The Ronan pioneer., 1917-11-09
SPY WIRELESS ON
HIGH MOUNTAIN:
GERMAN AGENTS BELIEVED TO
HAVE WORKED in FOREST
NEAR PARADISE.

NEAR PARADISE.
Trapper Finds Evidences of Disman-
tied Station in Forest-CamOu-
flage Practiced to Hide Their
Work, When Equipment is Re-
moved.
On one of the highest mountains
in western Montana, in the heart of
a national forest, not far from the
town of Paradise, agents of the Ger
man spy system are believed to have
maintained wireless station during
the past summer for the transmission
of messages from the United States
to Germany, via a transcontinental
wireless station in Mexico
Reports were current for sometime
in that portion Of Montana that there
were German agents active, but SO
we'll did they cover their actions and
so far back in the mountains was the
wireless plant located that not until
recently was any tangible evidence
secured of their work. Even in aban-
doning their station site early this
fall they practiced the art of camou-
flage so we'll that an old-time noun
taineer and prospector, crossing the
spot, failed on the first trip to note
that any disturbance had taken place.
Having read about the arrest in
Butte of a German spy, this same
prospector Ed Marshall, who has
lived in the mountains for years,
where he has trapped, hunted and
prospected in summer time and spent
the winters in his cabin in one of the
valleys about II miles from Para
disc, recalled the strange actions of
two men, whom he had encountered
in the hills
There in Middle of August.
He first ran across them during
the second week in August, when he
penetrated the forest little farther
than was his usual custom. Round
ing the butte of a mountain, that
stands higher than any other in that
vicinity, he saw only a short distance
away two men, walking toward him.
They stopped suddenly on his appear
ance, talked for few moments and
then turned and disappeared. They
| were dressed as loggers and while
German in their appearance he pre-
sumed they were workmen out trap
ping.
A few nights after that his attrac-
I ton was drawn to two mysterious
lights Flashing on the mountain sides,
too bright for lantern and working
very much like searchlghts. They
disappeared in few minutes and
1 though he waited for sometime, they
h did not reappear.
The following week he ran across
, the two men again on the same bald
= mountain, but when they discovered
him, they hid behind large trees. His
curiosity was SO aroused that he de-
, termined to investigate and a few
weeks later, after reading an account
: of the arrest of the alleged German
e spy in Butte, he made trip to the
S top of the bald peak.
l. Finds Wireless Copper.
f He reached the top without MAX
/ ing any discovery and had started
@ down again, when he noticed one of
o the trees had the appearance of hav-
:. ing been partly trimmed. Further
s 1HVcSIlSdLlOu uloClOocu ludt oOulColC
G had been living there. In the rub
s bish uncovered was found many
G pieces Of copper wire such as are
used in wireless plants.
d Great care had been used in de-
t stroying the station and obliterating
q all signs of it's having been there.
d So careful were the operators that
4 even the forest rangers, who keep
I o1 n that
, goes on within the forest reserve,
/. were not aware of their presence.
t Supplies by Airship.
Indications are that the station Sc
cured it's supplies by automobile and
/ by airship 1t is believed that the
Y material for the station itself was
| taken in autos to the foot of the
= mountain across from Paradise and
0 then carried the remainder of the
: way. Food is believed to have been
f taken in from Missoula, autos max
. ing the trip most of the time.
\ V. l.. Morrison, marshal Of Para
s disc, is responsible for the statement
4 that during August and september
an automobile was seen frequently
G to make trips to the mouth of a cam
e yon across the river from the city.
v Other Paradise residents have told
g of seeing lights across the river at
v night, the glare being so bright that
I it was generally supposed to have
e been made by searchlights.
t Messages and supplies are also be-
G lieyed to have been taken in by an
airship. Near the lite disclosed by
the marshal there is flat space That
would have served we'll for landing.
G Frequently during the summer the
& whirr of an aeroplane engine was dis
: tinctly herd at night over the coun-
u try near Paradise.
One suggestion is that this is the
d same aircraft that was heard at
: nighttime over Helena, Butte and
Z several other Montana cities and that
IL was hound for the wireless station