Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 285, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1915 — The Bullet-Proof Mantle [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Bullet-Proof Mantle

Revelations of An Ambassador-at-Large

Transcribed by H. M. Egbert from the private papers of an Englishman who for a time was an unofficial diplomat in the most secret service of the British Government. »

(Copyright. 1915, by W. G. Chapman.)

The sudden collapse of Bulgaria before the united armies of Greece and Serria was a great triumph for the two leading powers of the Triple Alliance, opening the war, as it did, toward Austrian hegemony in the Aegean. It meant that henceforth, instead of a single powerful confederation in the Balkans, there would exist a medley of disunited, warring states. The British government had become convinced that trouble was brewing. England’s relations with the dual monarchy, which had remained friendly even after Austria’s seizure of Bosnia, In 1900, had grown inexplicably strained. Sir Edward Grey had requested me 1 6 join Capt. Philip Murray, the British military attache accompanying King^Constantine’s army in Thrace, and watch the development of events. In the cpurse of the interview which the British foreign secretary accorded me before my departure he indicated that Captain Murray would be able to give me certain information that might throw a light upon the problem which was to be solved. Captain Murray and I were seated upon our horses a few yards beneath the crest of a hill, watching through our glasses the attack of the Greek troops upon the Bulgarian positions. It was three weeks since the outbreak of the second Balkan war, and each day had seen a signal triumph achieved by King Constantine’s splendid army. “It is amazing!” I exclaimed as Captain Murray unfolded the theme of our conversation. “It is the most astounding scientific discovery of the century along these lines. It will completely revolutionize the art of warfare.” “It will abolish war,” replied the attache, as he held the glasses to his eyes. The crested slopes two miles away were aflame with bursting shells. Behind improvised earthworks there the Bulgarian lines awaited the attack. Up the slopes struggled the heroic Greeks, decimated by the rifle fire of their concealed enemies, advancing, falling —-but never falling back;' advancing—always advancing.

A line five miles in length, extending from end to end of the wide valley, was sweeping upward to drive King Ferdinand’s men from the hills. Those hills were the key to another valley, dominated by another range. So, from hill to hill, the Greeks had swept each day, always fighting, always conquering; The little scattered bands rushed forward, dropped, rose, advanced, died, or began crawling, wounded, back the rear through the supports that came on behind them. The progress seemed infinitely slow, and was possible at all only by virtue of the artillery fire that played unceasingly upon the defenders. ' • “Evefy modern battle is won by „bou; fifty resolute men,” said Captain Murray, turning his horse’s head toward mine. “How little stands between defeat and victory only Boldiers know. Of the thousand or so who finally attempt to rush the deadly fire zone of three hundred yards' between themselves and the enemy, half will be shot down. The rest press forward, waver —all hangs in the balance. Then, if the courage of the attack exceeds the resolution of the defense fifty men, inspiring the attack, lead their comrades to victory. And therefore I say, given fifty men who cannot be killed, every attack can be pressed home — and the result is the stultification of war.” “It means,” I answered, "a return to the old days of the sword and battle-ax. But for the necessary mo- . bility of modem armies, no doubt the era of the high explosive would have landed us again in the days of chain armor. If this bullet-proof cloth has actually been made —” “Look at our man!” replied Captain Murray impatiently. And twenty yards in front of the foremost Greek a tiny figure, armed only with a sword, advanced nonchalantly. He seemed to bear a charmed life. Men fell by dozens a,nd . scores, but he was untouched. He strolled to within fifty paces of the trenches, and, turning, waved his sword. With an exultant cry which faintly reached us the whole Greek force ran forward. For one Instant the bullets reaped their gory crop; the next the Greeks were in the trenches, bayoneting the Bulgarians. And the man with the sword still led them. A 'prolonged shout, a fluttering Greek flag upon the hilltop, and the Bulgarians streamed away in wild rout, chastised unmercifully by the artillery. “You see what one man can do,” said Captain Murray to me. “What would fifty do, then, dressed in this bullet-proof cloth? What would a whole army do?” “We Bhall forget everything that has been learned of war since the days of Coeur de Lion,” I answered. “Which means the end of war, for those days have passed forever,” replied the attache. “That is what our government believes, and that is why,

