whom found him at the Horns, in Ken
nington, where he holds forth as mill
tary expert Address unknown. He is
about 45 years Of age, feet inches
high, fair mustache, which he turns up
when drunk.
These were the essential points discov-
cred by Major Stuart-Stephen. They
proved, indeed, TO be all wrong, for the
simple reason that the willy major had
been drawn off on a false trail and had
pottered about the pubs" TO no purpose,
fastening his attention on one who had
never seen or heard Of Mr. Collyns. But,
quite apart from that circumstance, the
interest of the case lies in the relation be-
t,sesn tina fscts collected and the conclu-