Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-19
LEADER OF FOUR
TAKEN AS SPIES IS
CLEVER ACTRESS
Alleged Bernstorff Agents Are
TO Be Deported to
France

New York., March IA beautiful
young woman, styI1snIy gowned in
the latest mode, is one of four al
legged spies arrested yesterday by De-
partment of Justice agents. She is
Nine. Despina Davidovitch Storch.
who was, born in Turkey and says
she is the divorced wife of Paul
Storch, n French officer. She was
represented as leader of a band of
spies who were declared to have been
in the pay OF Count Won Bernstorff,
former German Ambassador to Amer
| lea.
The others arrested are Nine.
Charlotte Nix. a native of Germany.
so years old; the young Baron de
Beville. a Frenchman. who resided
with his father, the aged Baron de
Beville, at the Hotel Woodward, and
the Count Robert de Clermont, who
says he is a Frenchman, but about
whom little is known.
Late yesterday all four. who all
claimed French citizenship. were
turned over to the Immigration au-
! thorities for deportation to France.
The elder Baron de Beville sus-
tanned a severe shock when apprised
that his son. whose relations with the
beautiful Nine. Storch were revealed
Q =
in the work of paid German agents
No doubt whatever exists, it was de-
clared, regarding the loyalty of the
young mans father. and the elder
baron protested he believed absolute
ly in the loyalty of his son. main
| tanning that he had been led by
Nine. Storch.
The arrests made yesterday formed
the elimination of an investigation
extending over several weeks.
Nine. Storch was described as the
leader of the band by the Department
of Justice agents. She lived in lux
ury under various aliases. including
Nine. Davidovitch. Nine. Hasketh.
Nine. Nezie, Nine. Despine and the
Baroness de Beville.
The sources of her income. always
ample for all her needs. We're at first
shrouded In some mystery, but
Charles f. de Woody, head of the
local bureau of investigation, learned
through close questioning of Nine.
Nix that Won Bernstorff had made
regular payments. At times the
women were given as much as $1,000
a month. it was stated.
Nine. Nix did not divulge the source
of their income easily. She main
tanned for some time that she earned
800 a week as a dressmaker. 1t
was only when confronted with proof
o! the falsity of that statement that
she broke down and confessed the
real paymaster OF the alleged spies,
( it was said.
Baron de Beville was infatuated
with beautiful Nine. Storch, whose al
legged love for intrigues appealed to
the adventurous in his nature. Fed
eral agents were inclined to believe
he had been the young woman's
dupe.
Started Her Intrigue at IL
Nine. Storch, the American agents
stated, had probably started her Sc
cret intrigues in 1912. when she was
only II years old, for at that time
she acquired a sudden access of
wealth, the the expenditure which
appeared to be limited only by her
whims From one European capital
to another she went, always asso-
ciating with officers, from whom
carelessly spoken word might prove
of value to Germany. She passed
from Paris to Madrid. to Lisbon,
where. in the Hotel Palace, she was
declared to have been involved ac-
lively in intrigue for Germany.
While living in Madrid with Baron
de Beville. in 1915, they We're accused
and apprehended as being German
spies, but procured their release and
went to Cuba.
She appeared. in London in 1915,
registering at the Savoy Hotel as
Nine. Hesqueth. Her fascinating per-
sonality readily brought her into
friendly relations with many British
officers, and her work is believed to
have we'll pleased the German Off
| cials, for she was reported to-day to
have been sent to America in April,
1916, at the age of but 81, and given
charge of important spy work here.
Nine. Storch lived lavishly at the
Waldorf Astoria, the Biltmore and
other of the best appointed and most
expensive hotels. 'Her expenditures,
according to estimates made by fed
eral operatives, have probably exceed
ed $4,000 during the two years she
has been in America.
The young woman's activities and
those of her alleged accomplices were
brought to the attention of federal
authorities a month ago. They
sought her at the Hotel Biltmore,
but were informed she had gone to
Cuba. She had been registered at
the hotel as Nine. Mozie. She was
found at Key West in company with
Baron de Beville. 1t was learned
that they had spent a few days in
Washington en- route, posing as Bar
on and Baroness de Beville. They
were broupht back