THE WAR.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2700, 20 April 1915, Page 1

THE WAR.

THEr SPY.

A BRAZEN-FACED WIDOW

IN THE PAY' 01.'' THE KAISIiI'R

ft- has more (ban once boon stated I that the chief, or at least one. of theleading lights, of the German Secret ■Service is a woman, aud, on evidence, fliere is no reason to doubt tho assertion. A letter found 011 a- German oflieor, killed in Flanders, contained the following passage: ".I have just fulfilled a mission which lias given mo insight to the working of our Secret Service and spy system. Tbo marvellous work aceompJishcd by that department lias, rendered in calculable services to the Army and to the country's interests generally. It is no easy (ask Jo keep the vast 111:1.-' ohiuory.continually in motion, almost Avitbout a hitch, to have the wliole intricate business at one's finger-tips, and command such an inmense army of secret agents. It amazes mo that a. wo man can be . capable of such work. "With such a brain, if given a command in the held, sho would make a great General." ■* Tliere can be littlo doubt that tlie woman referred to is tho same recently seen by a Lille bank clerk, avlio, to gratify a love of adventure, and in tlie Jiopo of gathering information of value to tho French authorities, offered Jiis services as a spy- to the enemy. He has just reached Paris, and during Jiis narrative, states that be was first escorted to Brussels and ou to the csp'ioiiago headquarters established there. "I. was shown into a- sumptuously furnished office. Imagine my surprise on being received by a beautifully gowned woman who appeared up to her eyes iiiAVork. "Whilst I. was there she was continually replying to telephone calls, and messengers Avere running in and out with letters, telegrams, and verbal communications. Sho spoko and gave orders sharply, in a domineering, imperative (one. It Avas clear that nobody could havo the last word with her, and that she Avas "boss of tlio show ' " was quite evident. After sounding me she gave me instructions as to the mission I was to carry out, cliioiiy regarding- information to be gathered about the doings, movements, and positions of British I roops." TJie man goes on to describe his interlocutress, and Iho description given fits iv with other information gafheu-ed;-undoubtedly it applies to an'erstwhile famous beauty, the talk of Paris in her day, wlio some years ago was hounded out, of society _as i a sequel to a scandal which, involving prominent 'names,- was stilled before it got out, of bounds, and which revealed perhaps the most a mazing hoax —■or considered such at tlio time, when its true meaning was not understood —ever perpetrated in high circles. The central figure, in this nffai'i* subsequently became notorious in the half-world spheres of lhe capital, On the stage this remarkable comedienne would surely liave won great fame: lhe histrionic, skill with which she played her purl, as a timid and still--al>lo~lu-bhis.b young widow, .was not discovered until some three years later, übon whispers began Hitting about as fo her moral -character, 'these whispers gradually look more coiierele form, ami filings reached a climax iv a rare Jkiro-up when 11"----wife of a then prominent politician accused our enchantress of having stolen her husband's affections. This accusation loosened "the knot of a whole bag of tricks • other wives .came forward .with similar charges, just at a time when a rising young Army odicer was about to place an engagement ring upon her linger. The charm-spreading widow was unmasked—though only to a certain extent— and tilings looked so ugly that mother ami daughter hastily decamped.

The, whole lii|shed-up affair soon sank into'oblivion, except, probably, ais fur as concerned tlie much-siiined-against wives and a- Jew others closely connected with it. Nothing more was seen or heard of our adventuress until a- few years later, wlien she returned to the scene of her former conquests. Mysterious,- as she always was, and owing to the special nature of lier "business," little notice was attracted by her frequent trips, in all seasons and in all weathers, to various parts of the country and abroad. London was her home during at least two months of every year, and in various spheres she was as well known as in Paris. Berlin, too, Avas often the destination of Iter travels. On one occasion sho made such a fuss about an intended trip to Nice that all who knew her ay ere -fully aware of the dale of her departure. Four days later, though heavily veiled, slic was recognised leaving a Berlin restaurant.ill the company ofa prominent personage ot the Kaiser's immediate, entourage. The fact was jokingly commented upon iv fans, and Mona was for a Jong lime twitLed about her won Id-be secret, "escapade." Iter little pure of blull was later understood.

During the Dreyfus case, and iv one or two other causes celebre, her name ay as often mentioned beJiind the scenes, though her redo iv the great Fronoli military drama, if she played any role at all, was not known, or only very vaguely guessed at. Suspicion regarding lier ivas Just aroused in connection with the discovery, early, this century, that "an enemy Power" was in possession ol certain-diplomatic documents. Simultaneously a young man of fairly high position in the Diplomatic Service disappeared, and Jiis disappearance coincided with tho calling of a doctor fo Mona's residence. Sho was found with bullet wounds in lier Jei't wrist and thigh. The wounds wore merely superficial, aud 'Mona absolutely refused to tell bow she, came to be shot.

Brazen-facedly defying the rumours that went about concerning her connection with tho missing documents ail'air, Mona continued to live her usual stylo, furrowing her way into national secrets and intriguing wlierever it was worth her while lo do so. But not for much longer. Tho end of her career in Paris came suddenly some ten years ago when one ot her Jovors, a naval ollicor, was arrested ou tho cJiargo'of wiling naval secrets and emljez/.liofc; money. Tlio last thing heard about her was contained in a paragraph in a special periodical of personal gossip to tlie effect that the notorious aud nefarious Mona --it was renortcd from Berlin — Jiad received the gilt of a magnificent gold bracelet, said fo bo a present personally from tlio Kaiser "for special favours."