The Washington herald., 1912-11-24
Arrest of Mrs. MOchi1i
Caused for Revenge
American Wife of Italian Says Latest Misfortune
Is But Link in Long Chain of Per-
SecutiOnS

SPECIAL Cable to The Washington Herald.
Rome, Nov. 23-The arrest Of the
beautiful young American wife of Sig
nor Yittori Moschini. millionaire club
man and ItaIitan deputy, has revived
the story which Roman society last
spring theoretically endeavored TO
suppress. Mrs. Moschini was arrested
at her husbands instance, while she
was visiting Count Dino De Bellegsrde
ST. Cyr. a young naval officer. who is
flag lieutenant to Admiral Maestro.
The husbands action in bringing
about her humiliation under such cir
cumstances is regarded here as mere
act of revenge and has caused the
sympathy of Roman society to veer
strongly in Mrs. Moschinfs favor.
Lawyer Vinai who is defending Mrs.
Moschini, declares that Moschini has
failed TO pay her monthly alimony OF
$500 which the Italian courts awarded
her, that she is destitute and that her
arrest was the elimination of an eXtraor-
binary campaign of persecution on her
husbands part. After her release, Mrs
Moschfni told the correspondent the ro-
mantle story of her life and made a
strong appeal for American sympathy.
Money from Strange source.
Il was born at Brownwood. Tex. she
said. when / was a year old my father
was shot. From the time I was twelve
till / reached the age of twenty-SiX
some mysterious man whose name /
never knew transmitted money to me
regularly, enabling me to be educated
and make seven trips around the world.
1t is true that on these trips I have
changed my nationality twice, but that
is easily explained. The first time. 1 was
on a trans-Siberian train, bound for Pc
kin, when a Russian official demanded my
passports. Being a free American citi-
zen, / never had recognized the need of
passports. An elderly couple seeing my
plight, offered TO chaperoD me, and get
me out Of the difficulty by declaring me
a Russian subject
The second time, / unwillingly changed
my nationality. was seven years ago,
while visiting Mexico. AS usual, 1 had
no passport. and in Mexico City / was
invited to get one. An Italian restaurant
keeper, by the name OF PM, offered to
get me what l needed, and l became
Senorita Victoria Pinit
Ext that time my remittance from the
person was cut down to $500
a month, and the worst OF It was that
was then on my way to Europe with
only 800 in my purse. Up to then |
had not known the value Of money or
what - financial embarrassment might
mean. One night at Vivhi my maid was
in despair because we had only $500 left.
Just then l happened to see Signor
Meschini, whom I had met two years
before while travelling in Morocco. He
greeted me cordially. and on learning
the cause of my maids despair. offered
to help me. refused. My maid, how
ever, had a long conversation with him.
and / am still ignorant of what they
decided to do.
what / know Is that several days
later Signor Moschini proposed to me.
He was a widower with no children,
wealthy, and a gentleman. and ac-
cepted OF course, you know the rest
OF the story-how he came to ask for
the annulment Of our marriage on the
ground that had married him under
an assumed name, and his following at
tempt to reduce my aiimony from 500
to slo0. Why he should have done that
/ don't know"
did SignorS MoscAini know your story
when he married your she was asked.