if Mr. Popopoulds’ invention is proved to be what be claims, at the tests to be held in 'London, our government will purchase -it. Mr. Popopoulos is a peace enthusiast, and has offered it to England as the nation most interested in abolishing war.” Now I understood the entire situation. If the war syndicate got hold of the secret, and could communicate it to Germapy, she kaiser would declare war on the nations of the Triple Entente immediately. And I knewthat the syndicate was hard on the trail of the secret. This explained the change in Austria’s attitude toward England. This explained also why the kaiser had gone secretly to his palace at Corfu, off the west coast x>f Greece, and why Baron von Stamm, the German military attache with the Greek forces, and the bitterest Anglophobe ip Germany, had been pestering Murray and me with his attentions since our arrival. I saw theNremendous organization which was endeavoring to secure the secret; the international war syndicate, which, aiming at the exploitation of the wealth of the world, believed that they would achieve this end through German hegemony, and were behind every conspiracy designed to provoke universal carnage; the cannon makers, with their subsidized press, legions of spies, and greedy shareholders; the German and Austrian governments, which only awaited the possession of the secret to begin the world war. The kaiser had never forgiven his defeat at Algeciras in the preceding year, when he was forced to back down before the French and British ultimatum.

“As you know,” said Captain Murray, “the search for aI bullet-proof cloth had been practically abandoned before Mr. Popopoulos came along with his discovery. The principle is as simple as it is ingenious. “The cloth, which is as filmy as silk, contains large quantities of thorium, which is used in the manufacture of incandescent gas mantles. Mixed with tellurium in certain fixed proportions, it acquires the power of instantly converting energy, expressed in terms of motion, into-heat. Thus the energy of the striking bullet becomes heat and ceases to be motion; the cloth grpws Incandescent and becomes cold again before the heat has even seared the skin. The bullet drops to the ground, half fused. "A bullet, striking one wearing this cloth, inflicts no shock at all, only a minute burn, and seldom that — and this although the cloth is worn next to the skin. And the unique feature about it is that, unless one knows —”

He broke off suddenly, for at that instant a horse’s head appeared over the crest in front of us, and Von Stamm came into sight. He had ridden up the other side of the hill, and it was clear from the expression upon his face that he had heard a good part of Captain Murray’s explanation. “A glorious victory for the Hellenic forces, gentlemen!" he said. “Who would have thought that discipline could have turned the cowardly rabble of 1897 into this conquering army?” "But you must not forget the gunnery,” said Captain Murray. Baron von Stamm tried to remain impassive, but it was evident that he felt the home thrust deeply. For the Greek; guns were from the workshops, and far surpassed the Bulgarians’ Krupps. “Possibly, when the day comes, Germany will show the world what her guns can achieve,” answered the baron, turning his horse’s head and riding away. Captain Murray and I looked at each other. Then we shook hands. When the baron was far down the opposite side of the hill we started to the place appointed, where we were to meet the inventor, after witnessing his exploits during the battle. Although Popopoulos was a Greek, he had given his government no inkling of his discovery} wishing to put it to use with the "power most bent on preserving peace among nations. Being a volunteer, the lax discipline of the regular army held him still more lightly. His comrades, who had seen him cover his face and head with what they called mosquito netting, at first laughed at him as an original; now they held him to be a hero, but still none suspected that he was other than one of themselves. Popopoulos had escaped from their embraces into the little rendezvous among the hills, and he was waiting for us there. He was just such an enthusiast as I had pictured, a little, excitable man in the early thirties, who almost danced up to us. “You are satisfied, captain?” he chattered in French. Captain Murray leaped down from his horse and took the little man s hand in his. <; j r “Mr. Popopoulos, you have proved the worth of your invention beyond all doubt,” he said. “I watched you through my glasses and I know that no man could have stood where you

