The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1920-09-22
WOMEN SPIES
ARE SELFISH
Betray Their Friends for Money
Rather Than for Patriotic
Motives.
WAS DISTANT KIN OF KAISER
Nine. Victoria In German Secret Po-
ice Empioy-Turkish Spy Kills
Self at Ellis island to Avoid
Deportation.

New fork.-That little romance sur
rounded the women spies in the world
! war Is shown by Intimate bits of his
tory of the more prominent women
who risked. and lost. their lives to
gain Information. Money alone seems
to have been the impelling power in
the lives of these women. rather than
any heroic motive or patriotic desires
Nine. Marie K. de Victoria, who died
OF pneumonia in New York city re-
Gently in private sanitarium, was
one OF the most mysterious figures
who arose out of the maze of intrigue
unearthed by American secret service
agents in their delvings into the plots
of Count Won Bernstorff. She was ar
rested in 1918 and in May, 1919, told
United States Judge and jury what
she asserted was the true story of her
life.
Life Filled With Adventure.
1t had lasted only 40 years, but in 1t
were crowded thrills, intrigues and
hairbreadth escapes almost number
less. The indictments against her
were never pressed to trial, due to her
III health. distant relative of the
former German kaiser, she drew sal
airy Of $1,000 month as spy and
lived in luxury
Mournful was the funeral of the
Turkish spy" Mme. Despina Davido-
witch StOrch, famous for her beauty
and for the diplomatic intrignes Of her
life, which lasted only 90 years. She
died in prison on Ellis island, the Of
fcials believing that she took poison
rather than be returned to France.
Only three mourners accompanied
They were the young Baron de Beville
and his aged father and mother. The
Young Frenchman. whose iDfatuation
for the beautiful Turk entangIed him |
IN the web Of her intrigues, made all |
the arrangements for her costly fu-
neral. Despina was married to an |
James Hasketh In 1915, |
but she left him to take up her life of I
adventure, and soon was numbered on
he German pay ROLL
Her beauty and wit enabled her TO
.nsnare many officers. from whom she
earned military plans which were of
-alue to the German war ministry. The
department. of justice has many of her
owe letters. but the real secrets of her
ffe were buried with her.
Mata Harris Dramatic End.
In the season Of 1900 an exotic dan
er, Malta Har, made spectacular
ebut in Partisan circles. The little
japanese dancer entranced all by her
raceful dancing and hes. charming
On October Is, 1917, Malta
Iari faced a firing squad at dawn in
French prison yard. They fired and
ne fell face forward, dead.
The real name of the woman was
Iarguerite Gertrude Zelle, who had
zen convicted of treason. She was
rested in Paris. February 10. 1917,
I'd It was proved beyond doubt that
he was a trusted agent of the Ger
an special police and had acted for
lem for decade before the war. She
as known in Berlin by number and
r years had furnished them with
lluabe information Of French mil
Try plans and equipment.
In 1914, shortly after Germany had
vaded Belgium. Marguerite ZelIe left
iris for Switzerland, which she said
rs her native country. She returned
ter mysterious visit which aroused
G suspicious of the French secret
lice and thereafter her activities
ire directly for officers in the Ger
IN army, with whom she cOmmuni-
red and from whom she received
.ge sums of money. To them she
ut information on the construction
the British tanks and the informa-
N was intercepted and traced to
r.
Malta, on being arrested and con
ed in fortress In Paris. made no
NAL but stated that her father had
en- German officer and that what
? had done had been for the father
3D. This was false for II WAS proved
II she was not of German origin
had played the role of spy simply
the money she had received.