Nebraska Newspapers

    ON THE FRANCO-GERMAN FRONTIER
i'. '
Spying on Either Side Is an Extremely
Dangerous Undertaking.
Not a month passes but some spy is
taken, French or German, on the
Franco-German frontier. The oase of
the latest unfortunate man is typical.
Alfred Plnchon, 2fl year* old, left, the
French army with the grade of adju
tant. Well to do, he had no need to
go spying. Love of adventure and a
Sitrlotlc ardor led him to it. His
ther being in the leather business,
Flndhon made his special knowledge
of the trade bis traveling excuse. Mak
ing Nancy—where his father eet him
a»P a branch establishment—his
center, the young adventurer made
frequent “business trips" Into Al
sace-Lorraine and Germany. In
deed, he was even on the point
of concluding a contract with the
German army when his mistress, a girl
of German sympathies, betrayed him,
ft* is true nowaday# that spies are not
shot in time of peace, and Pinchon is
oot likely to get more than five years’
Imprisonment. But even this is a dear
price to pay for patriotic effort. The
French president has Just pardoned
General Oarletta, condemned for the
Mine offense. Such clemency, however,
!• exceptional. Spies—patriotic or
merely mercenary—take their own
risks.
The ordinary spy work on this most
Jealous of all frontiers Is peculiarly
systematic. A month or two In ad
vance the French Etat Major commu
nicates a programme to the spy. with
maps prepared by the German gov
ernment which have arrived In France
through traitorous channels. If work
has already been done In the region full
details of it are communicated to the
spy. During this preparatory time his
work must be to study up the region
fnom these documents In such a way
that he will know them all by heart. A
tfpy must not be caught with maps or
papers on him.
When he is perfect, officers of the fa
mous Second Bureau put him through a
rigorous examination. Several ad
dresses, both In France and Germany,
to whloh he must send his correspond
ence, are given to him, and he Is rec
ommended to change them to avoid
suspicion. German gold and notes are
given to him. Then they say, “God
save you, for we cannot." And so he
departs, well knowing that if caught
•bis government will do nothing for
him. Indeed, it will deny him. It will
say, “We do not know this man. He
must be a mercenary volunteer ad
venturer, hunting Information to sell
to us. Treat him as he deserves.”
On the other hand, they leave the
spy free to choose his own means to
execute the work assigned to him. He
takes orders from no one. He makes
no account of his expenses. He must |
CA'JOHTOtmiDa A rOHTHMUM
•v*u font* dU own fehu* paper* dome
Una* In advance ki b*< worded up n
kUMoui Hleatiiy, end If die govern
Am (teen dim n paneport l« In only
to be used In cashing postal orders
and satisfying hotel-keepers. The mo
ment the police demands his papers ho
must burn his passport. Nowadays,
when passports are demanded so sel
dom of mere tourists, the spy will con
tent himself with a few letters that
have come through the mall to him.
He will have had these letters sent on
to a prearranged Herman address a few
months before. A life Insurance policy
taken out unaer
the assumed name
Is also valuable.
The spy reaches
Germany and he
stops In the large
town nearest to hts
field of operations.
There his first care
Is to consult^ the
doctors as to a
good air cure, or a
bath, or springs.
Suppose his busi
ness is to report on
the roads, bridges
and resources of a
mountainous dis
trict. He will need
the air cure. Elim
inating one by one
the uninteresting
districts, he at last
causes the physi
cian to indicate the
sppt he has cho
sen. The good phy
sician, always anx
ious for his com
mission, gladly
recommends him
to a proper pen
sion. There, wan
dering about the
hills, his story is:
“I came to X
in search of a tran
quil mountain vil
lage for the air
cure. Dr. Y
recommended me
to come here. If
the climate suits
me I shall stay a
month.”
From the first
moment the spy
begins to make
FRENCH SPIES TAKEN BY PRUSSIAN SOLDIERS .
acquaintance with the people
whose trade causes them to go upon
the roads—mule drivers, carters, coun
try doctors, priests and forest keepers.