stood and lived, unless he was bullet proof.” Popopoulos took off the face net, and pointed to his cheeks. They were flecked with what appeared to be mosquito bites, but the netting was intact. “I am riddled,” said the Greek, laughing. “I am a human sieve. But assure yourself, captain.” He handed Captain Murray his army revolver. The captain raised it and leveled it at Popopoulos* breast. Before I could Intervene he had fired point-blank at him. The bullet seemed to drop at the revolver’s mouth. Murray stooped down and picked up a shapeless lump of lead. It burned his hand, and he dropped it hastily. Popopoulos, who was standing unharmed in front of us, smiled, and unbuttoned his tunic. Under the linen shirt was a net of closely woven, yellowish stuff like silk, exactly similar to that which had covered his face. Upon his breast were a number of red specks, and ar small raised lump like a mosquito bite. “Your btillet, Captain Murray,” he said, smiling. “You see, nothing but a huge shell or a bayonet thrust can harm me. And I alone of all the world possess the formula.” He tapped his chest, and now I perceived a little bag, woven of the same silken material, under the cloth, evidently containing a paper. The captain turned to me. “You are satisfied now?” he asked. “Entirely so,”- I replied enthusiastically. “And let me congratulate you, Mr. Popopoulos,” I added, “on having banished the curse of war from the world.” The Greek’s face fell. “Eh?” he exclaimed. “I hope not. Why, monsieur, I—l had forgotten—” He buttoned his tunic and paced absently among the rocks. We followed him. “Well, Mr. Popopoulos,” began Murray, "as we are satisfied, I suppose you will hand over the formula to me.

No doubt I can obtain permission from his majesty, King Constantine, for you to accompany me to England as my aid.” Popopoulos turned abruptly upon the captain. “I prefer to retain the formula, Captain Murray,” he said. “Understand, it is not that I do not trust you. Von Stamm knows-better tl\an anyone whether I can be purchased. I have given my word, and it remains. But during the remainder ot the campaign the formula reifiaina with me, where nothing can harm it.” "The rest of the campaign?” inquired the captain. "Gentlemen,” answered Popopoulos, smiling a little sheepishly, “as a soldier of Greece I intend to fight till the war is ended. I never guessed how magnificent war is. It is divine, glorious! And, as a patriot, it is my duty to remain with his majesty’s army.” The man’s experiences of battle had utterly transformed his views, and no argument could shake him. Politely, but stubbornly, he refused to hand over the formula. After the war he would accompany us to England; for the present he would continue a soldier with the conquering Greeks. There was not much danger to Popopoulos, for, as he had said, only a huge shell or a bayonet thrust could harm him. Against shrapnel the cloth was secure; and shells that burst on percussion are not used ag&inst infantry. Nor does one often come to bayonet work In modern warfare. The chief danger to be apprehended was treachery on the part of Von Stamm. “Well,” said Captain Murray to me at last, “it seems useless to attempt to change Popopoulos’ mind. However, even if Von Stamm did get hold of the formula it wouldn’t help him much, because Popopoulos has confided to me one point that he didn’t write down, namely—” A figure came striding across the rocks, not ten paces away. It was Von Stamm. He must have tethered his horse upon the heights, crept up toward us among the rocks, and listened—for how long it was impossible to surmise. * “Pardon me, gentlemen,” he said, with a sinister smile, “but Us majesty

invites us to a camp supper tonight, and I suggested to him that I might be able to find you.” It was evident that Von Stamm was hot on the trail. And the Inexplicable obstinacy of Popopoulos made our chances of outwitting the baron extremely tenuous ones. There was a battle on the following afternoon, and Another two days later, this one the moss stubbornly contested of all during the brief campaign. For seven hours the Bulgarian artillery beat down that of the Greeks, and the Greek Infantry, prone in the valley, waited for the order to charge that could not be given. It was not until three in the afternoon that King Constantine brought up his howitzers and finally put the Bulgarian guns out of action. Then began the advance ot his majesty’s matchless troops. Mowed down by hundreds, they advanced steadily, leaving behind them patches and pyramids of tall Euzones, stark in their starched white petticoats. But ever at the head of the advancing troops, devoid of fear, a heroic figure among the bursting shells and rippling rifle fire, ran Popopoulos. When at last, by almost superhuman efforts and matchless courage, the Greeks closed with them, we saw the line of bayonets crown the hill, the sharp hand-to-hand struggle; and then the Greek flags went up, and the Bulgarians, utterly beaten, raced down the hill Id panic-stricken confusion. Captain Murray turned to me. “I think,” he said emphatically, "that our friend Popopoulos will at last have seen as much of war as he wishes.” And this predictioh was true enough, for on the top of the hill, heaped round with stiffening corpses, we found what had once been Popopoulos, but did not now bear very much resemblance to him. It was chiefly by the sword, clutched fast in the right hand, that we were able to identify him. The body was entirely nude; there was a gaping

