The San Francisco call., 1904-12-20

BERLIN, Dec. 1e.-Berlin has pro-
luced in Madame Wilhelmina Hartert
q woman fnancier whose operations.
while not on so vast a scale, are as dar-
ing and spectacular as those of Mrs.
Cassie Chadwick Of Cleveland, Ohio.
The woman's methods have been
brought 70 public notice in a sensation
al trial. in which, although she was
acquitted on a technicality, the meth
DDS by which she amassed a fortune
by victimizing members of the highest
society Of the city have been revealed.
The expose came as the result Of the
suicide af Baron Nettelbadt, a young
n0bleman, who found himself entangled
in her net and preferred death TO the
course she insisted that he pursue. This
vas that the BaFon should marry an
heiress indicated by Madame Hartert
and settle his debts out of his wife's
COWry. At her trial it was proved that
Madame Hartert, who kept up a su-
parb establishment in Berlin. had made
half a million dollars by getting young
aristOcrats into her clutches and then
arranging marriages for them and TAX
ing a "rake-off"
HER LOWLY ORIGIN.
Considering her low birth, lack Of
education and refinement the rapidity
with which Madame Hartert forced her
way into Berlin society and secured an
influential social position is amazing. She
is the daughter Of a street scavenger,
who piled his occupation in the German
capital for thirty years, while her
mother began her career as maid Of all
work in a common lodging house and
ended il as q laUndress. Madame Hart
ert gained her education partly in the
public state schools, where attendance
IS compulsory up 10 the age Of IA years,
and partly in the vice-laden streets Of
Berlin. Following her mothers foot
steps. she began as q domestic servant,
but drifted into other employment.
The future Madame Hartert gradu-
ally became familiar with the manners
and customs Of men and women about
town. At the age Of 25 years she mar
ried a waiter named Hartert and ac-
companied him TO London and Paris,
whittier the ups and downs Of his trade
led him. In this way the scavenger's
daughter gained a practical knowledge
Of languages and a wider acquaintance
with the manners and customs Of other
countries. Hartert, the waiter. was
drunken vagabond and went through
long period Of unemployment in Lon
don, at the conclusion of which he blew
his brains out in a fit of depression.
Left alone, penniless and with formid-
able debts to pay. Madame Hartert fed
to Berlin, where she sought employ
nient OF various kinds. without success.
AUDACITY HER FORTE.
ceived the idea Of exploiting the weak
nesses Of high society, with which she
had become acquainted before and after
her marriage. BY pure audacity she
succeeded in taking a large house in a
fashionable street in the most >aristo-
cratic quarter in Berlin, though she
had not a single cent in her pocket TO
pay the rent. She contrived to persuade
the owner Of the house that she was a
wealthy woman in momentary financial
difficulty, and having secured the house
was equally successful in inducing
tradesmen to furnish it and fit IT up
in a sumptuously luxurious manner on
credit
Having progressed thus far, it was
comparatively easy TO obtain dresses
and the best of everything on the
same system. Finally, by pledging the
contents Of her house, which, of
course, were not hers to pledge, Mad
anne Hartert borrowed $4,000 from a
professional money lender to use as
working capital In her projected oc-
c1Dation. Her next move was to Sc
cure admittance into good circles of
society. She rented a pew at fash
fonable church and was unfailing in
her attendance on Sunday mornings
and evenings. She subscribed to char
tiles and took an active part in ba-
zaars arranged for benevolent pur-
poses. Soon people began to take an
interest IL the widow. whose dress was
immaculate and who seemed to have
command of unlimited supplies of
money.
Madame Hartert was playing a