Under the pretext of needing exercise,
he walks with them and talks with
them and treats them to good beer and
cheese, as every tourist does. Seen in
such company he Is lose likely to be
looked on with suspicion. For note
taking ha baa nothing but a pa mil anil
a pa<kat of dgarwtta papara
1’artalaly tha flrat quality of a go**!
, apy la that of kaowlag how to aaa and
then remember. A crooked line and a
few words traced hastily on a cigarette
paper must recall the outline of an
earthworks. Hills, footpaths, springs,
r!ch-looking farmhouses, bridges, must
be seen at a glance and Indicated on
the little piece of flimsy paper. He
must indicate the crops of the neigh
borhood; the characteristic* of small
villagee; the lodging capacity of
churches and other public buildings;
the number of bakers, butchers and
grain dealers; the situation of black
smith shops and the condition of roads.
It is easy to understand, for Instance,
the Interest attaching to a bridge. The
enemy In retreating would not hesitate
to blow it up. The spy must indicate
how long a time It would take to re
pair It
His day finished, the spy must ae
cretly, In hla bedroom, write bis re
port and post It to one of the seem
ingly interesting addresses furnished
him by the Etat Major—“Mile. Lucia
Vasseur, 45 Hue Hreda,” this may be
his lady love; or “Schmidt & Heckel,
wine merchants, Bercy,” this may be a
business letter; or “Dr. George Pin
chon, 67 Rue Lafltte,*’ this may be to
his family physician. The letter mailed
and every scrap of
paper burned, the
spy may sleep in
peace—one night.
If he imagines he
is followed or sus
pected, he must
stop work instantly
and even leave the
country. In such
case he returns to
Paris, where he
finds at the Etat
Major, carefully
gathered together, 1
all the letters he j
has addressed to i
his fictitious corre
spondents. Aided
by maps and the
work of his prede
cessors in the field,
it is his business to
compose an up-to
date report on the
region he has visit
ed. Each little
counts. Each
month the minister
of war is Just u
little better In
formed on details
that—when the
great scientific Eu
ropean war breaks
out may wm or
lose a battle a cam
paign, a people's
destiny.
Such work may
•eein easier than It
la In fact. Along
the country roads
alone, wkh not a
man In sight, the
fear of being watch
ed make# the moat
luuocent note-tak
lag a courageous
rtylult. Not to
■ peak of country
(KjlUa, |tu«k«*p*n, furaaiara au4 pa
liul «Ium i h«»v* appaarauM ma t
calm* him u» il*oiruy a murulai • work
- aath alwptu paaaar-hjr baaumaa aa
tki k«| *IM Mm Mom.
Ttt* older eieiltj M *• >*n«o «
IHe ear wee *•'*“« • i'd »n l*eu r*
o*#««M II a# *0*4 d e»dll »«u**«»ler ro
Mel to M»rHk*H*0 |>i» «ltd * d w
JWi M Ido ear «*om oppooti* «Hd
dda do erMrloii d*4 lo* eaily **dl
Ido etfoa* olid fall ter*# tau> Id*
<00*4 <4 r>~i ~hjt~ Tde laeieau
Eaaooar vdaod af«#e i«hm4 do
to odm >41 ter*** dd4 i>« ua
laotaaU; wdiU tdo edlM #ao«4 j
^MOkMUM oa.1 e«o^en*J ooarlao
wriRklU ovvf H«h iMlwr to 1*1 out
un lb* uik*( »l l*. •* H* m«w>4 ur
•bl* la iluiti* 4trucUo* until tbu mi
fuaAurtur 4i4 It fur turn At tblu puiui
IR lb* itroeawilM* UN bo) imr*4 (a
r*. »<»•! bU f* ullla* *ti.l4«ttl|i »n4
bawiwl K.uJI» *Ml* tb« car «*nt ue
I'bi.ug,. Nu»u
Tb* (trull* »»# ?b*> Mgbi la b* n«*r
MiMrihM. btM MuJ Hum i Uiltab
•gRiofur bua MiJ gr**i b*r4t t4
tbuai ikiHg ib* RuMi rlrw, • trtbuuii
«f lb* b bil. MU*
»••• t »**» imn a.
