TO CATCH A SPY

BY ALICE L. LUCKHARDT

The suspicious questions and dubious behavior of a fellow train passenger caused a bit of wariness for the young Ralph Rubin as he headed home for his first furlough. The warm weather in mid-June made the journey from central South Carolina a smidgen uncomfortable, but the joy of spending some time with his brothers back in Cocoa Beach eased the discomfort.

The 26-year-old, who proudly wore the uniform of a private in the U.S. Army, was a part of the Great War to end all wars in 1918. He had only been in his new homeland for about seven years after coming with his brothers from Romania. They had set out to live the American dream and possibly prosper as shopkeepers along the east coast of Florida, a region ripe for expansion and development early in the 20th century.

As Rubin sat in his seat, a gentleman approached him and positioned himself in the adjoining seat. The stranger was neatly dressed in a fine suit and immediately struck up a conversation with the soldier. There were no formal greetings of name and hometown but rather inquiries to Rubin’s military base. His time at Camp Jackson near Columbia, S.C., had only been since late April; however Rubin had learned right away never to divulge any military information. Rubin informed the stranger that, “Camp life was never discussed out of the camp.” That explicit statement did not hinder the stranger from further inquires.

Rubin’s mind was racing, questioning who this gentleman could be. As the man continued to talk, Rubin definitely got the impression that the stranger was pro-German and against the United States’ involvement in the war. He even showed contempt for Americans supporting the war effort with their purchase of U.S. Liberty Bonds and War Saving stamps.

The stranger continued to attempt responses from Rubin about the numbers of soldiers, officers and what type of activities were conducted at Camp Jackson. There was even an effort by the stranger to convince Pvt. Rubin that he was making a grievous mistake being in the Army and serving as part of a war machine. But Rubin remained firm, refusing to respond to any of his recurring questions or statements.

They finally did talk about Florida when Rubin stated he was on leave to his home state. However, whenever any Florida location was mentioned, the stranger acted as if he had no knowledge of the place. Later, when the stranger opened up his briefcase, Rubin noticed that it was filled with an array of Florida maps, all which appeared to be well used. When Rubin referred to the state maps, the stranger switched his approach and began talking extensively about areas throughout Florida, especially along the Atlantic coast.

After more than a couple hours of listening to his seat mate, Rubin managed to excuse himself. As he walked from one train coach to the next he made sure he wasn’t followed. He now knew what he had to do. Rubin stopped the first train conductor he spotted and told him about this suspicious man. He spoke of the statements the stranger had made and Rubin’s own thoughts that this man may very well be a German spy. The conductor reassured Rubin that he was right in his suspicions as the conductor had been watching the actions of the stranger as well. The information Rubin provided gave the conductor the additional evidence to go ahead and contact the next major train station at Savannah, Ga. He insisted U.S. governmental officers be present at the station to apprehend this stranger.

Pvt. Rubin returned to his seat where the stranger remained. Rubin played it as nothing was about to happen so the stranger would not become leery. As they talked, he continued to change the subject to non-military items, all the while keeping an eye on their location so he knew when they were approaching Savannah.

With the train’s arrival at the station, five gentlemen came on the train to take the stranger in for questioning. Four were in plain civilian clothes and the fifth was wearing a police uniform. As the men came up the aisle, led by the conductor, the stranger immediately ran in the opposite direction. As he did so, he tossed his briefcase in another direction.

The chase was now on, as the men pursued the stranger through several of the train’s compartments and eventually off the train. The officers were able to catch up with the stranger, take him into custody and locate his pitched briefcase. It was eventually learned that the stranger had been an important German spy in America, trying to learn what he could, especially about the military training camps.

Pvt. Rubin was thanked by the authorities for his assistance and specifically for not providing any military information to the spy. Rubin finally sat back in his seat as the train started moving again. He was heading home now with a fantastic tale to share with his family in Cocoa. Rubin furthermore had the knowledge he had made a major contribution to his new homeland by keeping his country’s secrets safe.

Rubin completed his military service with the 156th Depot Brigade on Dec.12, 1918, and returned home. Rubin and his brother, Isadore Rubin, opened a dry goods store in Cocoa. After a few years, Rubin moved with his wife and young children to Fort Pierce and opened another store in 1927 on Second Street. He purchased and altered the Holtsberg’s dry goods store, making it a junior department store. The department store concept was developed and expanded in both locations. This friendly, customer-oriented store was known as Rubin Bros. Dept. Store, carrying a variety of soft-goods and serving Fort Pierce for years.

He continued as a businessman for decades, but also served his community through many different civic organizations, such as president of the Chamber of Commerce, head of the Elks Club, president of Rotary Club and commander of American Legion Post, until his death on Aug. 10, 1972.

Rubin was generous with his time and money, helping to establish the Fort Pierce Memorial Hospital, forever mindful of the opportunities afforded him in the United States. Proof of his strong character was first exhibited so many decades earlier on a train in June 1918, for which his country was grateful then and now.

About the writer
Alice L. Luckhardt of Stuart, a former teacher, has worked for years in historical and genealogical research and writing. She has published articles in a variety of magazines and has written three books: “Legends - Family Stories and Myths,” “The Invincible Alice” and “O. B. Padgett - A Florida Son,” published with Lulu Publishing of N. C.