The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1919-03-25
GERMAN SPIES FACED
DEATH LIKE STOICS
CONDEMNED MEN WERE DEFI-
ANT AND INDIFFERENT BE.
FORE THE FIRING SQUAD.

German spies, captured and con-
demned to death in England, faced
their fate with apparent indifference
and contempt for everything the
earth might hold, according to Brit
ish reports telling of a large number
of executions.
H" was the first spy of Importance
captured in England. His mission was
that of endeavoring to ascertain the
disposition of the British naval
forces, but in the British naval in
telllgence department he met his
match. III was shot at the Tower
of London in 1914, While the last
rites were being performed he re-
manned perfectly self-possessed and
glanced round indifferently while the
straps were being fastened. When all
was complete he leaned forward to
the assistant provost marshal gener-
al in charge Of the execution and said
to him: Perhaps you will not care
to shake hands with a spy, but will
you do so with a German officer"
Two Spies of the Movie Type.
On June 80, 1915, the Tower of
London was the scene of the execu-
ton Of two German spies "B" and
&C." Both were representative of
the type more closely associated with
the spy likely to succeed in obtaining
valuable information The two men
had been working in conjunction
with each other, and it was thought
to be in keeping that they should
die in the same chair from the bull
lets of the same firing party in the
rife range where their predecessors
had paid the last penalty.
"B" was one of the most valuable
spy captures made in England. A
handsome looking man of about 80
years of age, six feet nigh. he ap-
preached very nearly 20 the spy of
fiction in that he remained absolutely
cool from the time of his arrest until
his career ended. "B" took his con-
demnatiOn at court martial very cool
~. He gave no trouble afterward,
and went to his death on July 80
with a calmness which was perhaps
not altogether assumed.
A quarter of an hour later BIS"
accomplish, &C." was led forth un-
der military escort and was placed
in the chair from which only a few
minutes previously the dead body of
his fellow spy had been removed.
Freakish Spy 60 Years of Age.
&C" had treated his captors with
the typical arrogance of the Prussian
officer from the time of his arrest; he
eXuded insolence to the Last. Enter
ing the rife range he was smoking a
cigarette and unconcernedly puffed
at it while the preparations for his
execution went on. Ordered to seat
himself in the fatal chair he took a
last puff at his cigarette, held it up
in his fingers, and then, with a su-
preme gesture as of Indifference and
contempt to everything the earth
might hold, threw it upon the floor
and sat in the chair without another
word. AS the straps fastening his legs
and arms to the chair were being
buckled his face momentarily twitch-
ed-that was all.
Throughout the war Germany
doubtless employed many curiously
locking specimens Of humanity, but
it if doubtful if any more freakish
type was employed than ~" execut-
ed on Sept. 10, 1915. 81" was an ell
derby man, probably about so years
of age, five feet ten inches in height.
and so tross-eyed that the glasses he
wore merely accentuated the distig-
urment A slow speaking, seriously
deliberate type Of man, he probably
gained a certain amount OF Informal
ton owing to his utter lack Of resent
blanCe to preCOnceived notions Of a
spy. He was caught in the act and,
Ike wise man, made no fuss. He
took everything connected with his
court martial and subsequent con
demnation to death very much as a
matter Of course While in "
worth prison he caused the authOri-
ties no trouble whatever, and on be-
ing taken to the Tower of London
the day before his execution merely
exhibited certain amount Of curiosj-
IT, to know where he was going.
you will soon know he was curt
II told.
Like all other spies executed at the
Tower, ~" spent his last night on
earth within its time-hallowed pre-
cincts. Led forth in the dim gray of
Q September morning, he listened un-
moved to the reading of the sentence
If death. He wore his glasses right
up to the time of the bandaging Of
his eyes When the sergeant-major
in charge told him to remove them
he carefully took them off, glanced
regretfully at them with his cross
eyes and handed them over and went
to his death with great composure.
A Game Little Peruvian.
Quite one of the the most pictures
que personalities among the captured
spies was "F," a dapper little Peru