New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-21
W|ELDER OF RAZOR
MAY WEAR A C0RONET
GennarrO Perrotti, Harlem Bar
Der, May Have Stropped
His Way to Oukedom.
PROBES PAST; GETS PROOF
Knows He's Twig of Noble
Branch, but Says He's Amer
lean, SO Long May
1t Wave!"
PROBES PAST; GETS PROOF
Hot towels on your face. slr?"

Hot towels on your face, SIR
And as the leading artist at the Roam
oke barber shop. at No. 32S West l25th
street. poises his razor in an insnuating
manner over your Adams apple you an
swer yes, never dreaming that he is more
than any other barber who has from
time immemorial bullied you into hair
cut. a SINCE a shampoo, massage and
a new brand OF hair tonic when you
wanted only d shave. And so for the last
ten years customers have come 10 the
Roanoke and customers have gone from
the Roanoke without any suspicion that
Gennarro Perrotti. the man who welded
his blade and dscoursed on the weather
like any common barber, was a scion Of
the Italian nobility.
Away back about 1888 Theresa Perrotti
married Baron Ettore in the city II
Naples. And right there. according 10
credentials receutly received by the hero
OF this story. shot off the Perrotu fam
ly tree that particular branch Of the
Perrotu which was destined 10 bloom
forth in these latter days as the barber
OF the Roanoke. As for the trunk Of :he
tree well. goodness only knows when
that did spring up so far back in the
dark ages, Perrott declares, that there
isn't one ray Of light produced to-day
that will carry that far The place, how
ever. was Cordova. lie says: then the tree
spread 70 Naples then 70 Forino aud
finally 70 West l25th street.
Yes, within the last few days Perrotu
has received from the authorities at Ma
pies his family's coat Of arms and pa
pers establishing his claim as a noble
man in the ancient and illusuious family
OF Perrotti. For Ions time he had sus-
pected that he was something more than
plain Gennarro Perrotti, so about eish;
years ago. when on a visit 10 his native
land, he made a special effort 10 find out
Just who he was The official documents
from Naples have answered his inquiries
with absolute satisfaction Although he
has not quite figured out yet whether he
is Count Perrotti or some other equally
distinguished brand of Perrotti, he has
the coat OF arms and the papers, and he
says these are enough for any democratic
American citizen.
Perrott has made smaller copies Of
his coat Of arms for distribution among
hts friends and is having the origina!
insignia framed to hang in his shop.
lie came to America from Forino, near
Naples. in lSSS, and became a citizen of
the United States as soon as he was
old enough 10 take out his naturalization
papers He is married, and lives with
his wife and daughter at No. 1856 East
18th street.
Eyes. I'm a nobleman. al right" said
Perrotu yesterday, but I'm a barber.
too | have kept my claim a secret until
could convince my customers with
proof. But | don't see how a haircut or
a shave by a nobleman will satisfy a
man any more than one by an ordinary
barber. and guess It won't. And don't
see the coat Of arms or the papers from
Naples putting any money In my pocket
either.
Down through their history many OF
my family have held positions of honor
in the Italian state. and several OF my
relatives mold government Jobs over
there now \ cousin of mine is police
inspector at Palermo. You may smile
when I say IL. but so far as | know
none Of them was ever arrested for
shooting or stabbing a man.
"As for me. I think far more OF Amer
lea than Of any other country. The coat
of arms is a nice thing 10 have. OF
course. but, after all, I'm satisfied to be
an American citizen ard good barber
Wet your hair sir? Bay rum, you
said. sir? Yes. sir