The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1917-03-17
HOW THE BRITISH BECAME sUs.
PIcIoUs.

As far as possible the spy employ
ers sought to have their men work
in teams. These men were usually
acquainted with each other so that
their correspondence would seen rea
sonable, and In their letters they dts
cussed subjects and persons known
TO them both. There were times,
however. when the spy in England
knew nothing about the man with
whom he corresponded except what
he had been told before departing for
his post OF duty. II was this system
that first made the British suspicious
and led TO careful watch being kept
on correspondence between England
and Holland, Denmark and Norway.
The initial expenses OF the trip to
England and sufficient funds to keen
the spy comfortably for several weeks
were furnished at this end. When
the funds had been nearly exhausted
the spy would receive a message
telling him 10 come to Holland. This
call was usually arranged by a word
or a sentence. For instance. the spy
In England would one day receive an
Innocent letter telling of the health
OF the writer, the weather and such
commonplaces. The spy In England
was never intrusted with the de-
vcloper OF the secret writing. In
the letter the words my rheuma
tlsm is improving might occur. The
word rheumatism" would be tn.
code which said 10 the spy In Eng.
land; Come over TO Holland as
soon as possible for money and in
structions." The spy would find an
excuse for crossing to the Neither
lands and would there meet with
German agents, who gave him minute
a - ~ N..N A
most keenly desired by Germany, fur
nlsh him with funds. agree upon code
words to suit various emergencies
and the spy would return TO his post.
Tho American spies were always
instructed to mix with persons who
might be informed OF military and
naval matters They would frequent
the London hotels where the soldiers
hom1 on leave ever welcomed a good
fellow and were willing TO tell him
many things, provided, of course, that
the questioner was not too keen TO
get Information. In this way the spy
was able TO learn on what portion OF
the front certain regiments were sta -
TONED, where certain warshlps were
located, the number OF men In train
Ing at various camps, the morale o.
the men at the front and aboard the
warshlps, and hundreds OF other bits
OF information OF great Importance
to an enemy. During the Zeppelin
raids the spies reported the location
~ munition plants, told OF the dam
age inflicted by the alrships and the
methods being employed by the Eng
lish TO "strafe" the aerial cruisers.
The spy worked In seeming safety
His Invisible ink was indeed Invisible
and to all intents and purposes he was
gathering material for his papers oI
magazines at home. He gathered
suoh material and wrote many ar
| ticles OF such an innocent nature that
no suspicion was aroused in the mind
OF the censor. All went well until the
authorities decided that Bacon waS
altogether too much OF n letter writer
When taken into custody and accused
OF being a SPY he broke down and
with his life as his reward told OF the
system and Its methods.
Not only did Bacon expose the in
visible Ink spy system 10 the BritiAN
authorities. but ne also consented Il
come to New York and act as a wit
ness for the United States against
those who hired him, The Washing.
ton authorities we're exceedingly will.
ing 70 cooperate with tho British
Government 20 break up the practice
Of sending spies to n friendly country
from the United states. and Bacon'i
information speedily led to the arrests
In New York.