A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16558, 25 June 1919, Page 5

A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.

CAREER OF LILIAN TROY.

T ; lian Scott Troy, on American woman well-known in England and Ire-1-inrf ha<» been deported to her native land'(says the London "Deapatch of Mav 11th). . . . , Al Rohiud this incident lies one of the jTromancos of ««. Mian Troy Z-& a vealthy woman ot a rebellious iv'po of mind who for some reason conceived a violent animus against this countrv. Coming to England some ten wvb a-o, she became mixed up with -he notorious Baron von Horst the German who was recently deported on th> ETunrest which * this by the authorities that Lilian Troy was actually a German agent, but there is not the slfghtest. doubt that she was very c everiv used by Baron von Horst, -who cin be regarded as the doyen o the manv Germans who were domiciled in Great Britain and used their assumed nationality for German interests Always on the look-ont for discontented minds of the Troy type. Baron von Horst utilised her temperament in the subtlest fashion. Mrs Troy and Baron von Hors* between them first attracted the notice of Scotland Yard by their connexion with the more violent phase of tfie Suffragette movement in 1910 and 1011. There is no doubt that between them thev were directly responsible for some of the outrages which so greatly disturbed the country during those years. The next occasion when the pair came under the notice of the au-. tlioritics was dur'ng the London dock strike in 1911. It was Mrs Troy who visited the homes of the dockers' wives and families while the men were on strike, supplying them with money and words of encouragement.

A FRIEND TO SINN FEIN. For the next couple of years neither Baron von Horst nor- Mrs Troy was particularly noticeablo in their activities. They were certainly responsible for many inflammatory political articles which appeared in the English Press, but it was not until the outbreak of the Ulster trouble in, 1914 that the ccuple began to devote their attention to Ireland. They were well known in Belfast during that episode and, although it cannot bo definitely proved, there is little doubt that much of the tiouble was propagated by Baron von Horst and his female accomplice.

It was long suspected in this country that much of our industrial trouble, both before and during the war, was fomented by the Baron, aided by Mrs Troy. A good-looking woman, with any amount of ready money at _ her command, shs could move in circles where a German would create nothing but suspicion. Both she and tho Baron were suspected of complicity in tho Dublin rebellion of Eastor week, 1936, and it is known that Mrs Troy was very friendly with James Connolly, the 'Sinn Fein leader who was executed by order of a court-martial after tho rebellion had Ficon crushed.

in all these activities Mrs Troy was the tool of the clever Baron von Horst. He exploited her grievances against society in general to the fall, ana the fact that he was never actually charged with espionage showed how intelligent were his methods. The baron had more than a nodding acquaintance with the German spies who infested this country in 1914 and 1915, although he never took any part in their work. His mission was a higher one—that of propagating social and industrial unrest. In his person was represented the higher intolligenco of the department of the German Secret Service that made a study of the mentality of enemy countries. CINEMA PROPAGANDA. One of tno baroa's great schomos, which incidentally came to naught, was that of acqumng a large number of picture palaces to be used for insidious propaganda. To work this scheme successfully it was necessary that people should bo installed as dupes, and among those used was the woman Troy. She had charge of a cinema, which she ran, indiiierent to financial loss, up, to the time of her deportation. Like so many of the Laron's subtle schemes the cinema came to nothing, for the simple reason that the ligut typo of film cculd not be imported. Mrs Troy continued to carry on her cinema till recently, although the internment of the baron cut short her activities. " But during all her time in England ehe lost 110 opportunity of defaming our cause, and she is unquestionably fortunate that she escaped no more severe punishment than deportation. Baron von Horst was deported some few days ago, leaving behind him one or two libel actions. He was never closely connected with the Germans who spied in England* or he would certainly have suffered their fate.

So far as the authorities here are concerned, Mrs Troy will suffer no penalties on Ler arrival in the States. As an American citizen she had the right ta return to her own country, and she has gone back with a fine appreciation of tho abilities of the special branch at Scotland Yard. Baron von Horst spent a' lot of good money in this country, and flattered himself that he possessed a profound understanding of our psychology. But lite many more of lib fellow-Huns, he could never understand that we owned an extremely efficient Secret Service.