New-York tribune., 1918-03-19
Turkish Woman Be-
lieved to Have Di-
rected Spy Work
Here
Mass Of Papers
And Codes Taken
Second Group Was
Active i'm Planning
an Uprising
in India

In two raids yesterday men of the
Secret Service swept into custody six
persons believed to be the principal
actors III two gigantic plots that Ger
man intrigue has been engineering in
this country. By their action the Fed
eral officials have uncovered a chain Of
espionage reaching back to the former
German Ambas sador, Johann Won Bern
storff.
They also have disclosed what is be-
lieved to have been an attempt to
allenate Japan and the United States,
and at the same time bring about an
uprising among the inhabitants of Brit
lsh India, in which the Bolshcviki were
to have co0perated.
SO far as is known the alleged spies
arrested yesterday worked in two more
or less distinct groups. The leader of
one group, whose duty apparently has
been to obtain information concerning
Americas military preparations is a
Turkish woman, Nine. Despin Davido-
Witch Storch, divorced wife of a French
army officer and known in the capitals
OF Europe under any one of half
oozen names. Since the outbreak of the
war. it is said, she has been active in
Paris, London, Madrid, Lisbon and New
York.
"lth her were arrested young Baron
de Beville, son of loyal Frcnchman
now resident here; Nine. Charlotte
Nix, who has acknowledged that she
has been in the pay of Bernstorff, and
man who says he is Count Robert de
ulairemont. All will be deported to
France with the exception If Nine.
Nix, who will be sent back 20 Italv.
whence she came to this country. A
mass of code material and other valu-
able papers have also been confscated.
Two Arrests in Second Group
The other group arrested yesterday
consisted of Sailendra Nath Chose, a
Hindu, who already has been indicted
IN San Francisco for conspiracy, and
Miss Agnes Smedley, an American. who
has been lecturing on radical subjects.
1t is said that for some time this cou-
pie, with the assistance Of others still
at large, have been doing everything in
their power to stir up trouble in Asia.
They have been corresponding with the
Bolsheviki authorities in Russia and
have been in conference with officials
of South American republics in nope
of gaining aid for their plans there.
Federal agents who have been work
ing on the case Of Nine. Storch and her
associates believe that she has directed
the activities of many of the Kaiser,s
agents in all parts of the world since
the outbreak Of the war in 1914
The other prisoners are the young
Baron Henri dc Bevi..c, scion of a
French family who was dupcd
BY Nine. Storch, according to govern
ment agents. He has been living at the
Hotel Woodward for some time with
his father, the Baron de Beville, loyal
Frenchman, who is shocked by the ar
rest OF his son for crime against
France; Nine. Charlotte Nix, woman
born in Berlin. and man describing
himself as the Count Robert de Clair
mont. who lives at Al West Fifty
eighth Street. Nine. Nix has made her
headquarters at the Hotel Netherland.
All will be depocted to France for
trial, with the exception of Nine. Nix.
who came TO this country from italy.
She will be turned over to the Italian
Work on Case Three Weeks
The four arrests were the result of
the ,untiring efforts of Charles De
Woody, head OF the local bureau of
investigation of the Department of
Justice, who with his assistants have
been working on the case for the last
three weeks. The activities of Nine.
Storch and the Baron have been a sub
ject Of investigation by the secret SER
vice operatives Of Allied countries for
more than two years. They were ar
rested by Spanish officials for espion-
age IN Madrid year ago, but later
we're released because of lack of evil
dence.
The arrest of these two was delayed
for some time because the Department
Of Justice sought enough information
TO take the others into custody.
Although Nine. Storch says she is
only twenty-three years old, she he's
been identified with intrigue in Europe
.or about six years. She was born in
various parts of the world under num-
ber of aliases, including "Mme Negia,"
Nine. Dcspina," Nine. Hesketh,"
Mime. Davidovitch" and the baroness
lie Beville." This later alias was her
favorte while in this country, and she
has used it on many trips while travel
ing with and without the baron
Since early in 1912 she has been liv-
ing in the most fashionable hotels of
Paris. London, Madrid. Lisbon and New
! york. spending large sums of money.
Her show of wealth and her marked
good looks allowed her to cultivate the
acquaintance OF many men of promi-
lence in diplomatic and military circles.
IN London, using the alias of Nine.
Hesketh,. she lived at the Savoy in
style and entertained in her expensive