The San Francisco call., 1905-04-20

Tetrazzini, the queen Of song, whose
achievements were the sensation Of
the recent grand opera season at the
Tivoli. was startled on Monday by the
receipt of news from Milan demand
ing that she pay certain debts which
until that moment she had believed to
have been fully liquidated by her fin
ancial agent, the man who came with
her from Mexico and had handled her
funds throughout important engage
ments.
The famous soprano was at the mo-
ment about to start for the City of
Mexico to fill an engagement. but she
halted and caused the arrest of Lulio
Zieguer Uriburu, her financial agent,
to whom she had intrusted $1,000
francs for the payment of various OBJ
legations in Europe.
Last night Uriburu was arrested as
he dined at Tait's cafe and in Jail
few hours later he admitted he had
received the money. but maintained
that he had given 1t to two brokers'
one in Mexico and one herewith in
structions to transmit it to Tetraz-
zini's creditors in Europe.
Though reluctant to talk of the af-
fair, Uriburu intimated that jealousy
in certain quarters might account for
his position. He spoke of having
known the song bird for ten years and
intimated that the friendship between
diva and financial agent hsG been a
strong one, leaving the inference that
rival in her affections had doubt
less put the prisoner in the sorry
plight of a suspect.
sONGBIRD UPSET.
In the sumptuous apartments OF
Madame Tetrazzini at the Marie An
toinette all was confusion and excite
ment last night. The fear that she had
been robbed of $1,000 francs struck the
lovely queen Of song like a thunderbolt
All her brilliant singing and all her
hard work here had gone for naught.
The man she had trusted to the
fullest extent with all her financial ar
rangements had apparently deceived
her. Between the loss of her money
and the loss of her friend she was al
most distracted and on the verge of
collapse.
Last night she began to realize the
full force of the blow and was taken
with a violent attack of hysteria.
Her immediate friends came to her
with all the solicitation at their COM
They were only partly successful. how
ever, for early in the evening she sue
cumbed to the strain and was put to
bed.
She denied herself to all visitors.
The nurse sent down word to callers
that Madame Tetrazzinf was too ill to
see any one.
Signor Bazelli, a friend of Tetrazzini's
who sang with her here during the re-
cent engagement at the Trivoli con-
sented to speak to her and told the
following side of her story:
Yes, Madame Tetrazzini has been
robbed of q 900 francs. She gave this
money to her financial agent, Uriburu,
to send for her to Europe to pay GER
tain obligations. Not one cent of this
money ever reached the parties for
whom it was Intended When Tetraz-
zini left Milan she owed quite a
large sum of money there. This she
gave Uriburu to send for her. and she
supposed the account was settled.
HEARS SAD NEWS.
Judge Of her amazement when on
Monday she received a letter from the
firm In Milan stating that as she had
had a highly successful season of opera
in this city they were greatly surprised
that she had not nquidated the debt.
Yesterday similar letter reached her
from another creditor. She sent for
Uriburu, but his attempts at explana-
ton were so unsatisfactory that she
sent for Attorney Alexander Heyne-
man and swore out warrants for Uri-
buru's arrest
"Uriburu is, understand, very high
ly connected. His family is distin-
guished one. He was Consul sGeneral
for the Argentine Republic at the City
of Mexico. He always said he was
man of unlimited means. We met him
first in Buenos Ayres. He was smart
and bright, and as Tetrazzinis needed
some one to manage her financial
transactions and as Uriburu was thor
oughly conversant with business mat
ters She placed all her affairs in his
hands.
s.When TetrAzzini wanted to send
money away, lUriburu would take it,
and then pretend to send 1T through the
Syviss-American Bank to the parties for
whom it was intended. He would show
Tetrazzini fake duplicate draft
draft issued by the bank in regular
form.
HOW TT WAS DONE.
"He would tell her at the same time
that he had forwarded the original Of
the draft to Europe for the parties to
whom she desired the money sent He
rnI,st have taken these blank drafts Sc
nratlv away from the bank and then
filed them out himself. I understand
that he was we'll acquainted with w.
r I.oaiza and that he has borrowed
money from him. We all thought Uri-
buru was rich. He made magnificent
presents to all Of us connected with
the company. He gave me this fine
gold watch and chain and these hand
some gold trinkets attached to it.
sTetrazzini and myself had signed
contracts to open in a season of opera