wound In the throat and another throught the heart. The tunic had been slashed to pieces, and the fragments lay beside the corpse. The bulletproof cloth was gone. Captain Murray raised his fist toward the sky. “This is Von Stamm’s work!” he cried. “No bayonet could slash a tunic, nor would the Bulgarians have any desire to strip the bodies of their enemies.” In truth, Popopoulos was hardly cold, and the pursuing Greeks were barely a half mile ahead of us. As we stood there the artillery came thundering up behind us to take up position upon the crest Riding behind the guns came a small group of officers, among them a tall, fair man of military bearing, dressed in a plain uniform with the general’s crossed swords upon the shoulders. It was King Constantine. “What!” he exclaimed reining in his horse. “Have they killed Popopoulos?” "Tour majesty,” I said, "that man was slain treacherously, and not in fair fight. Look at the stripped body and—” “The man seemed to bear a charmed life,” his majesty interrupted. “No doubt the Bulgarians resolved to kill him at all hazard. ’ “Have I your majesty’s permission to avenge his death?” inquired Muri ray. ’ , “With all my heart,” answered King Constantine. “By the way, has anybody seen Baron von Stamm? 1 should have liked him to have witnessed this victory. French guns, you know —French guns!” And, with an affectation of light* heartedness which his countenance belied, he rode on after the artillery. Captain Murray raised his arm and pointed toward the crest behind us. A tiny figure on a tiny horse was riding hard along the military road that leads southward toward SalonikL “You know where he is making for?” asked the captain. “Corfu.” I answered. “And we must head him off before he reaches the Island.”

Few persons have penetrated the recesses of the kaiser’s splendid palace upon the island of Corfu. Bnllt originally by that unhappy lady, ner majesty, Empress Elizabeth of Austria, as a place of refuge from the griefs of the Viennese court, it was purchased by the German emperor after her murder in Switzerland, by the anarchist, Luchesl, in 1898. I cannot say that his imperial majesty, with all his reputed taste as artist and architect, has improved upon the simple setting of the unhappy empress. Where tall hedges of box lent the gardens an air of seclusion, one finds now open parks in the Prussian fashion, which may look better when the young forest trees have grown to maturity, but at present give the gardens a distinctly suburban appearance. The simple structure of stone, quarried from the island rocks, has yielded to a brick-fated building with ornate columns, the whole having an effect decidelly bizarre. However, it is not my purpose to quarrel with the taste of William of Germany. Suffice it to say that Captain Murray and I disembarked at the little town of Oneiros a week after the murder of Popopoulos. We had ridden hard, but our exhausted horses had been outdistanced by Von Stamm’s fresh one, and he had sailed by transport from Saloniki to Athens before we were in the outskirts of the former city. That gave him a day’s leeway, but our vessel left Athens only three hours behind his own. In the end, we entered Oneiros harbor just as the ship discharged Von Stamm upon the quay. I imagine now that he did not know he was being pursued. In fact, he must have expected us to go posthaste to Berlin, to seek him there. It was a deduction of my own that the kaiser’s visit to Corfu, of which I had had secret Information, was connected with the contemplated theft of the formula.-But Von Stamm had not only taken the formula, but also the cloth. That much was certain. He must even now be haring audience with the kaiser, and, once he had proved his caße, war would be delayed Just long enough to enable the cloth to be supplied to the German army. Three crawling hacks at the head of the wharf seemed to be all the locomotion available in Oneiros. The sleepy little town was taking its siesta in the hot afternoon sun. Five miles away, upon a hilltop, I could see the outlines of the palace buildings set among the rhododendron clusters.

