The Washington times., 1905-05-01
ACCUSED SERVANT
WIFE OF a BARON
Alice Lansen, Charged With Theft at Mrs.
Slater's Street Home, Is Really Bar
oness de Vorts Salmo.

Discovery has been made that Alice
Lansen, wanted here on q charge of
stealing $50 worth of clothing and fans
from Mrs. William y. Slater, Of I731 l
street northwest, is q baroness driven
to menial positions by the exhaustion OF
her husbands funds.
For the purpose Of bringing the titled
prisoner here to stand trial. Detective
Sergeant Baur, of the Central Office,
left Washington last night for New
York city, where Alice Larsen. or
Baroness de Vorts SaImo, was appre-
hended on a warrant sworn out by Mrs.
Slater several days ago. Baur viii at
tend The United States Commissioner s
hearing given the woman today. and
probably return TO Washington tonight
or tomorrow
Mrs. Slater's Allegation.
Mrs. Slater alleges that the woman
who gave her name as Alice Lansen,
aid who turned out to he the wife OF
an Austrian baron, purioincd two eX-
pensive fans and several articles OF
clothing. The baroness was employed
by Mrs. Slater as Il maid. She is an
unattractive although siIapely woman
While working in the / street house
she did not associate with the other ser
wants during her hours of leisure, but
spent the time reading or writing to her
friends In New York city. Al no time
did she say anything about her rank.
Two days after the reported theft At
the Slater home, the maid left. Her dis
appearance and that of the clothing and
fans were believed to be connected and
Mrs. eliza Bull, housekeeper for Mrs
Slater, visited Police Headquarters and
reported the loss to Captain Board
man.
1t was learned that the woman had
received a letter with the Barnum &
Bailey circus head on the outside OF
the envelope, and the police followed
up this clue. Detectives Baur and Harti-
gan were assigned to the case and dis
covered that the woman had her trun,
shipped TO New York
Tracked to New York.
Police In the metropolis located the
baggage In a New York railroad sta
ton They ascertained that the woman
had ordered the trunk sent TO Mrs
Lansen Niiessen at the Hotel Denis
New York city Two days prior 10 Civ
ing the order about the trunk the baron
ess visited the hotel and registered She
said she did not wish TO take the room
for a couple of days when she would
return and make it her abiding place
for several weeks, presumab bly, as long
as the circus remained in New York
When she returned TO the hostelry
yesterday morning she was assigned IL
room H. AS soon as she entered IL
Detectives Pepperted and Doran. of tht
New York force, who had been waiting
81 l. t.41v TOD
her verbal and physical protest
She was told that size was accused
of stealing from Mrs. Slater and became
bysterical, denying that she had ever
taken anything belonging to another
person.
To prove that she was honest and OF
respectable ancestors she informed the
police that she was a baTon's wife, and
asked that her husband. the Baron Otte
Maria de Vorts Salmo. be summoned tc
police headquarters, The latter was al.
most beFeft of his senses when told thal
his wife had been arrested for grand
larceny.
Quickly making his way to headquart-
ers he talked with kis sobbins, wife and