Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
ters Among Spies Were Resourceful in Emergencies

| left laden with gold and instructions.
WaSsmuSS himself remained in the hills.
But had some giant eye looked down
it would soon have seen what must
have looked like busy converg1ng OF
ants from all over southern Persia
| from the gulf, from the cities. from the
| plains. from ports and 1ittorals. even
from as far as India and the coast or
the Indian Ocean-bearerS of informa-
ton eager to bring it to WaSsmuSS.
In an Indian port troopship was
loading. Porters knew what was in the
crates and bales and boxes they were
taking on board. Some one among
them was quietly compiling list of
these things. Now a runner brought
the list to WaSSmusS
Regimental servants listened to their
masters more keenly than before, not
that they might obey them better, but
in order to learn as much as possible
of the movements of their masters
regiments. From military encamp-
mentS and embarkation ports, from
divisional headquarters and training
camps, from officers clubs and from
ammunition depots, from shipyards and
transportation centers came lists and
figures, reports of conversations over
heard at keyholes and copies Of written
reports surreptitiously obtained-a vast
mass of data for any mind to organize.
But WassnuSs and Brugmann, both
racially and individually, had the gifts
necessary for the task. And when
Wassmuss got through digesting, coll
lating and summarizing his reports he
sent them on to Imam Won Sanders,
his nearest intelligence chief, at Con-
stantinople.
X X y
TT was not long before Great Britain
began to feel decidedly restless be-
cause of WasSmuss.
Get him!" went out word on high
to the British in Persia. PAY $4,000
to any one who will capture himl"
All Persia knew of the reward. which
meant that Wassnuss was not the last
to learn of it. His response was to eX-
tend his spying. Whereas before he
had confined himself to engaging men
to spy on the British, now he entered
on campaign of secret bribery OF
those who were known to be acting as
spies for the British.
Along with his mysticism your ORR
entail has firm streak Of the realist in
him, especially in his relation to the
Occidental. Money is very real thing
to an Oriental. and he can be induced
to do much for It. If native Persian
was receiving so much from the British
agents offered him little more. And
thereafter the man served one master
ostentatiously, another actually.
Get Wassmussl' the word went out
again from high British quarters. ITO
any one who delivers him to US,
si0.000l"
BY this time Wassmuss had devel-
oped a third phase Of his activity.
Over the seas in innocent looking
freight boats ammunition and arms
began to come and caravans brought
them to Wassmuss in the hills. He IN
turn distributed beautifully new and
shining rifles and revolvers to his
friends, the Persian tribes.
Thereafter British troops in Persia
had not only espionage to contend with,
but also Persian tribes to fight.
A British warship was sent to try to
break up the overseas procession OF
ammunition ships routed for Persia.
It did not do much good. Another war
ship was added without effecting any
difference. A third and then q fourth
warship were detailed to attend to
WaSSmuss.
But apparently the warships did not
accomplish what they set out to do.
For, although they devoted themselves
exclusively to WasSmuss, months after
their arrival the British government
raised the offer for the delivery Of
Wassmuss. 1t was now f25,000.
The British intelligence service once
every fortnight made out map show
ing the distribution Of enemy forces.
Across one whole corner of this map
of Persia there was printed In red ink
the name Wassmuss.
And because the map was so marked,
thousands of British troops had to be
added to the four warships as the con-
tingent Great Britain had to support
in and about Persia just because one
young German was hiding in the hills.
1t was economy, therefore, as much