WAYS OF SECRET POLICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 47, 25 February 1901, Page 2

WAYS OF SECRET POLICE.

HOW ROYALTY IS CARED FOR

Since the revival of anarchist attempts to murder persons in hig-h places, the secret police of Europe have been more alert, industrious, and thorough in their plans of protection for those whose lives they guard than ever before. Every royul palace in Europe has its special private police, who, in one guise or another, arc- always on the look-out for suspicious persons. In Paris, Berlin, and St. Petersburg, for example, among the gatekeepers of the rulers' palace there are expert detectives; and on a sign from these one or two members of the secret police move up quietly to keep watch on the newcomer, They study his appearance very carefully, seeking to judge whether he has any ill intent. The attitude of these men or women (for both are (irnployed) Is quite unaffected, and except to the trained eye gives no .indication of their business, the policy being everywhere to make the precautions taken for the safety of high personages as unobtrusive as possible. Often the palace detectives are at the same time acting as gardeners or ostlers, stableboys or scullery women.

It is said that In the gardens of the German Emperor not less than a dozen intended murderers were arrested during the last year on the suspicion of the secret police agent. And since the opening of the-. Paris Exposition about ten Anarchists, who followed President Loubet's party, were arVested within the fair grounds. Nothing except their appearance and manners revealed their murderous intentions; nevertheless, weapons were found on all of them, and later they all made boasting- confessions. Two of the would-be assassins were youngwomen carrying bombs. It is one of the elementary principles of the secret police tactics that should the royal personage, whose security is concerned, chance to appear unexpectedly on the scene wh'lle an unknown character is about in the palace precincts, the protecting agents at once march the stranger off in another direction.

It very seldom happens that a member of a royal family takes three steps alone outside his private apartments, even when1 doing the sights Incognito. "Whether or not ho knows It, at the moment there are always at least two members of the secret police in close though unseen attendance) on foot, in a cab, or on bicycles. They, never leave their charge long out of reach. Even at Sandringham, the quiet little country place of the Prince and Princess of Wales, if the Princess goes out Into a Held to pick wild flowers or rambles round the home farm to see how the Alderueys are getting on, she is always closely followed by the police. More often than not she probably believes herself quite unattended except for the maid of honour who goes with her for company. She does not know that the two men dressed like farmhands or stableboys whom she sees now and then a little way off are first-class detectives armed and ready to shield her from any harm that might threaten.

Young princes and oven middle-aged kings sometimes amuse themselves incognito in rather undignified ways, throwing off all the outward pomp of their position and passing" as ordinary pleasure- j loving citizens. In this case the absence of all signs of royalty would seem to Insure their safety. But the police know very well that that vary feeling of security might prove the source of their greatest danger. Any Anarchist might got to know of the royal weakness and arrange his plans accordingly. So It is just in those cases that the surveillance is most elaborately careful. Tlie chief of the private agents Installed permanently in the palace tells two or throe of the men most conversant with the pitfalls of the city to follow the royal personage wherever he may pro. As he walks down, the street in unassuming parh. fooling free, unobserved and hanpy, protectors in various disguises are all about him alertly watching over his safety. Tf he enters a cafe and sits at n little table to see life the distinguished-looking; man who orders a ■ drink at the next little table in a policoraan and tho street vendor who stands monotonously crying an album of views or a new toy on the kerbstone has an eye on His Highneps all the time. The King of Belgium is fond of taking a run from Brussels to Paris when the official world thinks he is resting quietly at one of hi* country, seats. Both the Belgium and French police can tell you at any moment how he has passed every hour of his time during the flying lark in the gay city. On these ocpasions of a monarch visiting a foreign nation, the country which receives the distinguished guest always works In conjunction with his personal attendants. The assassination of a forpisrn ruler within the borders Of another nation Is feared as the worst possible catastrophe by the officials of the country he honours with his presence. For example. It ia declared that Etnnpror "William hns already paid two short visits to PaHs and the Exposition since the fair opened. Owing to the hostility of the Frenefi- people this was strictly kept from fhom, but the French Government

was duly notified each time by the German Ambassador and assigned the best men of its secret service forces to assure, the safety of the Emperor from the moment he entered French territory until he Jeft it. Inevitably the protecting agents get to know much about their wards which the latter would rather keep private. But It seldom happens that damaging stories become public property through any indiscreet talk on the part of these officials. Men and women employed in this 'delicate and confidential branch of service are persons of exceptional skill and generally of incorruptible fidelity. Many of them, especially on the Continent of Europe, can speak five or six languages with fluency. They have to be able to play to perfection any role their varied assignments may require. They are exceedingly well paid, drawing the salaries of successful professional men, and when they are retired after faithful service it is customary to continue their salaries. Of course, the very slightest indiscretion brings down tlse severest rebuke. If they are found to have deliberately blabbed •anything they have learned through the j exercise of their oflice they are irretrievably disgraced. On the occasion of a State ceremony with the passage of some royal personage there are often sudden outbreaks of trouble in the crowd. You will see' two men suddenly come to blows, both will probably be arrested by an ordinary, uniformed policeman. That often means that a Secret Service man'in disguise suspects some Individual whom he has observed packed in with the bulk of the people. He has passed the word to another Secret Service man near by, and one of them has deliberately picked a quarrel with the suspected man perhaps by knocking off his hat or jostling him rudely. In this way, without betraying their mission, ' they procure the elimination of an individual whom, without positive proof, they suspect of criminal intentions. It Is this kind of work which makes it necessary that the police appointed to secure the personal safety of sovereigns and prince.* be possessed, among their other qualifications, of iron nerves and superb physique. The Duke of Norfolk was once the victim of a mistake in a case of this kind. The Queen was passing in State down Piccadilly. The crowd which lined the route happened to be especially thick in front of Norfolk House, where a party of women had been invited to see the pag- ! cant. The Duke is a peppery little man, who seems to have little sense of his personal dignity, and who is known for his utter indifference to good clothes. On the occasion referred to as the Royal party drew near the Duke perceived that his guests would see little or nothing of the show. He bounded out of the gates of his house and struck briskly into the crowd, intending to ask a police officer to thin the people away a little. In a moment he was roughly grasped by a strong hand—"Who are you a-shovin' of?" asked his captor, who looked like a costermonger. The Duke explained snarlingly; that he wanted. to speak to an officer. "Well, you'll speak to the hofficer when the old lady's gone by," replied the other without relaxing his hold. And so it was. The Duke's guests saw even more of the "old lady" than he did. He was kept in durance vi!e for 10 minutes or so by the disguised police agent. When he was released and entered his own gate, ruffled and hot. the man who had grappled with him saw his mistake, and made explanation.

And despite all these precautions the world, within a very brief period, has had to deplore the assassination of the Empress of Austria, closely surrounded by protectors though she was; the murder of King Humbert, and the aTtempts to kill the Prince of Wales, King Ferdinand of Bulgaria, and the Shah of Persia. .