' -m* lb* fbU-agu luUuua la guilty
»f crtrallbg Ibr KiMirtbly taut wf wbola
rbMb b>4 wlalatartal b* la tha
ataaal MiKiImI ««n!i«oi«i, «Uo k*« n«t
baa» abla lu « iaa~‘ * rt»«ta4» bar kb
»*** altinaui Y<Mt ara w pratM-i-tigiaU
autwaUaaab, aal4 Mr* kWnbty. * that
I 4tab l brat aalw ttt lattlua >»«a «u uut
a! >«a ’ ‘ Tbal la lia aar wr 4a*r ‘ ra
yibk tba M#« lb yuanblr *Mb a
It*aa*t4aai atuila aha* at) ttttaj «aa
4ai* aa It 4<>aa ur« «*l»*alif aMMkwijf
uu|ki Ut a‘< aUmg «ttb It
! object of suspicion The sorveUlance
around all fortified places t* so severe
as to render going nsar Cham a real
peril. Men have been shot Inside for
bidden ground at dusk wtrtioat an op
portunity to say what they were do
ing.
No legend Is more popular In Europe
than that of the aristocratic Gentian or
French officer, who, in disguise, ob
tains work a* a mason or a carpenter
Inside ths fort he wishes to observe.
Yet few think of the practical impossi
bility of such a feat. How shall such
men know the trades, the slang, the
social customs and prejudices of for
eign artisans? How can they talk ot
their relatives, their home village, and
the place they worked last? Most ol
this talk Is romance, pure and simple.
For such Intimate description every
European government depends on—
money! The spy makes acquaintance
with some non commissioned officer
who seems to be going wrong. He
tempts the latter to make drawings ol
■the fort wherein he has his duty. He
makes cunning arguments. He does
not ask the fellow to betray his coun
try. "What difference will one small
drawing make? Uesldes, here is thi
money.”
IIotiNed In the 1* 111 ll|» pin cm.
The typical Philippine house is a
very simple affair, and in some re
spects a very comfortable one. The
floor, says the Washington Star, is
raised five or ten feet in the air, and
the house must he entered by means
of a ladder. There is not a nail or
peg In the whole building. The frame
is of bamboo tied together with rattan,
the sides and roof l>eing of nlpa-palm.
If nipa is very scarce, however, bam
boo can be used to serve for the sides
also. The air in a Philippine house
never gets close, for the ventilation is
perfect. The floor is made of bamboo
strips with the convex sides up, and
they are tied together in such a way
that wide cracks are left between them.
The windows are provided wilh swing
ing shades which can be propped open
during the day. Another advantage
of the Philippine dwelling is the safety
afforded by the lightness of the mate
rial. If the house Is shaken down by
an earthquake, or blown down by a
typhoon, no one gets hurt. In some
respects such houses are too primitive,
however. Often the dwelling boasts
of but one room for cooking, eating
and sleeping. The cooking Is done over
an open Are built ou a heap of earth in
one corner, and the house becomes al
most uninhabitable by means of the
smoke. in better dwellings a place Is
partitioned off for the cooking, while
the body of the house is divided law
two or more room*.
A guftr War Incident.
Speaking of then# short rushes for
ward a queer thing happened at Out
gulnto, where perhaps half of (he sol
diers In one regiment found hens. Be
fore there waa lime to kill the fowl
orders came to go forward A little
farther out the rwglment lay down un
der lire for eonte minutes. Then the
order came to charge Up and for
ward with a yell rushed the soldiers,
hut over the cheering roan another
sound. Three or four hundred hens,
objecting to being carried head down
with few! tied to the etrnp of a haver
•aefc. eat up a frantic squawking such
as waa probably never heard along a
Una uf charging military before. — Lc*
lie’s Weahlf.
