The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-01-02
A Woman's War.

+ "A VOlNdA . wal. +
/
copyright. 1907, by NJ NJ. Cunningham
Fifteen years ago there appeared in
New York woman about thirty years
old who gave the name Of the Baroness
; Stein and who claimed to be the wild
ow of German baron who had been
deceased couple of years. She spoke
German, English, French and Spanish.
| She had three or four 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
She had even been the consort Of
heads of South American states. While
in this position she had learned Of q
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 quarrel and a separation, and
the president was probably rejoiced
when she pocketed a certain sum of
nd oil hn
States, leaving him to work his own
private schemes to enrich himself. He
thought he knew the baroness pretty
well, but the results astonished him.
TO capitalists, senators and others she
proposed a combine or trust to get
possession Of those mines. 1t could
not be done without a revolution, and
she proposed one She might have at
tempted one alone had she had sufti-
Gent 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:
eff you want to come in with us all
right; if you don't 1 will sweep you
out of power within three months"
: The president laughed grimly He
> was solidly seated and had been for
q eight years. He was at peace with the
!. neighboring states. His people were
/ never so contented. The idea that he
: could be bounced out and that by a
7 woman, was SO absurd that he laughed
e in her face. She reiterated, and he
u sent her to prison to teach her his
s power and dignity. In three days she
e won over her jailers and disappeared
!. Two weeks later the president made
$ his move against the owners Of the
e mines. They were not residents Of his
= state, and his plea was that they were
n seditionists who were fomenting rebel
/ lion. They were summarily arrested
{, and thrown into prison, and In due
a time, had things gone the even tenor OF
II their way, evidence would have beef
It manufactured to hang or outlaw them
IS But something happened. At sunrise
e one morning a revolution broke out il
!. town distant from the capital. Thu
]. president spoke of it sarcastically. An
/ other and another town followed, ant
l. he finally gave the order for troops tt
e, march against the rebels. The troops
a refused to stir a foot On the con
trary, the general in command inform
l. ed the president that he was under ar
rest and marched him away to prison
le A new dictator appeared. He was {
"a man chosen by the baroness. He hat
1t aims and ambitions, and he had agreed
Il to become her tool. The revolutionist
e. were armed and equipped from tn
lie United States, and inside Of ten day
It the baroness was the power behind tn
in throne that was directing everything
IS 1t was an almost bloodless revolution
lie A woman had guided and effected II
t. She had even marched at the head 0
Id the troops. The old president wa
lie glad enough to be shipped out of tn
81 country, and the new one, formal.
ut elected by the people after being place.
IN at the head Of affairs, set out to ODE.
r the mandates of the woman who ha'
I'd put him there.
le Then followed the greed Of capita
u lists, the lack of honesty Of the pol
III ticians and the ingratitude of mar
10 The conspirators had the damon
~ mines and good thing all around, bu
IN they were not satisfied with thai
y They demanded concession after cor
u cession until the people Of the stat
i began to wonder what would be left t
y them. Their investments profted Their
i thousand per cent, but still the