The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-12-25
LoDe Notes of Deutschla1ds Agent Put u S. On
His Trail TlDist Again Billings Family TanqLe

gu u AUGAtGt AEk&MGE BaLG&&NGSe AdNN
been trouble makers when too wide
" read. The love letters of Paul
Hi8ken, formerly agent in the Uni
ted States for the German submarine
merchantmen Deutschland" and
Bremen" have set secret service
operatives on HiIken's trail and have
supplied a stirring climax to the love
tangles in the family Of William p.
Billings, millionaire philanthropist
and banker who moved from here 70
New York city O. few years ago.
The recipient of the Hilken love
letters which were OF the impassion-
ed order, was Mrs. Francesca Bile
ings- Reynolds, daughter of William
p. Billings and heiress to his for
tune.
The governments interest in the
letters came about because Of this
passagesin one Of them:
The pity OF IL is that hts
president Wilson'sl action, and
inaction during the past two
years have brought the country
to the point where his present
eteps proved unavoidable I be-
lieve it means war. War with
Germany, and not only ], but
ten million or more citizens OF
the United States win be in the
position Of seeing the land Of
their birth at war with the land
Of their fathers. So often II
has been said, My country, right
or wrong I've tried to feel this
but honestly, ] cannot. I feel so
absolutely and completely that
the United States is so
entirely in the wrong that sim
ply. could not support a war
against Germany. I'm not afraid,
and am willing to take all the
consequences, just so you love
me, dearest"
Denies Or Apologies.
Hilken- was summoned In by secret
service operatives TO explain. He
had the choice OF admitting he meant
what he wrote and going into In
ternment or saying he lied to the
object ,pf his love darts. Evidently
he assured the government he didn't
mean 1t for he was not interned.
Another summons growing out Of
the discovery of the packet Of mis-
sives was one to so into court and
explain for the Satisfaction OF the
heiress' husband, Guy B. Reynolds,
what intimacy warranted the pen
ming Of such notes.
HiIken's father was American
agent for the North German Lloyd
Steamship company
The history of the Billings family
love tangles," is unique.
Just q few years ago William p.
Billings, millionaire, philanthropist
and broker, closed his family home
in Philadelphia and moved to lux
Irious apartment on Riverside drive,
In New York, that his daughter,
Francesca, might have all the ad-
vantages of musical education the
metropolis affords.
Mother Leaves Husband.
Not long after they settled in New
York the family life was disturbed.
Mrs. Billings, the wife and mother,
who once was a beautiful choir
singer in Wlikesbarre, Pa, disap-
peared. When Mrs. Billings later
asked forgiveness and q reconcilia
ts0H, he refused to allow her TO re-
turn unto their apartment. even for
q meeting.
The beautiful daughter, Francesca.
became enamored OF the stage. She
confided her hopes to Miss Adele
Blood, the lovely former star Of
''Everywoman." Miss Blood sympa-
thized with her, and consented to
talk the matter over with Mr. Bill
tngs, the father. The rich broker
Blood was to open a theater in Balti-
more, with Miss Billings as her Coz
star. Miss Francesca deserted the
company in q huff when all the Inxa
scenes were not allotted to her.
Gives Actress His Furnitur6.
Billings gave Miss Blood ell the
costly furniture in bis New York
home when he went to Baltifore.
Miss Blood later returned II to avoid
suit.
The next episode in the family af-
fairs was the romantic eiopment OF
Miss Francesca with Guy B. Rey-
nolds, q handsome young man, who
was her fathers chauffeur. Many
wealthy young men of both New
York and Baltimore had paid court
to her.
and gave his former chauffeur, now
his son-in-law, q business OF his
own.
Hardly a year went by when the
daughter returned to her fathers
without her husband.
Mrs. Mary Wood, whose husband,
Charles b. Wood, also a broker, had
known Miss francesca, filed a suit
against Mrs. Billings Reynolds, de-
claring that she had stolen Mr..
Woods affection.
Then Enter Mr.. Hilken.
Mr.. Wood was in favor at the Bill.
ings home until the kaiser sent the
to America and Hilken
was named by its owners to look
after the affairs OF the big subma-
rine. Among a party OF favored
friends invited to view the Deutsch-
land as she lay in the harbor after
its arrival in this country, was
Broker Billings, who took with him
his beautiful daughter. The friend
ship thus begun between Mrs Bill
lngs- Reynolds and the rich. Phiiadel-
phian ripened.
Upon the disappearance Of Wood,
the chauffeur husband OF Mrs. Fran
cesca asked her to return to him.
She went and the elder Billings was
left alone in the apartment. Mrs.
Billings, though, now living in her
former home in Philadelphia, led a
squad of private detectives into the
apartment house. The
raidinR party was met by Mr.. Bill
lngs, and also by q very pretty young
woman who safterward was, identified
rs Miss Marian Burnadette, a very
actress. The next day Mrs.
Billings filed q suit for divorce and
also N SUIT against the young act
ress, asking s60.o00 from her for
Mr.. Billings directions.
Mrs. francesca Billings reynolds
took the part of her mother. to
whom she had become reconciled.
She called upon her father and Inn
plored him to renouuce the guar
dianship Of Miss Burnadette. The
actress retatiated BY sending to Mr.
Reynoldss Francehca's husband, a
packet OF letters she had discovered
in the luggage Of Mrs. Billings Rey-
nplde. These were the now famous
',EIiIken love letters"
CTIITCIIAN nnIINTV AcENT