"BELLE OF NORWAY" A DANGEROUS SPY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14986, 13 August 1919, Page 8

"BELLE OF NORWAY" A DANGEROUS SPY

CHARMifci; woMAn And BRiTiSii

SECRETS

LONDON, May 17. — A story of a beautiful German spy, is told by the London Express. This young ' Norwegian deceived the ambassador of a friendly power and tried to smuggle military secrets through an official and uncensored despatch bag to the head of the German secret service m Holland.

She wna petite and pretty looking, little riiore thati a scliooigirl, and friends adnnringly described her as "the belle of Noi-way." The woman came to London early m the wai* and specialised m obtaining htfornlation regarding arsenals, munition factories, airplane works and movements, of troops. She was favored with introductions to notables, and was welcomed m Government and political circles. Her radiant features and fascinating manners proved irresistible to those whom she met at social functions, and she enjoyed a measure of freedom find hospitality experienced by few of the rtaiser's emissaries.

"-The belle of Norway" made the acquaintance oE yoiihg staff officers and employed the phartti of her personality to the fullest advantage m her' treacherous ihission. The fair spy's ambition was to get behind the scenes at the War Office, and she all but succeeded m her quest. She sought a post as private secretary at a critical stage of the hostilities, but by a happy stroke of fortune the appointment was given to an English gjrl. She frequented fashionable hotels after she had been foiled m this attempt, and became familiar with important state officials and the secretaries of different ; legations. . Beauty conquered the discretion of one, youthful diplomat, and he went perilously near to betraying the neutrality of his country and seriously compromwing his ■ The affair caused a great' stir at the. War Office and' Downing street. ... She was taken into dusfcddy and. snmmarily interrogated hy the director of the British Intelligence Department. Her record was hi mutely examined, and the Government found tnat.it '.had harbored and befriended a most, dangerous German agent, .whpse activities eclipsed even those of "Mata HaiV'- the Indian rope dancer, who was shot by the French.' The .woman was tried at the. Old Bailey, and when the' judge pronounced the capital sentence she collapsed m the arms of a warder.

This is how the censor told the world bf the fate of "the. belle of- Norway: "Press Bureau Communique.—November, 191&. — -A -woman who ■ was tried at the Central 'Criminal Court recently on a grave. pharge pf espionage was found guilty and -was sentenced to death by beiing shot. .The sentence was commuted to penal : servitude for life."