Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-18
As Housekeeper, Stole Half
Dozen Silver Forks.
NOW FACES JAIL SENTENCE
Husband a Noble Dane, Who Has
Deserted Her.
SHE WAS A RICH TEXAS GIRL
Unable to Live by Raising Poultry
at Laurel, Md.-Thought Loot She
Pawned Was Her Property.

Countess Brockenheinus Won Lowen-
helm, otherwise Annie Lowenhielm, alias
Mrs. a. l.. Rogers-wife of a Danish
noble. and a refugee from Russia for her
political activities there, she says herself
accused Of the heinous crime of stealing
six silver forks, was in the Police Court
this morning.
The court convicted her and sentenced
the gentlewoman to term of ninety days
in Jail in default of $50 fine imposed.
The peculation was committed by the
countess while serving in the humble ca
pac1ty of houSekeeper in the household OF
Ralph 1. Calf, near 18th and n streets
northwest. The former employer was her
accuser.
The countess is an American Because
OF political disturbances in the Land of her
husband. she recited to the police, she
was compelled TO flee for safety across
one of the European International bor-
ders several years ago. and sought safety
In the land of her birth.
She is a forlorn little woman about
thirty-four or thirty-five years of age
Her face indicated at least mental if not
physical suffering and is scanned with
lines. At times her eyes filled with tears
as she heard the charge read by the
clerk in court or listened to the evidence.
Housekeeper for Gait.
Mr.. Gait told the court the defendant
had been formerly employed by him as a
housekeeper, and that about Thanksgiv-
Ing time her connection with his house
hold was severed. Some days later, he
said, the forks were missed from his sill
Yer closet, and later traced to a local
pawn shop, where the countess had
pawned them for s..
Il don't know much about her. said
n ffnr hn I'll S.f
except that she came to my home
through the medium of an employment
agency. / understand and know, in fact
that the Danish minister knows her and
seems to be interested In her.
When all the damaging facts relative
to the theft of the forks had been In
troduced In evidence the defendant wa:
called to the stand to tell her story.
Thought Forks Her Own.
Il am innocent of this she said hesi
tatingly, with an effort to control hel
feelings. Il had little silver left-forks
much like these-and intended to sell then
because l needed money. The keys OF
my trunk disappeared for several days.
Il have no doubt some one took my
forks and substituted these i'm their places
When sod them / never looked closely
to see what they were, because l never
supposed for an instant they were any
thing else than my property.
No. she answered to additional ques-
tions, Il have not been in Washington
long. l came here from Laurel. wnere
kept chickens and made a living from
them. The venture didn't pay, SO / de-
cided to seek d position as housekeeper. u
The court inquired carefully into any
possible police record the defendant might
have. and finally imposed a sentence OF
ninety days in Jail in default of $50 fine
When the countess realized what was
before her she gasped and seemed as
though she We're about to swoon. Then
with a perceptible effort to again con.
troll herself she walked past the court
guards into the pen and back to the
prison cells.
Wife Of Danish Noble.
Yes. l am the vile of Count Won Low
enheilm,' she asserted, when seen in the
court cells later. He was Dane, not
a Russian. although we were intimate
with number of the Russian nobility.
My husband daboled, as you might
say. in Russian politics. He had some
narrow escapes.
THAT is All | care to say about the mat
ter, except that If you wish to know who
Count Won Lowenheilm is ask the Dan
Ish minister here
You have separated then, from your
husband:" she was asked.
For several years" was the answer.
She was compelled to leave Europe, she
says. because of poverty and sought her
native land in the hope Of ekeing out an
existence.
1t was another one of those disaS-
trouS international marriages. You know
what that means. My husband kissed me
one morning. walked out OF the door and
/ have never seen him since. There was
Il great deal OF money when L married
him, but not much now.
TOD ct. Ia
and deliberately. as though the defend
ants mind was far away.
Chicken Raising Improbable.
"You know, i finally went out to
Laurel. With the little money l had l
started to raise chickens. 1t didn't pay
well.''
"Of course, we had some exciting times
in Russia. Russia is the place for such
she answered to questions. But
please don't refer to my life in Europe.
It's all passed now.
My name before my marriage was
Anne l.. Rogers. l lived in Dallas. Tex,
where my father was successful busl-
ness man. 1t was there l met Count Won
and we were married in
1897
I'VE lived happily so long as my money
lasted. Then things began to become diff
ferent-oh, SO very different-until at
times life became perfectly unbearabe
then he lett me-
Did you make your escape over the
Russian border at one time for fear of
charges during a trip to that
with your husband? And was il
afterward that your husband deserted
you and you came to America?
NO, no. came a semi-hystercal an
swer. Il don't want to talk any more.
You have learned enough
Appeal to Danish Minister.
About noon the countess urged deputy
United States marshal to summon an at