The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-13
CRISPPS EVIL GENIUS.
ITALY's BRILLIANT STATESMAN
RUINED By THE EVIL-DOINGS
OF HIS WIFE.

der of Observation-Disclosures Relations
with the Queen.
Ex-Attache in the New York Tribune.
Although as a general rule there is no
greater help to a public man in his career
than his wife, who bound to him not only
by ties of affection and habit, but also by
a community of interests, constitutes in
every sense of the word his most sympa-
thetic partner; yet there are cases, fortu-
nately rare, where the wife is the evil gen.
Jus of her husband, the cause of his down.
fall and the origin of his ruin. One of the
most pitiful examples of this kind is that
of Francesca Crispi, far and away the most
brilliant statesman of Italy since the days
of Cavour, the man who may be said to
have elevated the kingdom of Italy to the
rang of great power. Bismarck, in all
the plentitude of his arrogance and grand
eur, considered it necessary to treat him
on a footing of perfect equality, and yet
now, in the SOth year of his age, he stands
accused, not of political crimes, but of or
binary felonies, and is subjected to the
ignominy of magisterial examination in
connection with charges of completely in
the colossal frauds that have brought
about the shipwreck of the Bank of Ma
pies, the Bank of Sicily, the Bank of Rome,
and other kindred institutions.
In each case the insolvency of the bank
seems to have been brought about through
the matchmaking extortions to which it
was subjected by the leading politicians
and government officials of the day
anIr oafI hi oh
ing the directors of the institution to do
some plundering on their own account,
since they had to all intents and purposes
purchased acquiescence thereto on the
part of the authorities by submitting and
yielding to the shameful demands made
by the latter upon the exchequer of the
bank It was during the administration
of Crispi that most if not all of this
wholesale dishonesty took place, a dis
honesty which has tended thoroughly to
warp the moral sense of a nation that
from time immemorial has been renown-
ed for its financial integrity and thrift
and to which the civilized world is indebt-
ed for the origin of its credit system and
banking institutions. No one, not even
the most bitter enemies of Sgnor Crispi,
dreams of accusing him of having plum
dered the banks in order to add to his
UWu private resources, ana MS assertions
that the money eXtorted from these in
situations was used by him for the secret
service fund of the government and for
the electoral expenditure and newspaper
propaganda of the political party to which
he owed his parliamentary majority finds
universal credence on the part of his
countrymen. Indeed, were there nothing
else than this, he would probably never
have been molested, even by those of his
political adversaries who are now in pow
er.
But, unfortunately, the investga tons to
which the affairs of the shipwrecked
banks have been subjected by parliament
tary commissions and by the ordinary jul
dicial and magisterial authorities have
brought to light the fact that among the
most Unsuitable and relentless of the
plunderers has been Dona Lima, the once
charming but now universally unpopular
wife of the veteran statesman. According
to the recent cable dispatches from Rome
about the matter, it appears that from
one bank alone something like 10,O00O000
francs, or about 81 900 600, has found its
way into the private banking account of
Dona Lima, and any one who knows
the popular aversion in which she is held
in the Eternal City will have no difficulty
in believing that portion of the dispatches
which describes the lack of consideration
with which she is treated by the judges
and magistrates who "scoff at her expla-
nations, sneer at her protestations of in
nocence, and manifest an altogether in
decent interest in her numerous private
banking accounts"
To the Italians themselves it is no fresh
piece of news that Dona Lima has played
a prominent part in bringing about the
Bhpwreck of several of the principal bank
ing institutions of the kingdom. For four
years ago, at the time of the collapse of
the Bank of Rome and the Imprisonment
90 TEL
was brought to light that the woman had
dipped heavily into the funds of the unfor-
tunate institution, which had in this man
ner been compelled to defray the enormous
expenses of her stay at Carlsbad, whittier
she travelled with an immense retinue by
special train, and also the cost Of a sort of
triumphal tour which she made likewise
by special train, through her native island
OF Sicily, to which she proceeded from Ma
pies. not by ordinary passenger boat, but
by large steamer specially fitted up for
her own use. 1t may be urged that Crispi
must have known of his wife's predatory
demands upon the bank, since, not being
rich man, he could not otherwise have
accounted for the origin of the large sums
spent by his extravagant spouse. But no
Such thought would enter the minds of
those who have ever crossed the threshold
OF the home Of Italy's Grand Old Manand
VINO have seen him in what may be describ-
y" ns the poHOW OF MS idWllA. BOT ne
takes broad view of everything, looks
az the world, so to speak, through rose
colored magnifying glasses. and dlsdains
everything I'm the shape Of petty detail,
such as, for instance, household affairs
ana expense. all Of which until now he has
neen content 10 leave unquestioned In the
hands of his wife.
Matters have assumed a more disagree
anle aspect within the last few days, 80
Iaf as Dona Lima is concerned through
me arrest OF the three murderers Of the
marquis Notarhartolo. whose tragic and
mysterious death In 1893 created a sensa-
tion' not only In Italy but throughout all
europe. Tho marquis, after having filled
tne Office OF mayor OF Palermo. assumed
the presidency Of the unfortunate Bank OF
sicily. nobloman IN every sense OF the
word, OF the same high moral caliber as
tne present prime minister. the Marquis
hudini, who, like himself although a ST.
cllhan, was reared Ia the northern por-
ZION Of the kingdom, where the people are
INFINITELY more conscientious and high
principled. though perhaps less agreeable.
than IN the south. he naturally resented
the plundcrlng Of the funds Of the bank