The San Francisco call., 1910-07-02
TRUE LOVE MAKES
YOUTH FUGITIVE
Trouble Begins When Son OF
Rome's Mayor Marries,
Despite Objections

That the financial difficulties of Geof-
frey Nathan, son of Ernest Nathan,
mayor of Rome who disappeared from
San Francisco a few days ago leaving
behind several dishonored drafts are
the burdens of true love was shown
yesterday by an investigation into the
young mans career. All of his aim
less wanderings, his financial troubles
and his hurried flight from San Fran
cisco can be traced directly to his mar
riage four years ago to an italian girl
TO whom his parents objected. The
marriage lost him his fathers good will
and he was forced to leave the ease and
affiuence of his home in Italy to seek
an elusive fortune in a strange land
AS the son of Ernest Nathan, mayor
of Rome, and one of the leading Jewish
hnanc1ers of the Italian kingdom. the
young man held unique and honored
position. He was educated in Italy and
england, taking UP mining engineering
as a profession. On his graduation his
parents expected him to marry one of
several girls whose dowries would be
In keeping with the Nathan fortune
instead young Nathan married the
niece of broken down Italian aristo-
crat. His parents opposed the match
90 bitter was the opposition that
Nathan senior refused to have anything
further to do with his son. but the
mother stayed by him, and it was
through her efforts that he was able
to come to this country. He brought
with him several letters of introduc-
ton, one of them to Andrea Sba arhoro
OF the Italian American bank.
SBARBORO GIVES AID
The young mans marriage said
Sparbofo was the main reason of his
coming here. His father did not an
prove of it, and I presume Thought the
oest thlng under the circumstances was
10 get him away as far as possible from
rome. lie presented his letters to me
and told me he wished to secure en-
ploynent as a mining engineer and 7
introduced him to some men whom
.nought would be in position to- beln
him. - neip
"A feW months later l received a
communication from the secretarv of
foreign affairs of Italy asking abo,,t
MIN: Young Nathan had drawn a dra #
on ms mother for 700 francs, pavable
10 JuIe Levaggf of the Levaggi com
pany, and was asked to find out
Whether the money was to pay gamb
ing oeots or whether it was for legitf
mate purposes. / investigated and
round that the money had been ad-
vanced TO him by Levaggi to meet bare
llFlng expenses. I reported the debt
as being legitimate and l thought that
IT would have been honored Fonr
days ago / received another letter from
lne secretary of foreign affairs asking
ABOUT the young man and I tried to
md him, but l found that he had left
the city"
julie Levaggi. who lent Nathan
money, said that he had no intention
TO swearfout a warrant for his arrest.
YOUTH HAS HARD LUCK
THE young fellow" said Leyaggi.
simply played in hard luck. He is
one of the best mining engineers 1
nave met and scrupulously honest A
few months ago he asked me to lend
him $3.50, saying that he needed the
money badly. l did SO and he gave me
a draft on his mother. / sincerely be-
lieVe that he had no doubt but that
she would meet it. The stories that
he was spendthrift are absolutely
false as far as his life in San Fran
cisco is concerned. for the simple rea-
soh~that he did not have the money to
spend. He was willing to work, but
could not get employment in his pro-
fession except in two cases, in neither
of which there was any ready money
Other engineers who checked his work
spoke very highly of it. The man had
no intention of swindling anybody. He
came out here in the hope of making
living for himself and his wife and
child. but just could not strike IT right
l feel sure that when his mother
learns Of the circumstances she will
help him out"
2. A. Roure, mining engineer with
Offices in the Metropolis bank building.
who indorsed Nathan's note for $500,
was Of the same mind. He does not in
tend to swear out a warrant.
Nathan lived with his wife and child
at 1929 Fillmore street and paid all his
bills before leaving there The total
amount of his obligations in San Fran
cisco does not amount to $1,000, accord
ing~to his creditors.