The morning call., 1893-08-24
TONGUES WAGGED
The Oakland Romance
Collapses.
INDIGNATION AND DENIALS
Young Monteverde and Miss Lehnig
Are Not Married and She Did
Not Disappear.

IL am the young lady referred to in the
recent sensational publication concerning
young Mr.. MOnteverde and mis- search for
missing wife," said Miss Sophie Lehng
last night to CALL reporter. Il am not
married to him by contract or otherwise,
and the articles concerning me have been
cruel. baseless and wholly uncalied for"
Miss Lehnig was indignant as she pro-
nounced the preceding words, and her tone
indicated that she had recently undergone
a considerable annoyance.
FloEencIo Mon teYerde Jr.. the hero Of
the search for an alleged bride. was at tho
Changers Bank as usual yesterday. but he
was not "at home" to reporters and took
no pains to contradict the impressions
given the public by his recent demsanor.
On Wednesday afternoon be called at an
Oakland newspaper office with Miss Lehnig
aud entered a general denial of the pub
| lished statements. though he declined to
respond to the categorical answers.
1t had been generally believed that the
couple were married by contract, and
some of the officers of the Changers Bank
lent their approval to the impression, say
ing that young MOnteverde had indirectly
Informed them of the matter. The posi-
tive denial of the matter bv the principals,
however, sets aside all previous opinions.
Mr.. Monteverde also denies that he en-
listed the services of the police force of
Oakland to assist in the search when he
went to the young lady's residence on
Saturday evening and found her missing.
Likewise he spurns the story that he'aTmed
himself and went on still hunt for young
Bob Morrow, and in the entirety of his
statement he specifically refutes each of
the charges contained in the story of the
contract marriage and the disappearance of
tie lady.
Morrow saws that until last night he had
not seen the young lady for over month.
and that the story of the buggy ride and
elOpement emanated from the feverish
brain of an Oakland reporter. He de-
nounces the one who gave publicity to the
compromising statement, and says that it
Is wholly without foundation.
Miss Lehnig has not been absent from
her Oakland home for several weeks. and
she reiierates that she Is not married to
young Monteverde. There seems no rea-
son TO doubt the belief that young Monte
verde acted indiscreetly in mention of the
relation he bore to the young lady, and 1t
was probably in this way that the impress
sion gained credence that they had entered
into marriage contract.
His perturbation over her temporary
absence from her sisters home induced
him TO make some unqualified remark,
and then the gosslps OF Oakland wOve the
incidents into a promising scandal in
high life" His refusal to make cate
gorical answers strengthens the belief that
he un Willingly caused the whole sensa-
lion, ana his denial of the contract mar
riage is at variance with The impression
he has given many acQualntaDces. lie
was at his home on Sutter street for few
minutes last evening and, later on, at
tended the theater. leaving the public TO
untangle the knotted web of unpleasant
incidents which he has spun about an
estimable Young lady's name.