ROMANTIC STORY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 9 October 1926, Page 7

ROMANTIC STORY

OUTWITTING GERMAN SPY ACTIVITIES OF LEIEBRAND ... PREPARING A BASE FOR RATDEftS (By Eleetris reles-apta —Copyright) (AiMtraliau & N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Oct. 9. 10 a.m.) LONDON. Oct. 8 There is a romantic story of how Leiebrand's plans were defeated at the Inst minute by Mr Woodniancy, a councillor of Felixtowe Municipality who, with friends, watched Lciebrand for years. The municipality was about lo band over lo Li iebraiid control of the electric light and power and also authorise bun to build ;, light railway, when Woodmancv denounced Lciebrand as a spy and produced proofs that he himself and his friends had gathered. Lciebrand, previously questioned regarding finance, said : "i am independent of money bags.' lie. suggested that a prominent East Anglian should accompany him to Germany lor a proof of this statement. Lciebrand was always (lush with money, especially alter several weeks' absence. He repeatedly lavishly entertained naval officers at 'Felixstowe. He had two telephones in the house and always placed a guard over one when using the other. He transformed the library into a secre.t room to which his wife, and servants were not admitted. Ho ran his own secret service. Tiie "Evening News" says: Lciebrand was possibly Germany's cleverest spy. That is the"official opinion. He claimed to ho the sou of a Havarian prince but was brought up by a jeweller residing at. Speyer. He was presumably sent to liritaiii before tiro war to develop East Augha for a German landing base. Leiebrand's seized correspondence emphasised thai. East Anglia was the best scope foi'raiders because canals, estuaries and agricultural hinterland invited attack owing to the distance from Aldershot and Salisbury Plain, and its having only one line of railway necessitating weeks before serous resistance was possible. Meanwhile, the Germans would be able, to make Harwich and Felixstowe into a second Hamburg with an advanced base at Colchester. Felixstowe was especially favourable owing to the depth of water enabling the close approach of transports anil covering fleet.