The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-07
No Proof That He Profted From
Selling Country's
SeCretS
Secrets.
ny Ia MAnauIsE DE roNTENoY.

ny la MARaUIsE DE FONTENOY.
| / is quite on the cards that Count
Morozzo della Rocca. who was ar
rested the other day at Cervia. in
itaiy. on a charge Of selling military
secrets OF his country to foreign DOW
ers. may be restored TO liberty. a fac,
which 1t Is only fair TO mention in
view of the publicity received on this
side OF the Atlantic. through cable
dispatches. concerning his alleged
high treason.
For the count retired over two
years ago. on the score OF age. from
the chieftainship of Il bureau IN the
war Department at Rome. and has
been living since in Ccrvia and other
small out Of the way places where il
would have been difficult T. not i'm
possible for him to secure possession
OF any military information of value
II he had wanted TO do SO. Moreover.
ne and his family have been. ever
since his retirement. In such straitencd
circumstances that thor" are no signs
Of his having prohtcd by the treachery
laid at his door His home life has
been OF the most respectable char
acter. His three sons hold positions
which. while poorly paid. nevertheless
are honorable, and render them self.
supporting, two Of them being in tho
government service. while he himself
has been living with his wife and two
daughters. the countess being so be-
side herself with horror at the igno-
miny placed upon her husband by his
arrest. that when he was seized by
the police At his house. she made an
attempt TO commit suicide
The count, finding, like so many old
government officials when placed on
the retired list. that time was hanging
heavily on his hands devoted his lei
sure tn writing on all sorts az sub
Jects. and being Of "A rather fantastic
turn Of mind. accustomed to overrnte
his knowledge OF things and tho
weight OF his views. probably con-
VcNcd tho impression TO those with
whom hc was brought into contact
that he knew a great deal more than
he did Indeed. with tho object OF
giving himself sort OF Importance
he seems II nave allowed his nclgN-
hors To understa nd that he was on
Saycd in some sort OF secret service.
As tho italian government asccrtalncd
that his secret service was not i'm it's
behalf. IT assumed that It was in that
or some forciTn power. and tho count
thus. being under suspicion hv tho no
lice. there were many things which
he did. that. while In reality perfectly
innocent. appeared OF n nature to con-
hrm his guilt At tho War l)enart-
mcnt. where he was employed for so
many years, he Is generally regarded
as perfectly innocent. and that n mis-
take has beer made in his arrest.
The affair has attracted no end or
attention. by reason OF the prominence
OF the Della Rocca family one OF the
most respected houses OF the old Pied
montese aristocracy. Its name figures
extensively In the pages OF Italian
historH. and one OF it's members. the
late General Count Enrico della Rocca
played leading role in the struggle
resulting In the formation OF the
Kingdom OF United Italy. He was the
schoolmate ard intimate friend ana
associate Of the great statesman. Count
Cavour until the latters death
1t was the general who. as special
envoy To Napoleon Ill. in 1855. OBJ
tanned the secret pledge of that mon
arch 10 come To the assistance Of the
late King Victor Emmanuel in the
event OF the war between the latter
and Austria. which broke out In the
following year. 1t was he who forced
the surrender OF the Neapoltan strong
hold OF Capua in 1860. after it had
been besieEed in vain by Ciaribaldi. and
that he was as successful in diplo-
macy and statecraft as in the arts
or war. is shown by the manner in
which shortly afterwards ne induced
Garihaldi while retaining his friend
ship. TO surrender 20 him the supreme
command Of Naples, where Garibaidt
had established himself as dictator
He WAS abb to accomplish this with