Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-03-19
Two Women With Large and
Mysterious Incomes and
Two Men Posing as Noble
men Are Caught.
ALL CLAIM TO BE
CITIZENS OF FRANCE
Money Secured From Bern
Storff Merely Personal Loan;
Many Papers Taken From
Safety Deposit Box,

tnr MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED w,sul
New York, March 1S.-Four per-
sons claiming French citizenship, but
whom both American and French au-
thorities say have been intimately
connected with German espionage
activities in the United States, We're
formally arrested today by agents of
the department of justice They will
be turned over to immigration author
ities for deportation to France.
In making known the arrest of the
duartette, Charles f. DeWoody. di-
vision superintendent of the depart
ment of Justice. intimated the deport-
alton of the two men and two women
was desired in order to place them
under the jurisdiction of French au-
thorities who may further their pros
ecution.
Watched for Weeks.
Tho four spy suspects have bee
under surveillance for several weeks
but not until two of them, a woman
styling herself Madame Despina Da-
vidovltch Storch, and an associate.
designated as Baron Henri de Beville
departed for Cuba one week ago after
a mysterious two day iunket to Wash
ington, did the authorities consider
their apprehension advisable. They
were halted at Key West and returned
here where they continue under sur
vellance.
Tho other two SUSPECTS are known
as Madame Eliza abeth Charlotte Nix
and Count Robert de Clairmont. Count
de Clairmont, the authorities said
was frequently seen in the company
Of E6ssettrid Rotsseiiot CdsCefi0 erst-
while S15 a week telephone clerk who
posing as the Marquis dc Castillot
opened negotiations with j. p. Nor
gan g. Co, several weeks ago for
loan of s50,000, 900 for King Alfonso
of Spain, of whom he claimed to be
a personal representative.
Lot of Papers Seized.
When Madame Storch and Baron
de Beville were taken into custody at
Key West while en- route to Cuba, a
half buShel basket of papers was
seized from a safe deposit box in this
city which one of them had rented
A number of cable messages in code
were among these papers.
Because of embarrassment which
they said might result between the
American state department and a neu-
trail government which was not speci-
fled, authorities withheld comment on
certain features of the investigation,
particularly in connection with one of
the women under detention. Superin-
tendent DeWoody gave the following
detailed history of the four suspects:
Woman Of Many Names.
Madame Storch, also known as
Madam Nezie. Madame Hesketh, and
Baroness de BevIlle, claims to have
been born in Constantinople twenty
three years ago. She married Paul
Storch, a F'renchman, from whom
she was divorced in 1912. She was 4
familiar figure in fashionable hotels
of London, Madrid, Lisbon and at the
Waldorf and Biltmore in New York
city.
"She claimed intimate association
with very prominent officials of for.
eign governments. At the Savoy hotel,
in London, she is known to have been
in the company of a prominent Brit
ish official on numerous occasions.
There she was known as Madame Hes
keith. 1t was during this time that
authorities first became interested in
her activities.
"A short time later Madame Storch
was reported to be en- route to this
country, but was next located IN
association with officials of the Ger
man secret service.
Living Expenses Unexplained.
Though Madame Storch's living
expenses were approximately $1,000
monthly since coming here in April,
1915, her explanations of the sources
of her income have been unsatsfac-
tory. She admits having received
$4,000 from an official of a foreign
government just prior to coming here
and subsequently received three re-
mittances of 1000 each which she
ri xyar ri lie
while living in Madrid with Ba-
J ron de Beville in 1915, they were ac-
cused and apprehended as being Ger
man spies but secured their release
and went to Cuba and later continued
to this country.
Last February Madam Storch OBJ
tanned a French passport, under the
name OF Storch to return to Cuba.
She had been living at the Biltmore
up to this time as Madame Nezie.
Then it was noted that the Baron de
Beville, under that name, also had
obtained q French passport for Cuba.
Quite Unexpectedly they went to
Washington for two days, staying at
the Shoreham hotel and then re-
turned to New York. They were here
a week, then, one week ago, departed
for Cuba, but were taken off the
beat at Key West and brought back.
Guests of Uncle Sam.
Since then they have been guests
of the government at an uptown ho-
tel, where they occupied apartments
continually under guard.
"Among their associates were
Madame nix and Count de Clairmont.
Madame Nix is n German alien Al
years of age, and was born in Ber-
lin. Her maiden name was Herr
MANN
"Count de Clairmont claims to
have been born in Sumatra, Danish
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