ESPIONAGE ARRESTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 11, 23 December 1933, Page 9

ESPIONAGE ARRESTS

Most Sensational Since War FRENCH POLICE BUSY PARIS, December 21. As a result of an eight-months’ campaign by 300 members of the special secret service, the most sensational espionage case since the war has been discovered, leading to 12 arrests of suspects all prepared for flight. Much Polish, Russian and German correspondence has been seized. It is alleged that the ringlenders are a Rumanian-born Canadian merchant, Bereowitz, and his wife. A large sum of money was found in their house. Others include an American, Switz, and his wife; also a French schoolmistress, who is an expert wireless fan and photographer; also Louis Martin, interpreter for the Minister of Marine, who fainted when he was arrested. AT LEAST~4O AGENCIES LONDON, December 22. The “Daily Telegraph’s’’ Paris correspondent says that it is believed that the spy organisation has at least 40 agencies in various parts of Europe, supreme control being exercised in nomadic headquarters moving from ■fipithl to capital as the risks dictated. ihc 1 urination is not monopolised

by a single Power, but is distributed to different clients, including Germany and Russia. The strangest figure of the drama is Lydia Stahl, who was born in Russia. She is at home in ten languages, and thus became associated with Martin, the interpreter, who is credited with speaking 68 languages and dialects. His erudition brought him in contact with Lydia, who persuaded Martin to tamper with documents dealing with naval history.