SUPPOSED SPY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4156, 5 February 1916, Page 5

SUPPOSED SPY.

MAN ARRESTED IN WELLINGTON. (Press Association Telegram.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 4. A man. supposed to be a German and suspected of being a spy was arrested before the Manuka left to-night for Sydney. The man had been in Wellington some time. Suspicion was aroused by the pertinacity of bis inquiries among French reservists travelling in the Manuka as to the nature of the defences in the Pacific Islands. The military authorities were communicated with and the man placed under arrest. It is understood that he was trying to get away from the Dominion in the Manuka. The Frenchmen got excited, and the German was handled roughly by them until rescued by the authorities.

FURTHER DETAILS. (Press Association Telegram.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 4. When the announcement was made in the Anti-German League’s room thi s evening that a spy had been arrested. there was great excitement among the members present. One of those who heard the news with interest was Madam Boeufve,who subsequently related to a “New Zea-, land Times” representative many details of importance. As a Frenchwoman, she enjoyed exceptional facilities for obtaining information form French reservists who have just been visiting Wellington. “As soon as-I heard of the arrest,” she said, “I went straight down to the steamer, accompanied by Mr J. ■Payne., M.P. There I interviewed French reservists and also spoke to a police sergeant, obtaining from the former the following story: This man, they said, ■ was one of the first persons to go aboard the Maitai. When they arrived by her last Sunday he took pains to make himself most amiable. The man accompanied them wherever they went. Incidentally, he asked them all sorts of questions and, in a quiet, way. sought to discover as much as he could about them. It was, however., noticed that he spoke French with a strong German accent and they became suspicious of him and his apparent friendship. Still, they made no sign and. in a way, led him on still further. To-night on the boat, when they were all together, he said to them : “Have you any naturalised Germans among you P” ■ Thinking to put him to the test, one of the reservists replied: “Yes, I am a naturalised German.” The reservist at once found his hand seized and wrung with effusion by his kindly friend. Thereupon, several of the others announced that they also were naturalised Germans, and every one of them was shaken by th e hand and greeted most demonstratively. This, however, proved to be altogether too much for the reservists, whose anger bad .been steadily rising. They became most excited,’ and then there was trouble. They crowded in upon the man and began to beat him and kick him, till others on the ship had to intervene. Had he not been taken away be would probably have been thrown into _ the harbor, so angry were the reservists, but his removal saved him from harm. Madame Boeufve added that when she told the reservists later that she was president of the Anti-German league they said they were proud that a Frenchwoman held such a position. At lier behest, they joined in shouts of ‘Vive la France 1” and “Down with the Kaiser 1” and she left them singing “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary!”