The Woman Super-Spy.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 29, Issue 34, 4 May 1917, Page 2

The Woman Super-Spy.

The ordinary ingenuity shown hy spins in securing the plans of other countries’ fortifications has been amply illustrated in the war, although, of course, we know but a little part of what the spies have accomplished. A newspaper stated that a woman had been caught at the French frontier seeking to enter Switzerland and presumably intending to return to Germany or Austria. She was thoroughly searched by a matron, as is customary in such cases, but nothing was found.

Certain actions of here, however, had given rise to serious suspicions, ji*>d ore of the cleverest officers of the French Secret Service was detailed to sTamine her. He applied several tests U> h*r. To cut a long story abort, be Anally obtained wbat )ia wanted by abating her, in an u.jdraped condition, tied to a chair, before a warm fire.

“Brutes, you are going to burn me alive ! ” she shrieked as she was forced into a chair.

“Be calm, madame," said the of fleer. "We only wish to admire your beautiful back.”

There appeared cm the ample back of this fair-haired lady an elaborate design. rr -> -*• extitien *od eye of the officer it represent** ° ptou. Oi one of the m~<-t important French forticsoca. The number of guns, their sttes »i.d positions weie shown. T’»e aig’es, sallies and extent of the fortification were clearly Indicated. The weak epots in tne defence were made clear. This fortress had been entirely reconstructed since the outbreak of the war, and it was of vital importance to the Gentians to know its present arrangcmentfi.

A Gentian spy ia France, evxdantly a man with military knowledge, had obtained access to the fortress, there wa* but alight chance of his getting home with hm knowledge. He had, therefore, used the young woman as an innocent looking agent.

The ma-oter cpy had traced the plans on her back with a copper preparation. This liquid leaves no mark on the skin under normal conditions, but when exposed to considerable heat it shows up dark blue. For further secrecy, it ia stated, the plan of the fortress was concealed within another design in the manner described by General Sir Robert Ba-den-Powell in his intensely interesting boot, "My Adventures as a Spy.’ —a work, by the way, that must be read by all desiring an adequate knowledge of this side of warfare. For instance, the plan of a fortress may be concealed within the drawing of a butterfly. General Bail en-Po well carried with him an illustrated book on butterflies and from this he made what would appear to b# specimens of butterflies seen in the surrounding country. Then when he had obtained the details of a fortress he drew them in among the complicated marking's on the wings of the butterfly. There they would escape notice by any but the most expert "spy trappers.” The method of concealing plans of fortifications on the skin of a spy already referred to, has been employed with many variations. In time of war or when suspicion of spies is very keen, it is likely to be very useful. Then, again, women are usually called upon to carry this kind of information, because they are less subject to suspicion and watchfulness. Tattooing plans on a woman’s skin has often been resorted ,to in past wars, but the anti-spy officers are now so keen that this way is no longer reliable. Various forms of writing on the skin, which only became visible under certain conditions, have, therefore, been tried. One form of this has already been mentioned, but there are also invisible inks, which become visible and black on exposure to sunlight. The writing is also done with phosphorus, so that it is only visible in the dark, but that lasts a few hours only. Women have shown extraordinary Ingenuity in carrying information during the present war. One wore a large pair of pearl earrings, which, when examined, proved to be stuffed with long messages. Another had h little woolly pet dog, whose hair was found to be artificial and filled with military plans. Another carried a manage scratched on the plate of her false teeth.

Although immediate execution follows the discovery of a spy or peril,- 3 even the suspicion of espionage, thousands of persons are found willing to undertake the work. It has been truly said that the highest form of heroism is to undertake spy duty for one’s country. Nothing can be more awful than the fate of the spy caught and executed amid the hate and fear of the thousands who surround him. The Germans are universally admitted to be more skilful spies than the British, and yet Gen. Baden-Powell performed some remarkable spying tricks.