Evening star., 1928-10-21

could be surprised and oVerWhelmed
But In every case 1t was the workers
who were overwhelmed by troops lying
in ambush. Blood flowed, but it was
workingmens blood and those who were
not shot were thrown into prison.
Stieber was neither shot nor impris-
oned. Instead, he was called to court.
It was the King himself who intro
duced Stieber to Won Kimberley, prefect
of the police of Prussia.
my dear prefect," the King said. "I
want to recommend this young man.
He is clever and has rendered me a
service"
The prefect felt uneasy. He lowered
his voice.
But, your majesty, know this man
to be active among the revolutionists!"
Come, my dear .prefect," the King
broke In inpatiently. When recon-
mend protege you can be sure know
what am doing!"
Won Kimberley bowed to his majesty
in apology and to Stieber in acknowl-
edgment of the introduction.
But he felt even now that he would
have to bow later In submission to this
man who had managed to intrigue him.
self into the Kings graceS behind the
backs of the official police.
So it proved. Stieber won promotion
at the hands of the King until he tow
cred over the chiefs of the regular po-
lice as well as of those who had charge
of espionage for the army. Then fol-
lowed an interesting struggle between
Stieber and those whose influence and
very ofices were threatened by his
rapid rise. Police and army spy chiefs
proved mere lambs before the onslaught
Of a ravenous wolf.
Stieber proposed to the King secret
NHa 1@A Nf
both the regular police and the army,
"modernized and specialized organi-
zation adapted to general service OF
security, both of the interior and the
exterior Of the nation, enjoying auton-
omy under its own chief"
The King authorized the creation of
such a service and we need not ask who
was made its chief.
| X X X X
THUS began the first and most
highly developed modern secret
service system, which played such
multiplex and vital, dramatic and melo-
dramatic role in great war whose re-
verberations still linger.
! In Stieber's scheme of interior"
espionage spies dogged every important
state official, worked in banks, low dives
and in glittering resorts of debauchery,
insinuated themselves into every social
circle and wove intrigue even about the
most powerful personages in the state.
Stieber visited the King daily to keep
him informed.
One day the King said with laugh
II don't suppose that even my sons
would be safe from your spies If they
were not my sons"
Stieber looked at his monarch with
those colorless eyes of his and decided
to take a chance. From his portfolio
he took two envelopes.
Sire" he said, since you have not
authorized me to concern myself with
their highneSSeS the princes, I present.
ed you no reports on their movements,
but should you be at all interested, here
are two envelopes. one on Prince Adal-
bert for the last "a hours, the other on
Prince Karl"
The Kings eyes narrowed, then he
remembered that, after all, this man
had taken the liberty only out of zeal
Of service to him. So he opened the
envelope on Adalbert and read in part:
His highness, being already fatigued,
retired to his apartment and went
ea.ly to bed at 12:45 am, having par
taken OF light supper in his study at
1920.
This morning at 1o:45 Count X,
officer on duty in attendance on his
highness left in carriage and brought
back with him Prof. D., who arrived at
the castle at 11:15.
"The consultation between Prof. D.
and his highness lasted II minutes. On
leaving his highness' room the professor
whispered to Gen. won Radowitz, so
that young pig gets tipsy every night
The King hastily put the memoran-
dunn In his pocket and opened the en-
velope reporting on his other son, Karl
well, this one couldn't have given
you much trouble to watch" he said
He at least doesn't spend his time in
a cellar"
mo, Your Majesty" Stieber replied
"But it takes less time to count the
visits OF His Highness, Prince Adalbert,
to the wine cellar than it does to follow
His Highness, Prince Karl, into various
and truly numberleSs bedrooms"
Not all his interior" spying did
Stieber devote to the service Of the
King Stieber in person and Stieber
the spy were so little attractive to most
people that those whose salons figured
in the dreams Of social climbers kept
their doors firmly closed to Stieber and
his wife.
What we lack often becomes the OBJ
ject Of some of our most strenuous
Strivings and Stiebers lack of present.
ability fired him with passion to be
looked at, to be cultivated socially.
His face and figure were not orna-
mental so he strained to collect as
many decorations and medals as he
could win from the King. The doors
Of the discriminating were closed to
him. So he sent his spies around to
the back doors, up back stairs, to key
holes, until he learned enough.
80
doors were opened to him and his wife
more or less graciously, lest Stieber
open sundry closets with family skele
tons therein.
THE first notable task in his "ex-
terror" espionage Stieber trusted to
no one but himself Prussia in its
scheme of empire had decided ON
reaching out for Bohemia.
The seizure Of course would be by
force of ans But that would have
to wait until Stieber had carefully gone
over the route Of march, every inch
Of it.
So Stieber let his beard grow. dressed
> up as peddler, got a wagon and team
and laid In his stock. With these he
went to Bohemia. There he let his
horses trudge as slowly as they pleased
over the highways and byWayS while
he "peddled his wares"
There were two classes Of people
, Stieber most wanted to talk to-peas-
. ants, upon whose farms an invading
; army who would have to forage, and
| the officers who would lead the army Of
resistance.
To the peasants Stieber sold little
religious images and cruciflXeS. To the
officers he offered obscene pictures.
1 For three years the peddler wandered
over the face of Bohemia. making end
: less notes and sketches in minute
) writing.
Then an unfortunate slip betrayed
him and a mob of AuStrianS stoned
| him oy,d hic NuoOny1 for crU Wkjla q