Evening star., 1908-12-21
Fine Is Paid by Friends of Her
Youth in Texas.
DANES TRIED TO AID HER
Vice Consul at Baltimore Appeals to
District Prosecutor.
TOO LATE TO BE OF AVAIL
Assistant Attorney Given Had In
tended to Ask Court to Reduce
Penalty Imposed.

Friends of her youth and of her parents,
when she lived as a young girl at Dallas.
Tex. came to the rescue of Countess
Brockenhaus Won Lowenhjelm, American
wife of a Danish nobleman, who was
| committed to Jail in default Of fine in
the Police Court the latter part Of last
week Cor the larceny of a half dozen
forks.
The $50 fine required for her release by
the authorities was paid yesterday morn
ing Two men. who went to the home OF
Chief Clerk F. A. Sebring to pay the
fine, told him they had known the coun-
tess in her Texas home.
Clerk Sebring made out the necessary
release order upon Warden Mckee. The
men drove at once to the United States
Jail. The formalities Of liberating the
prisoner were simple.
AS the Countess Won LOwenhjelm walk
ed into the office. she was cordially greet
ed by her deliverers. Later she was
placed In carriage and taken to Laurei.
Md. where she dwelt before coming to
Washington, and where she has or did
have lease upon small piece of prop
erty on which she raised chickens.
Deliverers Friends Of Long Ago.
i Those who paid the fine refused to di-
vulge their identity. In paying over the
had known the prisoner as Miss Rodgers
when she was a mere girls and were also
at one time intimately acquainted with
her father.
I'VE never knew her as the Countess
Won Lowenhjelm.'' they said but as lit
tie Annie Rodgers. She was popular
| girl in Texas.
The countess will remain at Laurel
! among friends until she sufficiently re-
about by the charge against her and in
carceraton in jail What her future
plans are could not be ascertained. except
| that possibly she may be taken to her
| former home in Texas and cared for by
| friends.
| Danes in the United States have been
| interesting themselves in behalf Of the
countess. Appeals were made several
times to the Danish legation in this city.
! This was without result, because Of the
absence of the Danish minister Efforts
were then directed toward the Danish vice
consul at Baltimore.
The lawyer who responded TO the
countess request for legal aid in her OFF,
cial appeal to the Danish representatives
| was G. NJ. Mattingly, a young attorney
of Washington. who interested himself
in her case Immediately after her convic-
| tion.
Appeal From Vice Consul.
AS a result of Mr.. MattingIy's efforts
the following letter was forwarded to AS
sistant United States Attorney Ralph Civ
en- of the Police Court:
| Danish Vice Consulate,
| Baltimore, December 10. 1908.
Mr. Ralph Given. District Attorney,
| Washington. D. c.
| Dear Sir: In the absence OF the Dan.
| ish minister from Washington, my atten-
ton has been called to very distressing
| case. 1t is that of a woman. Mrs. Brock
| enhaus Won Lowenhjelm, said to be the
| wife or widow OF a Dane, who was arrest
| ed for the larceny OF some silverware,
which she claimed to be her own.
| "She apparently is alone in the world
and was tried without being represented
by an attorney Mr.. c. NJ. Mattingly of
your city has interested himself, however,
and is doing what he can to raise the $50
| fine.
II want to ask you if there is any way
| to reduce her fine. This would probably
| enable her friends to raise the money
necessary. / cannot say her friends,
| but people who have heard OF her un-
fortunate position and who are trying
| to help her, though hitherto unacquaint-
| ed with her.
Hoping you will be kind enough to
sgive this matter your serious attention,
and assuring you that whatever you can
do will be appreciated. I remain.
Yours very truly,
''HOLGER KAFFEL.
| 'Vfce Counsel