The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-03-04
Another Was Hanged and Many
More Are Serving Prison
Terms.
TRIckED BY DETECTIVES
False News Manufactured So That
Germany Might Be Misinformed-
Spies Were Of Very Little
Service to Germany. a

sergeant-major of the British military
foot police is a peculiarly made leath
er strap-or, rather, series Of straps
for which Madame Tussaud's
doubtless would pay large sum Of
money.
1t is the strap with which German
spies caught in this country and con
demned to death were fastened In 8
special chair at the Tower of London
prior to being shot. Like wise man
the sergeant-major had the strap
made to his own design and paid fol
it with his own money. 1t is to him
a priceless relic of the great war.
Germany's Wanted spy system
like the overboomed German navy
hardly realized expectations. There
were, 1t is true, a great many spies in
England, both before and after the
war acting on behalf Of the kaiser.
Most of them were neutrals, and came
originally from South American
states.
The British secret service resem-
bled It's magnificent navy. 1t did its
work as silently and effectively, and
the necessary reticence observed as to
it's doings contributed very materially
to the discontinue Selt by the Ger
man government owing to the mis-
leading information which Hfell" into
German hands.
Mythical Barrage in Channel.
AS matter of fact, the naval in
telligence department, under Rear Adj
miral Hail. acting In conjunction
with the censOr's department, provid-
ed false information to the Germans,
an instance being the mythical Strait
Of Dover submarine barrage revealed
by Sir Roger Reyes.
Nearly all Germany's spies in this
country attempted to forward their
information by post. But thanks to
the censor's staff it was rarely these
letters, even although written in In
visible ink, went undetected.
All spies were not arrested imme-
diately they were detected. The Brit
fish secret service, ever considerate,
allowed them to send and receive let
tiers and collect information, but it re-
served the privilege of opening the
correspondence both ways and max
ing alterations likely to be Of more
use to the allies than to Germany.
It Is difficult to estimate the value
of the information obtained by this
method. The Hun, with his profound
disrespect for British finesse, prob
ably never will believe that Britain
could be guilty of such astuteness.
1t is certain that Germany obtained
very little that was useful from her
spies in England. From the outbreak
of war the ports were too carefully
to permit of much leakage. |
Up and down the east and south |
west coasts Of England were, how
ever, many "hydros," palatial hotels,
built right on the sea, with large cop
per domes twinkling brightly for many
niles out at sea. And the manager
was often a German.
Eight German spies were executed
n this country, while many more are
long terms of penal servi-
ude. For obvious reasons the names
If many never were revealed. The
government continued to
with them blissfully
unaware that their agents had gone
o a bourne from which not even
German spy returns. The British Sc
ret service kindly acted as the spy's
eputy.
Executed in Tower.
The execution of these spies is nat
rally an unpleasant subject, but none
he less interesting. After the secret /.
rial and condemnation to death the
py was taken to the tower there to :
wait the dread summons in the early
ours Of the morning. Taken from
is cell by a party Of military police
ne spy was strapped to chair in /
Of the tower. There, fac
lg him, about ten PAGES distant, was
firing party, usually eight men, from =
lie battalion of guards on duty at the :
me. 4
A low instruction from the officer {
command to aim at the heart, t.
larp order 'Firel" burst of flame,
Id the crack of eight rifles had end
the career of another of Germany's
OILS. =
One spy was hanged at NORWOOD -
,rubS prison; seven others were fl
ot. The hanging cost about 500,
id, coming to the conclusion that it N
,uld be just as effective, to say moth n
6 of considerably cheaper, it was
cided to shoot all spies at the tow
Eight cartridges at three cents
CHI was much more appropriate
luation of a German.
Of the female spies much doubt
IS will be written by fiction writer's
the future. Like the men, they sue
sded in getting comparatively little
ormation of value out of the coun-
!. Most of them, neither young nor
autifuI like the spy of the story
tier, are languishng behind prison
lis and will remain there for some
lrs to come. British chivalry for
lie their execution.