judge in Sanz case visits Queen Mother

March 22, 1908

The judges in the Elena Sanz case will visit the palace in Madrid to take the testimony of Queen Maria Cristina, according to the AP dispatch.
Elena Sanz was a Spanish actress who had two sons by King Alfonso XII. Maria Cristina is Alfonso's widow. The two sons are suing Alfonso XII's heirs "for an annuity which they claim was left to their mother by the King and which was to revert after to death to them."
Several days ago, Queen Maria Cristina desposed that after the death of her husband, Senor Salmeron came to see Senor Abella, then master of the household to tell him that Elena Sana "had in her possession certain letters from the late King, the publication of which would cause a scandal." Elena made it clear that she would give up the letters in exchange for $15,000, and Salmeron wanted a further $1000 "for his services in the matter."
Queen Maria Cristina trusted Salmeron, and paid the money, and "was assured by him that all the letters in question had been destroyed."
The present suit "is based on entirely upon letters identical with those which the Queen paid to have burned."