The Washington herald., 1919-02-23
HUN SPY SINGS "TIPPERARY"
AS BULLETS END HIS LIFE
Balderston Also Tells of Prussian Officer
Who Wore Love Token Over Eyes.
Others Die in Terror
BY JOHN, LLOYD BALDERsToN.
, Copyright. 1918, by the Mcclure Newspaper

Copyright. 1918. by the Mcclure Newspaper
Sypdicate.)
London, Feb. 22--Many were the spy
yarns, rivaling the widest imagina-
tions of Oppenheim or Conan Doyle,
that every correspondent heard during
the war. but could not write. Now
that the war is over. 1t is possible to
tell the stories OF the deaths of those
agents OF Germany who were shot in
the ancient Tower of London. scene,
throughout the centuries, of so many
executions. Even yet, details of their
careers. the methods by which they
were trapped. may not be told. Even
their names, for reasons cannot
fathom, remain in the secret archives.
Thrilling, indeed. would be the tale
of the exploits OF the great and mys-
terious chief OF all British sleuths-a
man familiar in appearance and by
reputation to thousands, whose very
name is unknown to all but a trusted
few. who must never be addressed ex-
cepting by an initial, who alone OF
Commoners has the privilege of driv-
ing through the Horse Guards Arch
where royalty alone may pass, and
the privilege reserved to royalty that
nobody to whom he speaks may ad-
dress him a question. Every police
man in Central London knows "S'
by sight and salutes as his car speeds
by, but l have never met a man who
knew SIS" name, or, If he did know
who would tell. But the story of "S''
cannot be told now. and, perhaps, not
in this generation.
Catches Hun Spy.
Or ! should like to relate a story OF
fiction that l know to be true-how a
blue-blooded. titled, apparently good
for-nothing man who stayed at
home" camoufaged in uniform. en-
ployed apparently in silly ceremonial
jobs to which his lineage entitled him.
was in reality a daredevil who
single-handed caught more than one
of the men whose deaths are describ-
ed below. This scion of the nobility
on one occasion had no evidence
against a man he was morally certain
was a spy. He asked the accused
who claimed to speak no English, to
write on typewriter in French a
statement OF his Whereabouts on GER
tain doubtful days The suspect be-
gan TO pound the keys: then the
young aristocrat said in a stage whis-
per in English to an assistant. Wed
better give him the extraordinary
torture provided under the secret
clause four of the defense of the
realm act for suspected spies" The
man at the typewriter struck four
keys together and stopped in con-
fusion. his inquisitors were on him
like a fash; before he recovered him
self his involuntary admission that
he did understand English was used
to wiring from him a confession. Be
trayed by the typewriter. &C" died
one cold morning at the Tower
But intelligence departments. in
peace as in war. don't want themselves
talked about. This story must per-
force confine itself to the deaths OF
spies whose operations would afford
plots for 100 dime novels
III" was the first spy of importance
to be captured in this country. His
mission was that of endeavoring to
ascertain the disposition Of British
naval forces. but in the Naval Intelli-
gence Department he met his match.
III" was tried by Court-martial-as
laid down by international law-and
was shot at the Tower Of London in
1914. While the last dread rites were
being performed. III" remained per
fectly self-poSsesSed and glanced
around irtelligently while the straps
were being fastened. When all was
complete he leaned forward to the
assistant provost marshal in charge Of
the execution and said to him: Per
haps you will not care to shake hands
with spy. but will you with a Ger
man offiCer?" The a. P. NJ did so.
M was the next German spy to
meet his death, although he did so at
BriXton Prison by his own hand A
poor. cowardly creature, his death by
hanging saved the authorities the
trouble of arranging his execution,
which was to have taken place a
few days later