“To the palace immediately!” I exciaimed to the nearest hack driver. To my astonishment Captain Murray seized me by the arm. “No. Let us walk!” he answered. And he dismissed the man with a coin, while I let him set the pace down the dusty road, and so out of the town into the country, where crops of currants loaded the vines on either side of us. “My friend, do you not appreciate the fact that we must try to catch Von Stamm before he succeeds in having audience with the kaiser?” I exclaimed. I had been perturbed during the whole of the voyage by my.companion’s apparent indlfferjpce to the results that hung upon the success of our undertaking. Now he replied: "On the contrary, my friend, it Is essential that Von Stamm secures audience with the kaiser before we come on the scene.’’ “Captain Murray,” I responded, "do you not know that the first thing the kaiser will do will be to test the Invention? He will satisfy himself Immediately as to its value —” "Precisely," answered Murray In a dry tone that nettled me, for I am not used to being kept in the dark, however much I may delight In the mysterious developments of diplomacy when I hold the key to the situation. "You understand, I hope,” I said, "that, if we are outwitted, the British government will hold you responsible?” “As for that,” replied Murray, smiling, "our friend Von Stamm has already outwitted himself, and it is solely for your own peace of mind that I have come on this wild-goose chase with you. There never was any danger.” I was frankly bewildered. Halfway up the hill, Murray stopped me. “You are acquainted with the palace?” he asked. "Not since the days of her late majesty. Queen Elizabeth,” I answered. "Nor I,” said the captain. "However, we may take it for granted that there will be no sentries posted outside the grounds, his majesty being here incognito. Where would one fire a shot if one wished to prevent the report from being heard in the village below?” "In Caesar’s amphitheater,” I answered, and the good sense of my companion in thinking of this reassured me somewhat. "The hills around it would certainly shut off the echoes,” Murray pursued. "The kaiser has built a new bridge leading to it across that ravine, I believe. Then, if we hurry, we can reach the summit of the overhanging cliff in time to observe what is taking place below.” We set out now hotfoot, panting as we pressed aside the undergrowth, mostly rhododendron thickets, which had escaped from the cultivated grounds within. The air was aflame in the dreadful heat that sometimes comes to Corfu even in spring. When at last we reached the summit of the cliff, however, we felt rewarded for our efforts by the spectacle beneath us. The whole e« the palace grounds

lay stretched out beneath our eyes: the brick-faced structure in the center, which even the work of reconstruction had been unable greatly to spoil, so fine had been the conception of the original architect. Working our way to the edge of tho precipice, Murray and 1 leaned over, thrusting our heads out from among the clumps of rhododendron bushes. So still was the air that we could hear the voices of two sentinels beneath as one relieved the other. Then we saw three figures emerge from among the trees, cross the marble bridge, and enter the amphitheater. The foremost was the kaiser. It was impossible to mistake the shOTt, erect figure, slightly stouter than of yore, but carrying itself with the same instinct of command. The second figure I thought I recognized as that of General Holtshausen, of the general staff. It was Impossible to be sure, but it made no difference, for the third figure was perfectly discernible, even without the aid of our glasses. It was Baron .von Stamm, and he wore, over his tunic, a veil of filmy yellow material, which shrouded him from head to feet. He hod evidently sewn the whole piece together, so as to form a single garment. It gave him the resemblance of a cocoon, except that the transparency of the thorium compound lent a sort of lllusiveness to the cloth. i* In the center of the amphitheater the kaiser turned abruptly, and, owing to the high walls of rock surrounding him, we could hear each word ha spoke: “Herr Baron, you arq willing to guarantee the safety of this material by permitting me to fira at you?” he asked. Baron von Stamm kfighed confidently as he answered: “Your majesty, befosg the fellowi was dead I fired six ballmat his body, and the bullets could notfpqaetrate or even injure the cloth. Hrffe thsy are!” He held out something Jjn one hand, and both the kaiser and Gwneral Holtzbausen uttered cries of mtonishment. The kaiser unstrapped arhuge army service revolver from a hjpt about his waist, beneath the dust 4pat “Herr Baron, will you hjjye the goodness to take your stand about thirty paces away, against that waL of rock?" "I will stand at your feet and let you shoot at t|e," replied Von Stamm. Nevertheless, he obeyed'the kaiser’s injunctions, and, backing,weached tho precipice beneath and a sttle to one side of us. The his revojyer, “Once more, Herr Baron, you assume the responsibility?” he called. your majesty,” replied Von Stamm.' # * J Crash! Von Stamm stumbled; a look ot tragic surprise came over his face, and, clutching at the gaping wound above his heart, as though to stem the ' flow of his life’s blood, he toppled over, dead. Before the kaiser and General Holtzhausen could reach his side Murray had pulled me back through thg bushes. "We have just time to reach oug boat before she sails,” he said. "You see,” he added later, “the thorium mantle has to be worn next to the skin. Von Stamm did not know that. He was wearing it outside his tunic on the road to Saloniki. The thorium does not have the needed effect except at the body temperature ul 98 degrees.”

Before I Could Intervene He Had Fired Point-Blank at Him.