SPY’S ROMANCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 227, 27 September 1935, Page 7

SPY’S ROMANCE

CASE OF LYDIA OSWALD. COURT MARTIAL SCENES. BREST Sept. 13. “I swear I never sold secrets to a foreign Power, that Lieutenant Guig nard did not believe I was a spy, and that Lieutenant de Forceville did not suspect that a foreign Power was paying me.” In those words, Lydia Oswald, her eyes filled with tears, answered her accusers to-day at Brest, before being sentenced by a naval court-martial to nine months’ imprisonment for espionage. She will be deported to Switzerland after serving a month of her sen tenc.e. Lydia astutely appealed to the court-martial officers for chivalry, saying that she certainly intended to us--Guignard and de Forceville for her espionage work. ‘‘But they were so chivalrous, and such perfect gentlemen that I fell desperately in love with Lieutenant de Eorreville, \\ ho begged me to marry “ Healising the treachery of betray ing the man I loved, I resolved to ter niinate my espionage. 1 apologise to the officers for drawing them involuntarily into this affair.’’ Jean de Forceville told the Court that he had not believed Lydia urns a spv. “1 sincerely thought she was joking. How could I have possibly be|i(‘\ed her She told so many unI ruths! ’ ’ Lydia smiled when her sweetheart was fivqilil t rd. De Forceville wept when the eajdain of his ship I'd.l (he Court that love had blinded him, and said: “I preserve all my esteem fur him as an officer. ’’