WSy Ttwi Asa toHsa
A sorraapondeni ears that those wh«
dine with the queen are usually pain
fully nervous Perhape they are tor
lured With doubt of Ik- pn.pi (c y of
praising the pie. not knowing eketh*<
hey majesty or the euuh made It
Heaver post
Whosoever Is mil of patience la mB
sf puaaeea <4t uf his stall U*S h o
not turs bees and hill themeetvsa It
sltsgihg at her a
ALL OVERJE STATE
A Nebraska n Sand bagged
DEADWOOD, 8. D., Aug. 28.—A
young man named Ralph Glazier, who
arrived in this city from Edgar, Neb.,
was sandbagged last night by two men
and robbed of |46 and his watch. He
will recover.
Klo|ier Under Arrest.
VALPARAISO, Neb., Aug. 26.—Les
lie M. Cheevor, who eloped with hts
wife’s sister, was arrested at Stroms
burg Tuesday. The girl arrived at
home Tuesday noon by railroad.
Cheever was placed in Jail at Osceola,
Neb., and brought to Valparaiso later,
Hnllwny Hu^d for DanmjfOfl.
PLATT8MOUTH, Neb.. Aug. 26.—
Suit has been brought in district court
by Attorneys Beeson & Son for George
Hurl but of Greenwood against the Chi
cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad
company for |5,000 damages for in
juries received.
1‘lends Guilty tn Assault.
PLATTSMOUTH, Neb.. Aug. 26.—
John R. Logan, who has been selling
blackboards in this city, was arrested
by Chief of Police Slater charged with
assault upon Mrs. Soennlchsen at her
home. In the police court he pleaded
guilty to the charge and was fined f5
and costs, which he paid.
Hficond l.leutenJT111 Joint It. Waugh.
PLATT8M0UTH, Neb., Aug. 26.—
John R. Waugh, son of 8. Waugh,
cashier of the First National bank of
this city, has been appointed second
lieutenant. He has been employed in
the signal service In Ban Juan, Porto
Rico, for some time, but returned to
the United States last week.
I'laii* Accepted.
LINCOLN, Neb., Aug. 26.—The
board of public lands ami buildings
accepted the plans submitted by City
Engineer Munn of Nebraska City for
the gymnasium of the home for the
blind of that place. The appropriation
for the construction of this building
and repairs was $5,000, but only a
little over $4,000 Is available for the
building.
Hof Injured With on Air Gun.
PLATTSMOUTH, Neb., Aug. 26 —
While playing with an alrgun Mara
Melvin, son of W. T. Melvin of this
city, accidentally discharged It, the
bullet strlklug his left eyeball below
the pupil. He was at once taken to
I)r. E. W. Cook, who dressed the
wound, which is very painful, and
fears are entertained that he may lose
the sight of the eye.
York Plans a Monitor W«lcom«.
YORK, Neb., Aug. 26.—York Is now
ready to welcome its Manila soldiers
In a style that will pu* all former
demonstrations to the olush. On Oc
tober 6 the formal reception takes
place, and the program arranged will
consume exactly twenty four hours.
Expensive quantities of modern fire
works have been procured by the com
mittee and in addition to this every
house In town has stores of noise-mak
ing materials enough to iaBt through
a dozen Fourth of July celebrations.
Put lit *' or Nrwman.
OMAHA, Aug. 26.—The will of the
late Bishop John P. Newman as filed
at 8nratoga, New York, shows that
he left ail estate worth $50,000, which,
aside from two or three nominal be
quests, Is left to the life use of the
widow, after which It goes to the Drew
Theological seminary, Madison, N. J.
Of the property listed as belonging to
the estate there are eight lots in block
98, Dundee Place addition to the city
of Omaha. The records at the court
house disclose the fact that Bishop
Newman purchased these lots early In
1890.
Thirteen-Yeijr-Old Hold lap.
