Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-18
italian Envoy Not Party to
Abruzzi Courtship.
Statement is GIVEN OUT
Denial of Reported Conference With
Elkins Family.
RUBY RING GOES TO NEW YORK
Senator Reported Displeased at Pub
licity Given Matter-Tattler
May Be Punished.

Occasional references which have been
made to the Italian embassy in connec-
ton with the recent speculative reports
concerning the AbruZZi-Elkins courtship
have brought out an authoritative state
ment from the Italian ambassador:
That the embassy never had anything
to do, or ever interfered in this affair,
which is strictly private; that his royal
highness the Duke of the AbruZzi was,
in fact. the ambassadors guest but that
the parents never met even in social or
informal way at the embassy: that no
family gathering took place there, and
that no announcement was ever made at
or by the embassy, which is without any
information whatever on the subject"
The embassy officials say that the fore
going comprises all that can be said, and
that 1t is designed to disassociate the en-
bassy once and for all from all the specu-
lative reports dealing with the subject.
Miss Elkins Turned Back Ring.
PlTTSBCRG. November 1S.-F'rom the
best authority the story comes that il was
Miss Katherine Elkins herself who turned
back the five-thousanddolIar ruby ing
sent her from abroad, presumably from
the Duke of the AbruZzi. and on which
the duty had not been paid
The postmaster at Elkins. W. Va. is
said to have taken his orders from the
Elkins family regarding the ring, it hav-
ing been considered at least queer on
the part of the duke to attempt to ship
such costly thing through without pay
ing the duty. which is now being estimated
at from $1,000 to $1,000.
The ring has practically disappeared
from here. 1t is supposed to be on its
fn he hnn LODI 10
customs inspectors, who will fix the rate
of duty. No one in the Office of the Pitts
burg postmaster or of the collector of the
port here will discuss the matter. But
the belief is general that the jewel was
sent as an engagement ring.
Publicity Arouses Elkins.
A messenger arrived yesterday from the
Elkins household who minced no words
in saying that Senator Elkins purposes
to have the official heads of all who were
in any way to blame for making public
the incident
Collector of the Port N. NJ. Garland,
who Is personal friend of Senator Ell
kins and of President Roosevelt. was eX-
some clue to the persons who had
leaked" regarding the ring He an
nounced publicly that he would discharge
on sight the person who talked if he could
but locate him.
Late in the day a party of Pittsburg
jewelers. called on Garland and asked to
see the gem SO they could make some
estimate of it's value The collector who
had already been seen by Senator Ell
kins' messenger; miled and said:
What ring, gentlemen? You talk in
riddles
Further effort to get some inkling of
where the ring had been taken failed.
Jeweler Samuel Sipe. who was called into
consultation by Collector Garland Mon
day. maintains that the ring is worth
5000 at least and that the duty on 1t at
90 per cent would be 5000.
Ring Thought to Be in New York.
There is every reason to believe that
Postmaster William H. Davis and Col
lector Garland have sent the gem on to
New York not caring to be mixed in the
case further.
Davis intimated that it would be a great
pleasure for him to discharge any clerk
in the post office who had any hand in
giving away the AbruZzi ring secrets
The angry postmaster has offered re-
ward of $1c0 for information as to the
culprit
During the day several thousand per-
sons called at the government building
TO see the jewel, but no one was given d
glimpse of it. Senator Elkins had been
heard from earlier in the day, and every
one In the two departments, from Col
lector Garland and Postmaster Davis
down. was badly frightened
Turin Expects Wedding.
TURIN, November 1S.-The Gazette
d'Torino says that from most authori-
tative source it is authorized to announce
that the marriage of the Duke of the
Abruzzi and Miss Elkins will take place,
but not Immediately. The paper says that
the denial of Senator Elkins must be un-
derstood merely as an invitation to OBJ
serve respectful silence. The duke has
made arrangements to start on journey
In the near future
ROME. November 1S.-The Rome news
papers give a large amount of space t.
the Abruzzi-Elkins affair. The Tribuna
strongly denounces the gossip published
by the American newspapers concerning
the house of Savoy. which ii considers
vulgar and disrespectful."
The GiOrnaie d1talia does not believe
that the idea of Il marriage between the
Duke of the Abruzzi and Miss Elkins has
been abandoned.
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