Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-13
Message From Madrid An
nouncing Death Of Pom
tiff Spread Throughout
World; Denial Follows.
DUE TO ERROR IN
READING MESSAGE
Spanish News Agency Elk
plains That Mistake Was
Made in. Deciphering the
Code; Gives Audiences.

Rome, April 11.-There is no truth
in the report circulating throughout
the world based on telegram from
Madrid that the pope is dead.
The pope continues his daily audi
ences. He received today Cardinal
Della Volpe, Borghese, Senior De Es-
trada, the Argentine minister, at the
vatican and his family, and Count and
Countess Jonghe.
Afterwards the pontiff greeted a
number OF Italians and foreign per-
sonalities.
Error, In Reading Message.
Madrid, April 1.-THE official Span
ish news agency explains that It's
statement that the pope was dead was
due to an error in message received
from Rome at the papal nunciature
here. It is believed that the error oc-
cured lin the deciphering of code
message. f.~ -
The cable dispatch from Rome sent
lat AIT p. m. and received IN TINS
country shortly before noon disposed
of the alarming report sent from
Madrid and circulated throughout the
world early in the day that Pope Iins
X was dead.
The first report stated that the
papal nunciature at Madrid had con-
firmed a private dispatch received
there announcing the pope's death A
similar dispatch was received IN Lon
don from Madrid. 80 ..s.s'
Meantime the cable from Rome was
silent and for nearly three hours no
direct communication could be had
from that city. Urgent efforts from the
different capitals Of Europe, by tele-
graph and long distance telephone,
were made to secure direct informa.
tion from the italian capital. Paris Sc
cured a long distance telephone con.
nection- shortly before noon and was
informed that the Madrid report was
untrue. Immediately following this
telegraph and cable dispatches direct
from Rome gave the same information
that the Madrid report i the pontitfs
death was untrue.
Pope Plus has been in rather poor
health for some weeks, but at no time
has his condition reached q critical
stage or one giving serious cause for
apprehension to those about him.
Nothing within the last few days
has indicated that the pope was in a
critical condition, although his health
has for some time been unsatisfactory.
On March Is he was compelled to sus-
pend his audiences for a few days
owing to slight cough accompanied
by catarrah. On March q he was suffi-
GENTLY improved to resume his audi
ences Among those greeted on that
day were some $50 Americans. They
noted a slight pallor and some hoarse-
ness in the pontiff's speech, but be-
yond that there was no evidence Of
serious physical disability.
The pope went through the
fatiguing ceremony Of greeting 300
persons without sign of exhaustion.
The first dispatch from Madrid re-
ceived today was but few words. It
stated it was private dispatch which
brought the first word Of the report
to Madrid. This was open to much
doubt. But the subsequent statement
that the nunciature confirmed the dis
patch gave seriousness to the re-
port which could not be overlooked.
Why a report Of such gravity should
first be made known at Madrid had
not been explained, and gave further
reason for reserve Of judgment.
The denial from Rome followed
soon after and the explanation from
Madrid Of the error in deciphering q
message.