The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-21
Ambassador Reticent, but II
Is Believed His Highness
Has Proposed.
TRIP TO ROME MAY BE
FOR KINGS CONSENT
Announcement Of His Engage
ment to Miss Katherine Elkins
May Be Made Upon His Ar
rival-Denial OF Family
Conference and De
lnand for Income.
nand for Income.

~- WASHINGTON. D. c.. March 90.
NV After a dying visit of
NV three days TO Washington
Wv the Duke of the Abruzzi left
at 10 o'clock to-day as un-
tremendously and mysteriously az
he came. 1t Is said he will depart from
New York tomorrow en- route to Italy.
/ sailing probably by the Cunard liner
Lusitanta, with his valet. Practically
all OF the information obtainable at the
| italian embassy regarding the dukes
| future movements Is that he Will re-
! turn to the United States in the near
/ future. His leave of absence from conn
mand of the war-ship Regina ELENA
| has expired, and he is returning to the
ship.
Whether an engagement between tho
| duke and Miss Katherine Efkins. the
! daughter of Senator stephen 3. Elkins.
\ of West Virginia. has resulted from the
royal visitors trip to America. no
/ one at the embassy is willing to say.
| The officials contend that they arc
1 private matters which the public has
no right to invade. 1t has been gen
| orally accepted that one of the pur-
poses OF the dukes visit was to sub
/ nit formal proposal of marriage TO
Miss Elkins. whose acquaintance ne
! formed about year ago when tile
Italian squadron visited the James,
| town Exposition
italian Ambassador Mayor dos
| Planches and his official and unofficial
| household have uniformly maintained
/ the greatest reticence in regard to tho
movements and doings of the duke.
averring that he was travelling in his
/ private capacity of gentleman whose
personal affairs were nobody's business
I but his own.
For this reason only the scantiest
4 possible information respecting his do
4 ings here have been bade public.
\ What Ambassador Says.
In view. however, of the various pub
lications respecting the dukes visit
to this country, the Italian ambassa-
dor to-day gave out an informal state
ment bearing on the subject, substan-
TALLY as follows:
THE question of an engagement
is a private matter, and nobody has
/ right to know anything about 1T.
The statement that there was
i meeting of the Elkins family at
. the Italian embassy several nights
/ ago is absolutely false. No mem
i ber of the Elkins family has been
at the embassy either during the
dukes visit nor for long uerfod
j prior to that time. The duke was
in this country on regular leave
of absence, granted him by the
Minister of Marine, while his yes
sci is undergoing some improve
rnents.
!, "The vessel is at Spezzia, one
of tile principal Italian ports. The
duke leaves New York tomorrow
and he goes direct to Rome to take
command of his vessel. The duke
is leaving on the best terms with
all of his acquaintances and friends.
To some of them he has given as
surances that he will be back in
the near future.
"Therefore statements published
here and in various parts of the
I United States concerning the dukes
visit and its result are incorrect.
and show lack of kindness and
, courtesy
Reported Demand for 100000.
The New York Herald to-day print
ed the following from it's Washington
correspondent bearing on this ques-
ton:
There was "a gathering at the Ital-
an embassy that night. which was
attended by Senator and Mrs. Elllins.
Senator .llkins is IL practical man, and
lie got 70 the bottom of things very
quickly. 1t is said that he is not IN
favor OF American girls wedding for
leigners of title anyway, and he looked
with somc disfavor on an enormous
J settlemel,, while he would not for u
Inoment think of permitting his daush-
ter to become morganatic wife. With
t the proposal that there should ba
a settlement of 100000 year was
condition that the principal. yielding
the requisite sum should be deposited
| in italy. This meant, at 8 per cent.
! Sa,000,000. The dukes it is said, has
: sadly depleted his fortune inethe nn-
merous expeditions of travel. adven-
Eture and exploration on which he has
t Iteen engaged. He has essentially been
1 a man OF action,
"He has sought the Pole he has
climbed the Mountains of the Moon
i and he has hunted and explored in
y! Africa Under Italian law and tho
, private statutes of the royal house of
= Savoy, arranging marriage between
) a prince of the blood and the daughter
t of commoner were not at first con-
j. sldered fully. This has been a serious
hitch, indeed, and IL it were not over
! come the American bride of the Duke
would not be vested With his title or
rank and Instead OF living IN Rome
> ana being received at court, would rs-
/ side at Turin."
BALrlMoRE. MD. March so,--aliss
Elk,ns left her Washtngton home ln
shortly afaer noon r.Gspt,Y for spin n
4 duke Was with her at that, time or
not is not known here, Arriying here
where they met senator Ell<ins. who
I dined there with scnator Davis, In the
meantime Miss Elltins and the duke
entered the tearoon OF the hotel whers
they were soon surrounded by Balti-
more friends. Senator Elkins. HIS
daughter and tile !duke, lett here for
Washington at 4 o'clock. While here
Miss Elkins tclephoned her where
, abouts, and the probable time of her
return to, her home in Washington.
TAKE TITLE OF HUSBAND