The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13
FACE 10

with a pass that permitted him to go any .
where, he was instructed to make a play
for the Hodges woman. In this he was not
as successful as we had hoped. True, he
was able to induce her to go riding with
him and though the opportunities for rides
in the automobile were many the woman
never wavered in her love for Hodges-she
would not talk. There is an old and true
saying:
"If you want to make woman talk, first
make her jealous So we planned to try
by some means to create feeling of jeal-
ousy between this woman and Hodges.
took my troubles to my friend the Chief
of the French secret police, as l needed his
help in finding a woman that | could use
for the purpose in mind During the war
the secret police of Bordeaux was a power
full organization, made up it was of many
nationalities, and comprising both men and
women. Among the women was girl
whose mother was half caste. Marie, The
Chief volunteered was just the girl for my
work, pretty as a picture and absolutely
fearless, and the Chief sent Marie to me.
Her instructions were simple: She
to frequent cafe in Bassens where Hodges
was in the habit of spending his spare time.
An acquaintance with Hodges was to be
formed and when she had accomplished this
further instructions would be given her.
Marie carried out her part of the plan
promptly and before many days had passed
she reported that Hodges was making an
dent love to her.
The stage was now set for the jealous
woman to appear. Marie was told that at
four o'clock the next afternoon she must
be walking along the. La Palice road with
Hodges. During the time that Marie had
been working on Hodges, Wilson, in turn,
was diligently planting the seeds of susp-
cion and jealousy in the mind of the woman
from Spanish Town.
Spinning along the La Palice road the
next afternoon, Wilson with the Spanish
woman, passed Marie and Hodges.
"Look!' exclaimed Wilson. "Why there
is Hodges right now and he sure has some
good looking girl with him. It's just as l
have been telling you, Hodges has new
sweetheart now! He doesn't love you any
morer'
During the rest of the ride Wilson made
the most of his opportunity and before he
returned to Bordeaux he had succeeded in
working his companion into fine rage. He
continued throwing out insinuations after
their return to the house, and finally broke
down her reserve. Turning on Wilson the
woman cried:
"If can't have him no other woman
shall l know enough to hang him! He
can't throw me over like that and get away
with it! Why, it was only month ago that
he came here in the middle of the night with
bundle containing one of his uniforms,
all bloody. He asked me to have it cleansed.
So l took it to the cleaner just around the
corner and it is there yet.
Hodges was in a terrible rage at the
time. He even threatened to kill me if /
ever told. Several nights later he came in
drunk. During the evening, he boosted that
he had killed one of his men for threaten
ing to squeal. 1t was terrible, especially
when he told me how he had beaten in the
head of the man. Later he said, If you
ever tell on me, l will strange You with
my bare hands, / don't care now He
doesn't love me any more, but that other
woman won't get him! Before / would
stand for that l would kill him myself!''
AS soon as possible after this, without ex-
citing suspicion, Wilson left the house and
reported to me. A quick visit to the cleans
ing establishment produced the uniform
with Hodges name stamped on it. The
manager remembered the circumstances. He
remembered, too, the trouble he had had in
getting the blood stains out He was will
ing to assist us by testifyng to the facts as
he knew them.