PARDON FOR SPY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 74, 25 September 1934, Page 4

PARDON FOR SPY

THE CASE OF ULLMO

One' of the most famous espionage cases in recent French history is recalled by an announcement made in Paris that Sub-Lieutenant Benjamin Ullmo, who was sentenced to transportation for life twentysix years ago for betraying naval secrets to .Germany, will' return to Paris, states ' the Paris correspondent of the London "Paily Telegraph." Ho has served his sentence, which was commuted to one of a period of years. At his trial in' 1908 TJUmo, then a young man —ho is now over 50— confessed that he had betrayed his country for love of a woman, "La Bello Lison," whoso extravagant tastes ho was Unable to satisfy out of his pay as an officer. He told a dramatic story of dealings with agents of Germany, and admitted that ho offorod to sell secret codes and other documents for £38 000. Actually he received less.. After tho trial Ullmo was placed in solitary confinement for eight years on Devil's Island, which forms part of the convict colony in French Guiana. He was to have been liberated in 1914 and allowed to find employment in Guiana, but during the war his case was forcotton, and it was not until 1923 that he achieved relative liberty. Attention was drawn to his position by a distinguished French journalist, the late Albert Londres, and people in France began to take an inteiest in him. Among them was a nurse who had never seen' him. She offere.d to join him in his exile, but the ex-officer refused, declaring that conditions in the colony Were too horrible for any woman. ■> -.

TTllino is said to be anxious to avoid publicity. : His chief hope, according to arwriter in the "Soir," is that he will be forgotten. "I have paid my debt, and I am now as other men are," lie said rcocnUy.