New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-06
BARONESS ENDS
BIG BUILDING
DREAM IN CELL
She Had Intended Erecting
22-Story Hotels, Thea
aires and Studios.
$4,000 LEASES
AND PLANS MADE
Mrs. Elsie French Vanderbilt and
S6S Check Finally Shatter
Won Hatfield Romance.

II would be . shame TO hide under q
bushel tho ligh. Of the nebulous Baron
ess Won Hatfield. So here she is, the
builder of twenty-five story hotels, the
destroyer of Engels chophouse, the
erector of theatres with studios on the
roof. the dispossessor of peaceful ten
ants and the seeker Of interior sunlight
effects.
IL may be days before the baroness
will see any sunlight effects. Of which
she Is so fond. for she is In a cell on
lower tier Of the Yorkville court pris-
on. where sunlight never enters.
When the baroness arose yesterday
morning and had light breakfast of
toast and eggs and coffee, the hsllboy
in the Raleigh, at West Ninety second
Street, where she lives with her son,
Hans, informed her that Herr Bauer
schmidt was downstairs and desired to
converse with her.
Detective Introduces Himself.
"Show Herr Bauerschmidt up" said
the baroness.
Herr Bauerschmidt entered. The
baroness nodded 70 him as she slipped
a sip Of coffee, which. swallowed, she
invited him to be seated.
81 do not remember having been In
troduced TO YOU" said the baroness,
looking the Herr over. who are you?
II am Detective Bauerschmidt, OF the
I'd Branch Detective Bureau, and have
come 10 Arrest you"
"Achl Look, do look! Look on the
wallis Don't you see the Kaiser look
ing upon you? Don't you feel ashamed ?
See all those noble men Of Germany
looking down on you. They are all my
friends. Some Of them are now dead
dead on the field of battle. They have
shed their blood for their fatherland
And there is my husband-my first
husband Baron Won Hatfield. Ach!
This is terrible. Why must you arrest
met"
For obtaining from Benjamin W
Levitan the sum of s68 on a worthless
check, of which you are the maker, with
Intent to cheat and fraud" said the de-
tective.
"Oh. this Is worse and worse yet!
But suppose II must be borne"
Wanted TO Lease Theatre.
Now, let US go back TO July 6. OF this
wear. when the baroness closed her &C
count at the Sherman National Bank.
On that date, it is alleged, she was
without a pfennig. But on that date,
or a day or so later, she went to the
Offices Of the Shuberts, in West Forty
fourth Street, and told Edward Margo-
lies, representative of the Shuberts,
that she would like to lease the Com
edy Theatre for a number of years.
81 am the representative of Mrs. FL
sic French Vanderbilt" said Baroness
Won Hatfield. "She wants TO build u
theatre for her sister. Sara French,
who is g playwright and who is writ
ing something something that
has never been written before. Money
is no object" >,
Mr.. Margoies said that would be all
RIGHT. and that she could lease the Com
edy. cash in advance. The baroness
said that suited her, and she would en-
gage an architect at once. She re-
turned with Julian Benedict. an archl-
tect in the MarbI idge Building. This
time she said Mrs. Vanderbilt, had
changed her mind and wanted the five
brownstone houses IN West Forty
fourth Street, opposite the Hotel Astor,
that the Shuberts held lease on.
Theatre To Be a Symphony.
"'Tis there we will build the theatre,
which will be a glorious symphony IN
gray and silver without, and purple and
Silver within" said the baroness, clasp
Ing her hands together and staring cell
ingward.
$40 600 a wear" said Mr.. Margolies.
"Oh. that's Just splendid" said the
"And now we will build a beautiful
theatre there. and next we will build a
TWENTY-FIVE story hotel on the site OF
the old New York Athletic Club, and at
the same time we will remodel Engel 8
Chop House. You know, never liked
the appearance of Engel's Chop House.
II should have a facade of something
savoring of old Nurnberg.
By this time Mr.. Benedict began TO
think he had too much Of Job on his
hands-,he building Of theatre and
hotel and the remodelling OF a chop
house. So he called in Mr.. Levitan, who
has a studio at 20 West Thirty-hrst
Street.
After meeting Mr.. Levitsn the baron
ess called on him with Miss Sara
French. a playwright, who, so far as
could be discovered, has never written
anything that has been produced.
"She Is Mrs. Elsie French Wander
bilt'. sister" the baroness is ALLEGED TO
have said. "On the top Of the theatre
want 20 build a studio for her. She Is
needful of something out OF the ordi-
nary. for she is writing something bet
ter than anything ever written before.
So I want this studio near the heavens
for her"
Mr.. Levitan had his draughtsmen
-. =. - .oI,rrn