The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-03-06
HlSTORY'S
MYST ERlES


w the harem OF the sultan2 Was
her real name Despina Davidowitch
storch, or was her true identity hid
den behind the aliases of Madame
Nexie, the Baroness de Belleville,
Madame Hesketh or Madame Davido.
witch, all of which titles she used at
various parts of her brief but event
full career2 What was her mission in
the United States? Why did she fit
from capital to capital, picking up
bits OF gossip, when she had apparent
ly no way of communicating either
with Berlin of Constantinople2 Final
ly, what was the cause of her mystic
rious and sudden death just at the
moment when she seemed to be on
the point Of giving some Of her Sc
crets to the world?
These, and a number Of other Sc
: crets connected with the life Of the
woman known to the members Of the
United States secret service as the
Turkish Beauty" will probably re-
main unanswered, unless some one ia
miliar with the inner workings of the
German war Office during the World
public. Then, and then only, will the
real truth be known about Madame
StOrch-one of the most beautiful
spies who ever tried TO pry military
and diplomatic secrets from the ar
chives Of foreign powers.
Even before the outbreak of the
war, Madame Storch had been a fa-
miliar figure at European watering
places, In the cafes Of the capitals and
in other districts frequented by men
in uniform. Rumor credited her with
having been the heroine Of dozen
love affairs, the cause Of score Of
duels. But it was not until after the
invasion of Belgium that the Turkish
beauty was suspected of being impli-
Gated In diplomatic intrigues aimed
foreign powers. In September, 1914,
she was indiscreet enough to be seen
In the company Of German agents In
Madrid and, from that time on, she
was marked figure-thOugh her ap-
parently inexhaustible supply of money
and the radiant charm of her smile
saved her time and again from actual
arrest. Though she usually avoided
the countries actually at war, she was
seen on more than one occasion in
London and Rome, always slipping
through the fingers Of the authorities
just as they appeared to be closing
upon her. In Madrid and Lisbon, in
Geneva and Copenhagen, she main
tanned coteries of friends who kept
her supplied with information which
she considered valuable and finally,
when Europe became trihe too warm
for her, Madame Storch decided to try
her smile upon America, sailing for
New York by way of Havana. From
Cuba she attempted to go through the
Panama canal but, after her trunks
had been stored In the hold Of the
vessel she had selected, she was In
formed that her passage had been can
celled by order of the State depart
ment at Washington. Indignant, she
demanded to know the reason for the
order, only to be told that she was re-
garded with suspicion" by the Amer
lean government and, under the cir
cumstances, could not be allowed to
pass through the Canal Zone.
In spite of this rather direct hint on
the part of the State department,
Madame Storch metaphorically tossed
her shapely head, clenched her teeth,
and set sail for New York. There,
rather to her surprise, she was not
openly molested, but she was conscious
of the fact that her every movement
was watched by government agents
attached either to the secret service
or to the Department of Justice.
Even short stay in Washington
failed to produce any open interfer-
ence on the part of the government
operatives but, when the Turkish
rectly to Key West-with the evident
| intention of leaving the country and
probably taking some important se-
crets with her-she was taken into
custody and brought back to New
| York to await official action regard
ing her deportation.
Internment followed the disclosures
| Of another woman who had been seen
| In company with Madame Storch and
the Turkish spy was sent to Ellis is
| land, pending the formal order which
would send her to France, where she
was wanted In connection with num-
| Der of "leaks" in official circles. On
| the eve Of her departure and while 1t
was freely whispered in official circles
| that there would soon be "some big
| news about the German spy system in
the United States" Madame Storch
| succumbed to a brief illness.
Official statements issued at the time
| declared that there was not the least
| suspicion of suicide or foul play, but
| the coincidence of the death of the
| Turkish beauty only few hours be-
fore she was scheduled to have a per-
sonal and intimate talk with officials
| Of the State department and the De-
| partment Of Justice, added the final
touch Of mystery to the career of one
| Of the most remarkable figures of the
| war