New York Times
TWO SPY SUSPECTS NOW
IN HOSPITALS
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Mme. Nix Faces Operation at Ellis Island — “Baron” de Clairmont at Bellevue.
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UNLISTED MAY BE INTERNED
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Federal Officials Check Up Police Records Preparatory to Roundup. — Nearing
Files Demurrer.
Surgeons in the Ellis Island hospital who attended Despina Davidovitch Storch, also known as the Countess de Beville, during her fatal illness after her arrest on the suspicion that she had co-operated with German agents, said last night that Elizabeth Charlotte Nix, who was arrested with Mme. Storch on the same suspicion by agents of the Department of Justice, was also seriously ill in the Ellis Island hospital, and that an operation would be necessary to save her life.
A few hours before Mme. Nix was taken to the hospital on Ellis Island, where her illness was diagnosed as appendicitis, “Baron” Robert de Clairmont, who was also arrested by the Secret Service Bureau on the day the tow women were taken to Ellis Island, was taken to Bellevue Hospital suffering from gastric trouble.
Officials at Ellis Island who had attend Mme. Storch when she was ill with pneumonia, before her death on Saturday, repeated yesterday that there was nothing suspicious in the illness of either woman. It was said that, although a definite diagnosis of the case of Mme. Nix as appendicitis would be made today surgeons were sure of their first diagnosis. It was said that an operation would be necessary at once, and that Mme. Nix had consented to the operation.
Assistant Attorney General William Wallace, Jr., in charge of the Federal Alien Enemy Bureau for the New York District, is now checking up the police lists of registered enemy aliens, to ascertain the probable number of unregistered subjects of the Kaiser now living or doing business in the district. As soon as Mr. Wallace completes this work the round-up of those Germans who have defied the order of the Government to register will begin, and those who are found to have willfully refused to register will be interned for the period of the war.
Morris Hillquit, attorney for Scott Nearing, the peace agitator, now under indictment for violating the Espionage Act, filed a demurrer to the indictment in the United States District Court yesterday. Argument on the demurrer will be heard some time next week. Mr. Hillquit alleges that the court failed to designate the person or persons in the army or navy among whom the defendant is alleged to have sought to cause insubordination or mutiny. Another defect alleged by the attorney is that the specific charges in the pamphlet which are made the basis of the charge are not cited. Nearing’s counsel further contends that the Government must show in what manner the alleged crime was committed. A fourth objection is that in the conspiracy section of the indictment, the American Socialist Society and Nearing are improperly joined, and a final objection is that no overt act upon the part of either is specified.
