The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-09
KANSAS NEWS.
Wichita Is Entertaining an
italian Count.
Styles Himself Della Gurestra
Reggie Salvatore, of Palermo.
A TOUR AROUND WORLD
He Has Made a Wager of $780,.
600 With Duke Spinetta.
Nine Countries Must Be Visited
Within Three Years.

Wichita, Kan, Jan. 9.-There is
stranger within the gates of Wichita
that. aside from his high position in
the aristocracy of Italy is more in
teresting from the fact that he is walk
ing around the world. This stranger is
Count Della Gurestra Reggie Saliva
tore of Palermo, Italy, member Of
one of the strongest Neapolitan fam
flies an athlete, a scholar and a gentle
man
Two years ago this month Count
Salvatore and Duke Spinetta made a
wager. The count was to walk around
the world, or an equal distance, was to
visit nine countries within three years
and for this he was to receive $50 0o0.
1t was also stipulated that this money
should be devoted to charity, not a
cent of it is to go to the count and all
that he is to receive is the experience,
travel and the facts he can pick up.
The stipulation in the wager says
that the traveller must not ask for any
thing. not even d glass of water. He
must not mention the fact that he IS
thirsty, hungry, fo0tsOre. or tatigued.
Everything that he receives must come
voluntarily He can have all of the
fun he wants, get all the money ne can
and all the data he can. but must not
ask q person for drink of Wter- This
would seem a hardship TO the average
man, especially on some of the hot
summer Kansas days But Count Sal
vatore cannot ask even this small
favor If he is hungry he must go on
until some one offers him something to
eat. If his shoes or clothes wear out
he must keep moving until some one
takes pity on him and offers him some
clothes.
Count Salvatore and Duke Spinetta
are both members of the Unione Pc
desta Italia, which, as its name sig
nifles. IS a walking club composed OF
the members of the arist0cracy of his
country 1t was at this club that the
wager was made. Several members
wanted TO take the wager and there
was some rivalry as to who should be
the lucky member. Count Salvatore
was finally selected. He started on his
journey on the first day of February, /
1901, and has been travelling ever since.
He is now several months ahead of his
schedule and thinks that if his health /
holds out he will be able to complete
his journey long before the three years I
are up
The start was made from Naples He /
walked TO Paris and thence to Calais,
where he took a steamer for London He !
walked over some parts of England
and was given a first cabin passage 20
this country.
The count is singer of no mean
ability and he furnished much enter +
tainment for the ships passengers. He I
the classic songs in a truly impressive I
manner.
He has already tramped across the +
United States from New York to San F
Francisco and back to New Orleans, and I
IS now on his way TO San Francisco.
While in Boston a barber shaved him I
one day and the next day as he was (
passing by the barber hailed him and f
wanted the count to go to the consul
and get his children out Of the house Of
correction. The children had been pick
ed up by the truant officer for being f
absent from school six days. Count
Salvatore had been in America long
enough to become imbued with Ameri-
can ideas and Immediately read his
barber friend a red hot lecture on the
fact that the BARRIERS action was the
muses. in the world, and he refused to
go to the consul unless the barber
promised to see that his children spent
every day in school. and on this condi-
ton the count used his influence to
have the children released.
He was entertained by President
Roosevelt and other members of the
cabinet. He bears letters from many
important persOnageS over the country
and has many letters that show con-
clusively that he is all that he claims
to be.
He went to New Orleans and visited
the italian colony, but these people ne
says, are of the lower classes and have T
no use for any member of the aristoc-
racy and they would have nothing to do
with him. He got out of New Orleans
as quick as possible and went to San
Antonio, Tex. where he was treated like
gentleman The Italians of that place.
gave him meat. clothes ard a little
money and wished him Codspeed He
went to Fort Worth and thence to Guth-
RE and then to Wichita He wants to
get to San Francisco as early as nos
sible as he has been offered passage
from that port to South America. the
countries of which continent he must
visit before returning
After travelling so many thousand
miles it was agreed with Duke SpinettA
that if anyone offered him a ride he was
at liberty to take it. whether horseback
in buggy, train. automobile or ANYTHING
It he can find anyone who will give hin
a ride westward. he will take it. other.
wise he viii walk to San Francisco. If
it takes all summer "
Once he went four days and nights be-
fore anyone offered him anything to eat
This was not generally the case. how,
ever, he said as the American peonJ.
ne had found as rule to be verv hos
pltable people and when thew found
what he was trying to do and that fbe