The times., 1899-04-24
AN AMERICAN WOMAN
CAPTIVE IN MOROCCO
Nine. Alma d'Alma Said to Be
the Sultan'S Prisoner.
Arenson's Divorced Wife Arrested
While Entering a Mosque.
Travelling n Woman of the Coun-
try-story Brought by an Arnb-
ian Acrobat Manager.

New York, April 2S.-According to an
account given yesterday by Sidi Hassan Ben
| Ali, manager of troupe of Arabian aero
! bats, a startling chapter has been added
to the already sensational career of the
| young woman formerly the wife of Rudolph
| Aronson. who, since her divorce a few
years ago, has been known as Nine. Alma
| D'Alma.
Ben Ali said that Nine D'Alma is at
present a prisoner in The hands of the
Moors and showed cablegram to him
, self, in which she announced that she had
been arrested. The dispatch was dated
Saturday at Tangler, and read: Have
been arrested while attempting to enter
! mosque" 1t was signed "Dalma.' Ben
Ali was much perturbed over the tidings,
and said he had grave fears that the pris-
| oner would be harshly dealt with.
Nine. D'Alma sailed from this city on
March 90 for Tangier, with the intention
of endeayoring to obtain admission to the
harem of the Sultan of Morocco for the
purpose of studying the life of the in
mates. Ben Ali told me that he made the
acquaintance of Nine. D'Alma on board a
steamship on a voyage from Mediterranean
ports TO this city. 1t was his account OF
life in the Orient, he said, that suggested
TO her the idea of travelling in the coml ar
atively unknown portions of Morocco. He
warned her that she would probably have
much difficulty in gaining entrance to the
harem of the Sultan, but she determined 10
persevere in the adventure
Ben Ali said that he learned of her safe
arrival at Tangier and of her departure
from that place TO go into the interior with
caravan. The next news he received was
contained in the cablegram. Allowing for
the time elapsed Ben Ali said that he was
pretty well satisfied that the arrest hal
taken place at the town OF Sidi Kassam Bo
Assray, place which is celebrated for a
mosque of great antiquity and peculiar
sanctity. This place is five days journey
from Tangier and sixteen days journey by
caravan from the city of Morocco.
Il greatly fear" he said yesterday
that Nine. D'Alma is in serious trouble
She was to travel in the garb of a woman
OF the country, in which no objection would
ordinarily be made to her entering the
mosque. She was ignorant of the GUS
toms of the country, however, and it ia
very likely that she committed some
breach of decorum which would constitute
dreadful offence in the eyes of fanatic
Evidently she managed TO get messenger
through 10 Tangier to send the cablegram
and this makes me think that she has been
sent as prisoner to the Sultan at the city
OF Morocco. In that case it will take
considerable time before she can be com
municated with
Ben Ali also received a dispatch, filed
yesterday afternoon at a telegraph Office
in Broadway. 1t read: 1--WE received cable
from Sister Belma saying she is arrested
IN Morocco. As you are responsible for her
journey through Morocco you must pre-
pare to answer for all her trouble" IT
was signed Miss Chandler"
Miss Chandler. Ben Ali said, is the sister
of Nine. D'Alma and resides in Fordham.
but at what address he did not know He
declared that he felt in no way responsible
for Nine. D'Alma's mishap. but that he
would endeavor TO communicate with her
family and would write TO the Secretary
of State in Washington. asking him TO
intervene in the prisoners behalf.
Nine. D'Alma was a member of the
chorus at the Casino Theatre, when she
met Rudolph Aronson. to whom she was
married in Schenectady on September g.
1888. The couple lived together only
short time, and were separated by divorce
proceedings in November, 1896. Previous
TO her marriage TO Mr. Aronson she is said
TO have secured a divorce from a French
actor.
For many years Nine. D'Alma Travelled
extensively in Europe. where she made the
acquaintance OF Mascagni, the composer.
"ith whom her name was closely asso-
ciated. She had considerable music talent,
and at one time sang in grand opera
Her last appearance here was just prior
to her departure for Morocco, when she
sang in concert at the Carnegie Lyceum.
She is a very handsome woman OF the
blonde type. with splendid figure and viv-
acious manners.