Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-23
SEARCHING FOR SWEETHEART.
Daughter Of Millionaire True to Poor
Army officer.

A dispatch from New York says: Declar-
ing that until her lover Is found alive or
known to be dead she will remain unmar-
died. the beautiful daughter Of an Ameri-
can millionaire is directing worldwide
search for Albrecht Becker. a former lieu
tenant in the German army, to whom eight
years ago she gave her heart in Dresden.
In 1901 Becker. whose suit was opposed by
| the girls father. disappeared.
The young woman's health has been SO
undermined by grief. and she has so per-
sistently refused other suitors. that her
parents are now as anxious to find Becker
as she Is. Unlimited wealth Is at the dis
posa1 of the searchers.
The name Of the girl is kept a secret. Her
father Is silk manufacturer. The family
spend much time abroad, but have resi-
dence here. At present they are in Paris
Becker Is a brother of the Baroness Won
Haskell Of Munich. who also is trying to find
him.
Last July weIl-known young man Of
New York travelled to Carlsbad and i'm
plored the girl to marry him. His suit was
favored by her parents, but the girl refused
him.
Until 1 know what has become of AL
brecht Becker I will not marry" said she:
IF he is alive and still loves me I will
marry him. If he is dead want to know
it. for then can begin new life"
The love affair began In Dresden in 1891
Becker was then nineteen years old and
lieutenant in the German army. He had the
best family connections, was well educated
and cultured. but Travelled with a very fast
army set. Because of his wldness his
parents disinherited him. giving their wealth
to his sister, the baroness.
When the father of the American girl,
then only eighteen. saw that his daughter
was deeply in love with the young lieuten-
ant, he made inquiries about his character
What he learned was such that when the
young man asked him for the hand of his
daughter he refused it, intimating that he
was fortune hunter.
Early in 1898, shortly before the Ameri-
can family left Dresden, the lieutenant told
his sweetheart that he intended to come to
the United States and earn enough money
to be in a position to support her. The girl
ENCOURAGED him and pledged herself to re-
main true to him. Becker could not obtain
his release from the army, 80 ne deserted.
Before leaving Dresden he asked Baroness
Won Haskell for assistance which, 1t Is said.
was refused.
When the American family returned to
New York q few months later Becker was
waiting at the pier to see the girl. The
father allowed them a brief interview
Becker said that he had employment in q
German book store. The young woman told
him that her affection for him was as deep
as ever but she was convinced that her
father would not allow them to marry un-
less Becker should make his fortune
Becker went away. promising to write. The
girl has not seen or heard from him since
Much of her time she spends gazing at the
one photograph she has Of the young man.
The family have tried In every way to
divert her mind. They have travelled all
over the world with her. but she refuses to
forget her lover. Her happiness is staked
upon the search being made for Becker.
She is in constant cable communication
with those engaged In the quest. She fears
that he Is dead. as in 1902. while travelling
in Egypt, she read in an old American
newspaper the account OF the suicide In
Chicago Of a young German whose descrip-
ton answered that Of Becker.
A. G. Kaufman Of No. 1873 Reade street, a
friend of the family, Is in charge of the
search. The latest trace he has found Of
Becker is this: Arthur r. Moore, lawyer
of Fredonia, N. T.. says that Becker called
upon him in 1900 and later wrote to him. A
year later Becker informed him that he
had a position as translator with the Her
bert 8. Stone Company. Chicago. short
time after that the letters ceased to come
and Moore has not heard from his friend
since.
Detectives are now following clues In
Chicago. The records Of the United States
army are also being searched In the hope
that the former lieutenant may have en-
listed.