The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-03-05
Woman's War.

Copyright, 1907. by NJ. M. Cunningham
Fifteen years ago there appeared IN
New York a woman about thirty years
old who gave the name Of the Baroness
Stein and who claimed to be the wild
ow of a German baron who had been
deceased a couple Of years. She spoke
German, English. French and Spanish.
She had three or fodr servants. lots Of
baggage and seemingly no end OF mon
ey. On the contrary. she persistently
refused invitations and explained to
all that she was on a mission. In
stead of seeking society she sought
capitalists and spectators. During
the three months she remained in the
metropolis, with frequent visits to
washington, she had interviews with
half a dozen leading capitalists and
as many members Of congress.
What is not generally known to this
day is that the Baroness Stein was an
out and out adventures from Brazil.
She had even been the consort OF
heads of South American states. While
in this position she had learned or
new diamond field The property was
owned by private individuals. She de-
sired to possess it. but SO did the presi-
dent The result Of individual greed
was a quarrel and separation. and
the president was probably rejoiced
when she pocketed certain sum OF
money and sailed away for the United
States. leaving him to work his own
private schemes to enrich himself. He
thought he knew the baroness pretty
we'll but the. results astonished him.
To capitalists, senators and others she
proposed a combine or trust to get
possession Of those wines. 1t could
not be done without aEevolution, and
she proposed one. She might have at
tempted one alone had she had suff1-
cient funds. She would throw in her
all and go back and be the head and
front Of the affair.
One day the Baroness Stein sailed
away, bag and baggage. and she did
not leave a debt unpaid. She landed
at certain port in South America and
began her work. She had interviews
with adventures. She had talks with
solid men. She sent for the owners OF
the mines and told them Of the plot OF
the president and brought them into
the combine. She used money, and she
used her personal influence, and the
day came when she had the backing
to return to the president and say:
IF you want to come in with rs all
right; If you don't I will sweep you
out Of power within three months"
The president laughed grimly. He
was solidly seated and had been for
eight years. he was at peace with the
neighboring states. His people were
never 50 contented. The idea that he
could be bounced out, and that by a
| woman, was so absurd that he laughed
In her face. She reiterated, and he
I sent her to prison to teach her his
power and dignity. In three days she
won over her jailers and disappeared. d.
Two weeks later the president made
his move against the owners OF the
Mines, They were not residents OF his
state, and his plea was that they were
seditionists who were fomenting rebel
| lion. They were summarily arrested
and thrown into prison, and In due
time, had things gone the even tenor OF
their way, evidence would have been
manufactured to hang or outlaw them.
But something happened. At sunrise
one morning a revolution broke out In
a town distant from the capital. The
president spoke of it sarcastically. An
| other and another town followed, and
he finally gave the order for troops to
march against the rebels. The troops
refused to stir a foot. On the con-
| trary, the general in command inform
ed the president that he was under ar
rest and marched him away to prison.
| A new dictator appeared. he was
man chosen by the baroness. He had
/ aims and ambitions, and he had agreed
| to become her tool. The revolutionists
were armed and equipped from the
| United States, and inside Of ten days
the baroness was the power behind the
throne that was directing everything
It was an almost bloodless revolution.
A woman had guided and effected 1t.
She had even marched at the head OF
the troops. The old president was
glad enough to be shipped out Of the
country, and the new one, formally
elected by the people after being placed
at the head Of affairs, set out to obey
the mandates Of the woman who had
put him there. .'"
Then followed the greed Of capital
lists, the lack Of honesty Of the poll
ticians and the ingratitude OF man.
The conspirators had the diamond
mines and good thing all around, but
they were not satisfied with that.
They demanded concession after con-
cession until the people of the state
began to wonder what would be left to
them. Their investments profted them
thousand per cent, but still they