FREMONT, Neb., Aug. 26.—Jesse
Smith, a 13-year-old boy raised In Fre
mont, returned from the Philippines,
and, perhaps, has the distinction of be
ing one of the youngest Americans who
has seen service in the war. The boy
ran away from home a year ago from
Omaha, where he had gone to live with
his mother, having previously lived
with his grandfather, Thomas McDon
ald, a farmer near Fremont.
Nothing was known of his where
nbouts until a Fremont soldier who
went to Manila ran across him there
and reported the fact to Mb relatives.
He went from San Francisco as a stow
away on a government transport and
succeeded In getting to the Philippines.
Increaa* In ling racking.
SOOTH, OMAHA. Aug. 26.—In the
matter of packing hogs South Omaha
now stands third In a Hat of a dozen
packing liouae towns. Chicago, of
course, Isads, with Kansas t'tty, Houth
Omaha third and Ht. I.ouls fourth.
Sinus City la eleventh In the list and
Ht. Paul laat. Hlnee March 1 of the
present year there has been parked at
this point IJIMOn hog*, which la an
Inrresse of 170.000 head as compared
with the saute period of laat year Both
Chicago and Kaneae ('tty show a de
crease In hog packing while Houth
Omaha and Ht. latuls esbttlt an In
crease. South Omaha la rapidly (urg
ing tu the front as one of Ihe great hog
markete aad aa Nebraska, Iowa and
Missouri are reported to be full of hogs
the receipts fur this year will be far
ahead uf all previous years Up ta Ike
present time Ik# Inrreeee In rwrelpts,
as compared with ike same time a year
ago, numbers lie.TSu head
> eeUee sheep Waated.
HOtTit OMAHA. Aug. It There la
a Mg demand at the preheat time fur
feedar sheep la fact. |>Ml sow tk# te
amed la eoaeiderable In »trees of Ihe
supply Cammlaelon non d-lug host
sews at Ike Mrs Stork Ms hangs hare
orders ea their Melt now fur about
tU.MM head wf fuedrr eh>~p Oae trm
ekme has aa order he twang heed to
he purchased here aad seat tu the
country tu fat lea Owners vt tor ha
throughout the want are setup advised
uf Ike doeaahd here aad It te thought
that hefore luag the sheep receipts will
show g large lattes**
flaftnllnc Engine Explode*.
TABLE ROCK, Neb., Aug. 25.—A
gasoline engine exploded In the dry
room of the Table Rock Clay company
and set Are to the big continuous kiln
which was entirely consumed, entail
ing a loss of $1,500. No Insurance.
Suicide Near Brit*.
BRITT, Neb., Aug. 25.—Mrs. Fisher,
wife of William Fisher, who lives
northeast of Britt, committed suicide
early yeUerday morning. It Id said
that their domestic relations were not
pleasant, and she took this method of
ending her troubles. Strychnine was
used.
jt «s m+. *
Cirrus Churned With Robbery.
EXETER, Neb., Aug. 25.—Lemoi
Bros.’ show was here. From outside
appearances before the performances
began, everyone thought It was a
clean, respectable circus, but when on
the Inside, it Is charged, there were all
kinds of gambling devices to rope Id
people uud rob them of their money.
Nnbruaku steer* for England.
HAMBURG. Neb., Aug. 25—B. Fln
nel, a heavy cattle feeder hero, dis
posed of a drove of steers to a Chicago
Arm to be shipped to England direct.
The price realized was 0 cents per
pound at the farm net. Some of the
steers weighed 1,600 poundB. This
herd will net Mr. Flnnel In the neigh
borhood of $150,000.
Has Ills I ff Amputated.
TABLE ROCK, Neb., Aug. 26.—J.
W. Shaw, a veteran of the civil war,
who has carried a bullet In hie leg
aince the memorable battle of Shiloh,
wan carried to the train and taken to
the hospital at Omaha, where his leg
was amputated and a telegram states
that he rallied, and Is likely to get
through all right, In spite of his 62
years. Nl l — 1
Haul r»p» Cannot I.lv*.
