The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-13
MONA LISA" FOUND
IN FLORENCE, ITALY;
MYSTERY OF 2 YEARS
STANDING is SOLVED
CONTINUED From Page one)

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done and an appointment was ar
ranged whereby Geri was to view the
picture at Milan. The date set was
November II, but unforeseen circum-
stances prevented the meeting.
young man, fairly well dressed,
visited Geri Yesterday. He said he was
Leonard" and was staying at the Ho-
tel Tripol. He asked Gerri to go with
him to see the picture. Geri notified
DIR. Poggi, who fastened to the hotel,
and on being shown the painting recog-
nized it as the genuine Mona Lisa"
DIR. Poggi asked TO be allowed to
take the picture with him SO that n.
might compare it with other works.
He made an appointment to meet
Leonard this afternoon at the hotel 60
agree upon the price. The director took
with him several officers, who placed
the man under arrest.
On being interrogated the prisoner
said his real name is Vincenzo Per-
ugia, that he was born in the pro-
vince of Como, is by profession a dec
orator and is unmarried. For six years
he lived in France and for. three years
was employed at the Louvre.
Posed as Patriot
Perugia posed as patriot. 81 was
ashamed" he said, that for more than
a century no Italian had Thought Of
avenging the spoliation committed by
Frenchmen under Napoleon, when they
carried off from the Italian museums
and galleries pictures, statues and
treasures of all kinds by wagon loads.
ancient manuscripts by thousands and
gold by sacks"
He had often observed, he said, in
the Douvre, many works of art stolen
from Italy and conceived the idea of
returning to it's true home Leonardo
VinriS n1DStarnipna q bn
Louvre early in the morning, detached
the picture and removed the painting
from the frame. He concealed the
frame under the back stairs, where it
was afterward found. He hid the pic
-ture beneath his workman's blouse and
succeeded in leaving the place without
attracting suspicion.
At the time of the theft Perugia was
not employed in the Louvre, but he
knew all the exits and entrances, and
how to avoid attention He kept the
painting. concealed, he said, until his
patriotism led him to offer it to .the
Italian people. r+t
The painting has also been identified
by DIR. Corrado Ricco. director general
of the department of fine arts, who
was dispatched hurriedly to Florence
from Rome by the minister of public
instruction, Luigi Credaro.
After<a careful examination Dr. Ricci
'telephoned to the minister, who was
incredulous. Ricci said 'I will stake
my head on it,
To this Signor Credaro replied: 1T
do not care for your head; but if the
news, after it is published, is found
not to be true. you will be dismissed.
DIR. Ricci answered: 81 will take full
responsibility and am ready to risk
dismissal"
News Spreads Rapidly
News of the discovery of Mona Lisa"
spread in the Chamber of Deputies, in
session at Rome, where extremist mem
bers were engaged in fisticuffs in an
endeavor to prevent vote ON the cleo
ton of a nationalist deputy for Rome.
The disorder ceased Immediately. The
deputies surrounded the minister OF
public instruction, who exhibited tel
egram from DR.. Ricci, confirming the
statement he already had made by telo-
phone.
All laughed at the defense of the.
thief. Some of them remarked that
Napoleon's deeds were too antiquated
to constitute grounds for feuds. If it
We're not so Italy would quarrel with
the whole world. as all countries had
stolen masterpieces from her. not ex-
Guiding the United States. The famous
Ascoli Cope. stolen from the cathedral
at Ascoli, which was returned by J.
Pierpont Morgan. was cited. however,
as an instance of American generosity.
Signor Credaro announced that Italy
would apply the same generosity, as he
had Immediately notified the French
ambassador. Camille Barrere, of the
discovery of the painting. He added.
Mona Lisa will be delivered to the
ambassador with solemnity worthy of
Leonardo Da Vinci, and spirit of
happiness worthy of Mona Lisa's'
smile. Although the masterpiece is dear
to all Italians as one of the best pro-
ductions of the genius of the race,
we will return it to it's country, which
has regretted it's loss so bitterly, as
brotherhood between the two great
Latin nations"
Strangely enough, the painting Is in
an almost perfect state of preserva-
tion, Notwithstanding the vicissitudes
1t must have undergone. Perugia, al
though he has not made complete
confession. has admitted that he con
cealed the painting under the false
bottom of trunk. or fixed 1t behind
the canvass of a worthless sketch q
Paris. December 12.-With Mona
Lisa" found. what was regarde as one
of the unfathomable mysteries had been