The Washington times., 1917-12-25
BARONESSzO[LNER
ARRESTED AS spy
WITH u. S. OFFICER

CHATTANOOGA. Tenn. Dec. 25.-i
Baroness Iona Zollner, who formerly
lived in Washington and who Is held
here without bail on the charge OF
violating the espionage act, declared
today she was Investigated while In
the Capital and was permitted to!
move about under the known status
Of an enemy alien.
The baroness was arrested at To-
cal hotel last week in company with
Lieutenant J. NJ Spalding. OF the
Sixth Infanty. stationed at Fort Ogle-
thorpe. on the technical charge OF
vagrancy.
Bedford Shope. Is years old, son of
Baroness zollner and Lieutenant
Spalding were witnesses az the re-
sumption Of the hearing this morning.
Lieutenant Spalding admitted JhaS he
was in love with the baroness aud de-
sired to marry her: I'so that he fur
nished her a code with which to keep
her informed of his movements up %
the time he may be called to sail for
France.
She Assisted Him.
Lieutenant Spalding also testified
that he had been assisted in many
ways by the baroness. she having paid
his hotel bills and other expenses Mt
various times. He said he had been
expelled from the Naval Academy at
Annapolis on bills" and had to re-
sign, and that Baroness Zollner aid
ed him in getting his commission III
the army.
At the conclusion of the hearing
Attorney Carl Abernathy. for the de-
fense, asked that the prisoner be al
lowed bail. which was denied, al
though Commissioner McAlester ad-
vised the attorney to apply TO Fed
eral Judge Sanford, at Knoxville. for
a writ of habeas corpus in order to
get his client out OF prison.
Commissioner McAIester declared
that Baroness Zollner had explained
everything satisfactorily to him. ex-
cept the code found in her possession
and a letter written by Lieutenant
Spalding to her, which was possible
of Interpretation and referred to an
Annapolis hotel.
Husband In German Army.
Baroness Zollner is held under the
second section OF the espionage act,
which makes it necessary to show
only probable cause in order to hold
a suspect.
Baroness ZoIIner will be confined in
cell furnished by the Federal au-
thorities and will be allowed a train
ed nurse IL her health. as claimed by
the defense. requires the services OF
a nurse. She Is the wife Of Ger
man army officer now on the British
front in Flanders, from whom she is
seeking a divorce, and admits that
she had communicated with him fire.
quently since the declaration OF war
through the medium of Mrs. Rosa
Taustig. OF Arnheim. Holland.
Lieutenant Spalding, who Is twenty
two years old. and has figured In the
career of the baroness. here and else
where, is a native of CoIImore, ". NJ,
and was commissioned in the army q
year ago at Annapolis. He was re-
turning to Fort Oglethorpe under ar
rest, following the completion OF the
hearing.
Tells Camp Details.
A letter from the baroness to her
son describes a trip to Fort ogle-
/ thorpe, the condition of the roads.
the Topography OF the surrounding
territory, the buildings erected with
their small iron bed furnishings. This
Is regarded as tangible evidence of
the woman's violation OF Section .
OF the espionage act.
NEW YORK, Dec. 25.-Baroness
Iona Loeffenhoiz Won ColburE and
Lieut.. william n. Zollner. Of the Ger
man army. were married in this city
on April Q, 1910. She was thirty years
old at that time. and told the city
clerk in obtaining the marriage u
cense that she had already been mar
ried twice. zOllner, who Is now
thirty-eiEht years old. was born. in
Munich. They came To this country
together from abroad. -.--
The baroness father was William
PielShardt, OF this city. Her frst hus-
band was named Shope. After his
death she married Baron Curt Loeftel-
holz Won Colburg in 1904, and di.
vorced him five years later. In OBJ
tanning the license to marry Zollner
she explained that she had not
| brought her divorce decree with her