The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-20
All Efforts to Pry Into the Al
fairs of Miss Elkins
And the Duke of AbruZzi Have
Proved Unavailing.
HE COMES AND GOES
And 1t Is Not Known Whence,
Where or What For.
There Seems to Be Something
Doing But What Is 1t?

! Washington, March 2O.-The Duke
of Abruzzi left the Italian embassy
| before 1880 this morning. Where he
has gone or what his future plans are
none of the under officials of the en-
bassy are willing to say. They de-
clare they know nothing about the
matter. The only information obtain
able is that the duke took friendly
leave of the ambassador and wife be-
fore he departed.
The utmost reticence has been
manifested by the Italian ambassador
and his subordinates and servants as
to the doings Of the duke since his
| arrival here. As the duke is travelling
incognito. the embassy attaches de-
clared it would not be proper to dis
close his movements or doings. The
duke has seen but very few friends
while here. From the newspapers he
held aloof. The few friends he has
seen have included largely those he
had met here while on his visit with
the Italian squadron at the jamestown
exposition. The dukes visit apparent
ly was to some of the legation attaches
unexpected. It was not known a day
before his arrival at the embassy that
subordinate officials came to the en-
bassy oday they were apparently quite
as much surprised to learn that he had
left for New York at 10 o'clock this
morning. although it had been gener-
ally expected that he would return
promptly to Europe. 1t is believed he
is intending sailing from that port to-
morrow, but none of the people at the
embassy was willing to so declare. The
various publications respecting the
n
Elkins, notably those respecting the
reported wish of the duke for a settle
ment of 100000 a year as a prelim-
mary to the marriage have created a
profound sensation at the embassy.
1T is awful, it is awful remarked
one of the attaches today, referring to
one of the publications.
What time did the duke leave to-
day ?" was asked.
II don't know" was the response
with significant shrug of the shoul-
ders. 81 came down here this morn-
ing and he was gone. When he left I
really do not know"
Formal Proposal.
About the only fact in connection
with this flying trip of the duke to
Washington that is accepted without
question is that his purpose was to SUBJ
nit formal proposal of marriage to
Katherine Elkins, daughter of the SEN
ator from West Virginia. The impress
sion prevails among the intimate
friends of the Elkins family, that no
formal engagement was entered into.
Senator Elkins within the last 48 hours
has declared to friends that there was
no engagement, but he would not COM
NIT himself as to the future. So when
the fact developed last evening that the
duke was about to leave Washington,
it was assumed that his mission had
failed. Some of the more cautious of
the Elkins circle, however, hinted that
it would be nearer the truth to say that
the negotiations had not been con-
cluded. That statement revived a lot
of talk that had been current about
marriage settlements being one of the
obstacles.
Miss Elkins has the reputation of be-
ing a high strung, patriotic and self
respecting girl, who would be quick to
resent any intimation that sordid con-
siderations should enter into a nup
tial contract concluded on American
soil. 1t was pointed out that Senator
Elkins had himself taken advanced
ground in this matter; that he was
willing to provide for his daughter with
the greatest Hberality but that he felt
nothing but contempt for the Eur
pean "dot" system whereby the pos
SCISSOR of a title was to be paid to
marry an American girl
Troublesome Feature.
There was also some gossip among
friends of the Elkins family relative to
the status of an American wife of an
Italian duke, and some color was lent
to the belief that this has been a trOu-
blesome feature in the projected en-
gagement by the fact that not only the
Duke of Abruzzi during his Washing
ton visit, but also the Italian ambas-
sador, Mavor des Pianches, have been
cabling freely at a time when no dip
lomatic question of urgency is pend
in<-
An interesting point in connection
with International marriages is that
although for many years no license
could be issued in the District of Col
umbia for the marriage of a foreigner
and an American without the author
ity OF the foreign government, the
regulations governing both foreigners
and Americans now are precisely
identical Under the law long in
force in this city, any foreigner seek
ing to marry here had to furnish
certificate from the minister or other
accredited diplomatic representative
showing that the marriage would be
agreeable to the laws of the govern
ment of the country which the pros
pective groom or bride claimed
home.
Now all that is necessary is to show
that the couple are not related, that
the groom is 21 or over and the bride
Is Or over and to state whether either
of the parties had been previously
married.
1t is learned quite definitely that the
Duke of Arbruzzi expects to return to
this country in the near future.
The duke will sail from New York
tomorrow, probably on the Lusitania,
of the Cunard line. although it is said
at the Italian embassy that this has
not been finally settled.
Guilds Condition Unchanged.