"SPY CENTRE" REVELATION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9943, 1 December 1914, Page 8

"SPY CENTRE" REVELATION.

"BEWARE OF WOMEN." More was heard at the Bow Street Police Court the other day of the "my exchange" business, when Karl Gustav Ernst (42), a hairdresser, of Islington (London), was charged with having communicated to one Steinbauer, in Germany, information calculated to be useful to the country's enemies. It was pointed out by Mr Bodkin, who prosecuted, that Steinbauer had figured practically in every spy case investigated in England for the last three or four years. Ernst's shop hacj besj watched by the police, and it was found that he had received letters from Germany, some of which he forwarded to other people throughout England. A postal clerk testified that during 1912 he opened a number of letters addressed to "G. Ernst" at Caledonian road, Holloway, and also letters addressed to J. Walter, care of G. Ernst. These boro the postmark -either of Ostend or Potsdam. On two occasions he took a tracing of the handwriting, which was in German. In a letter to the last named, dated February, 1912, three £5 Bank of England notes were enclosed. Some of the letters were signed "5.T.," and one, containing the postmark "Berlin, 6.1.12." contained a . letter addressed to "Mr Seymour," Sheernoss. (This, explained counsel, was the address of a man named Parrott, who was convicted of espionage in the autumn of 1912.) On Februarv 12 this "5.. T." wrote to Ernst:—

Please post the enclosed letter at once, and send me, if von please, 50 envelopes, as sample which you sent. Then write me a letter in gos English in which a customer asks for letters to \y* addressed to be forwarded to him on the Continent, addressed to Poste Res&CTSafc. etc. A letter bearing dart -'Potsdam, 2.23. 1912," addressed to "J. Walters," care G. Ernst, ran:—, According to information from a newspaper, a fireman lias been arrested on the English cruiser Foxhound at Christiania, Norway. If that is Kr's nephew, their it is certain that ho has dropped into it through the stupidity and carelessness of Kr. Perhaps you can get into communication with Kr, but above all things be cautious, as if my suspicion is correct (and I believe it is) then also Kr will be watched, and perhaps without his knowing it. Now, above all, caution, because one must consider that there is someone in this business. Should you have an opportunity to speak with him, then ask him at the same time respecting a certain Schmidt, whom he once mentioned to me and recommended. He (Kr) must be cautious, and especially show no address—l mean that he does not speak German with you in the presence of others. A part of that letter could be explained, said Mr Bodkin, by anyone who knew that the fireman on the Foxhound was a nephew of Kruger, the person referred to as "Kr." A subsequent letter, also addressed to "J. Walters," contained the following:— Kr has excited himself over nothing. The youth is free. I will tell .you the story next time. Another of the opened, letters, addressed to accused as "J. Walters." at Caledonian road, and signed "5.T.," stated that the salary would be raised from £1 to £1 10s per month, and added:— j

You don't want to live in fear, because no one will get to know your address. I would like to say that all letters to go to naval officers must be sent euro of the G.P.O. Then, you must not believe the youngster was in any way engaged or solicited. That is all nonsense.

Inside of the letters addressed to Ernst were letters addressed to Mrs Parrott at Sheerness. Another letter, dated April 9, 1912, was addressed to "Dr. Graves, Esq.," Central Hotel Glasgow. Still another of the letters addressed to Ernst from Germany during 1912 contained these passages:—

You can imagine for yourself that we need in all directions only good, trustworthy people, who must bo free from surprises on the part of the women. . . Will you not take another name instead of Walters?

One letter, addressed to "Mrs Tony Reimers" in Germany, began with a complaint that Steinbauer's agent

Had not the slightest consideration for the gentleman who further despatches in letters. Nothing further can be expected from a man who has already done 10 years' penal servitude. Further, i beg of you, when you give anyone my address in future, to always give nn>.iher name; for instance, W. Wellci. Another suggestion: The word "private," which is a password for us, must in future be dropped. One can never know what sort of a trap one can get into by the use of such a word as "private."—W. WeJler (G.E.).