FREMONT, Neb., Aug. 26.—Sam
Pope, the man shot by Jerome, is
worse and will not last long. Recently
he wub out of his head and anesthetics
had no effect upon him. Now he is
sleeping under the Influence of power
ful opiates and may never awake.
Jerome has little to say about the
apparently unfavorable condition of
his victim.
Aged Man Dies nl Injuries.
FAIRBURY, Neb., Aug. 26.—A. V.
Crykendall, aged 78 years, died at the
home of his son, John Crykendall, here
from Injuries he received some three
weks ago while breaking a fractious
colt. The animal threw him from the
cart to which It was hitched, breaking
his collar bone. In his extreme age
his strength was not sufficient to with
stand the shock.
- J .
Orklnsts the Opening.
KEARNEY, Neb., Aug. 26.—A new
separator station for the Fremont
Creamery company was opened at Elk
Creek. The occasion was celebrated
by a basket pfcnlc which was largely
attended by farmers of the surround
ing country and citizens of the town.
This afternoon a local organization of
the eighty stockholders was perfected.
After this there were speeches by W.
W. Marple of Lincoln and Ross L.
Hammond of Fremont. The separator
station received its first Installment of
milk from patrons in the morning.
TUere Is much enthusiasm among the
farmers and the dairy business prom
ises to become a very Important onj.
An Old Uw Involved.
OMAHA, Aug. 25.—An unusual point
in the laws of garnishment was
brought up in JuBtiee Baldwin’s court
yesterday and an old law that wus
enacted to meet conditions which have
now almost ceased to exist was made
to apply. Max Frledwald brought suit
against William Downer and tried to
garnish wages due him. Downer filed
an affidavit of exemption, but in spite
of this Frledwald still tried to collect
the debt from his employers. There Is
a law In this state which provides
that when a person attempts to gar
nish exempt wages he is liable not
only criminally, but civilly also for the
amount In controversy, the costs and
attorney's fees. Downer sued under
this law and the court, though reluc
tantly, was forced to render Judgment
In his favor. The amount of the debt
over which the suits first arose wss
$18.75 and the amount of the Judg
ment against Frledwald was $59.90.
Marphia N|it|MiM»nt«.
LINCOLN, Neb.. Aug. 25.—Reports
have been received at the labor com
mlsstoDer's office at the cupltol from
every county in the state, showing the
shipments of surplus products during
the year 1898. While these reports are
Incomplete and Inaccurate In many
cases they nevertheless Indicate pretty
rliieely the vulutue of shipments by
freight and express Railroad and ea
preaa companies are supposed to re
cord every shipment of agricultural
products to points outside of Nebras
ka. but many carloads of grain and
other products slip through without
twtng reported The following Agures
shew the shipments of grain and live
stock fro*. Nebraska during HUM. as
'sunpared with the previous year.
Articles. IMM. IMT
i Veit Is . ITT Ml. Ml
Swine .. I ti» MS I.ITt.lSt
Horses sad males , IMII II,lit
Cheep , . I.eTT see I.eeT «*e
Wheat ha . IT tswse 1* MS. Ml
t’ura, he... « *IT IT* fT.Ttl «4J
' rteie. ba .»•,»♦».TSt M.U1M?
fete*toy be ......... tet tee t>* uCT
Are be .. I.Ml.ITT Mfe.lM
llsflsi Fete tr»eet«4
eTHnMdltl MH Neb Aug M -City
Mersksl Hubbard aad I’nMtsble !•«««
Mrested use I. M i heerner at Val
paraiso Mr Cbeeraer sad bis wife e
ewHei came to his place aad pet their
Mm la (be livery stable sad they
thee>selves bulged la the city buss,
wbteh was steiMltag la (be street A
telegram from Valparaiso regeeeitag
Ik* arrest uf tbe yowgg evc.pt* to
promptly reap*H»*Nd la aad the girl
eras seal hum* The mea is wait lag
sveapear Bom Valparaiso and while
here la board lag alth (he atght wet. h.