The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-09-08
STORY
IS RET0LD.
How Wilcox WOOed and
Deceived.
PROMISED Wife A THRONE
Sad Fate Of Gina Sobrero, the ItaI-
ian Beauty who Married
the Garibaldian.

Bomancers have had fertile subject
In the annulment of the marriage of Rob
crt Wilcox and Gina Sobrero which was
deereed by the Government of Italy some
weeks ago. The newspapers of the United
States have been filled with stories of
the husband. now the leader OF the anti
haole party. and of the beautiful and un-
fortunate Italian woman whom he de-
ceived so grossly when living off the Ha-
waiian nation many years ago.
The following which is taken from an
Eastern journal has "A number OF errors.
Robert Wilcox has not married a princess
nor H. he holding public office:
The story OF Gina sobrero. the beautiful
daughter of Colonel Sobrero, of the Ital-
ian Army. u n romance which reads like
n modernized version OF BUlwer's Lady
OF Lyons" Like the Pauline Descha-
pelles OF fiction, tins maiden dreamed Of
being "a queen on the throne of coun-
try in whose existence consciousness plays
the greater part. and like Pauline this
italian girl found her dream dispelled and
her pride humbled. Beyond Athis there is
no analogy between the two tales for the
modern Pauline had a practical streak
In her disposition and an appeal to the
courts Of her native Italy gave her her
freedom.
| The man in the case is Robert William
Wilcox Lunama Kaaiuano, the half-breed
Hawaiian who some years ago acquired
fame as the leader of revolutionary
movement I'm his native land. King Ka-
lekaua sent him TO Italy to study mill
tary tactics. While at student at the
Royal Artillery School at Turin, he met
the family of one of his instructors,
Colonel Sobrero, and became a welcome
guest. Here the romance begins.
! The Coloners wife was "a woman of hk9h
aristocratic lineage. She was a born
Colonna di Stgliano and had a right to
be- called a Princess. Her daughter, Gina,
Is the heroine. She had beauty and was
romantic. She had made a reputation for
herself as a writer under the nom de
plume of ''Mantea." Her poems and her
novels reflected her love Of romance and
adventure
Wilcox became her hero. lie was hand
some, glib and smooth talker and he
told her marvellous tales of the "isand
OF perpetual summer" in the Pacific with
It's life of lazy luxury and of seIf-gra tiff
cation. He pictured the tropical beauty
Iof Hawaii once Claude Melnotte had
lrhapsOdized on the charms of Como.
Facts did not suffice him in his ardent
wooing. 50 he drew on his Imagination.
He told her that he was In fact the son
of Kalakaua, and as such the legitimate
heir to the throne of the Kamehamehas
Gina surrendered. and the pair We're mar
Red Soon after Wilcox carried his bride
across one continent and two oceans 10
his native isle.
The young Italian girls dream was
soon dispelled. She discovered that her
husband was not of royal birth, but was
half-caste. the son OF Kanaka girl and
an American laborer. With this discov-
cry came the other that she did not love
her husband for himself. For a while
she lived on. sort of prisoner; then
with the assistance of the French Consu
: at Honolulu. she managed 10 escape, and
reached San Francisco. She was with.
out funds and for months made n pre-
, carious existence writing for the loca
: Italian papers.
a purse was raised for her among hei
: countrymen, and five years ago she re
turned to her native Itay She begaI
l suit Tor the annulment of her maTriag,
, at once. alleging false pretenccs on tn
2 part OF her husband. After n contest o
? two years duration the case was decide,
! against her. on the ground of insuficien
: evidence. From this Judgment Mrs WI
3 cox appealed 20 the Supreme Court. an
4 n few days ago the high tribunal grant
l the decree Of annulmcnt
\ IL Ia a notable fact that this is tn
!. FIRST marriage annulmcnt In the courts o
}. Italy since that Of Garibaidi in 1870
e Since the day the poetess Gina desert
e ed him, Wilcox has had a lively career. VI
= led the native insurrection against IN
!, Government OF President Dole Take
o prisoner, he was convicted Of treason an
e sentenced to Death. This sentence wa
committed to fine OF $4,000 and a teri