New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-12
SONG SAVES AMATO
FROM SPY'S DEATH
Arias from Carmen" and
aida" Move Stern Aus
trian Colonel.
SINGER ARRESTED
BY ERROR IN EUROPE
Opera Costumes Held Up in
Paris-Mme. Gatti.CasazZa
Arrives on Liner.

Sometimes, even when one is not re-
ceiving $1,000 week for singing, it
pays to have a voice. II is so at least
in war time when in the country of
belligerents and suspicious soldiers
will not take your word for it that you
are a singer.
No one knows this better than Pas
quale Amato, the barytone of the Met
ropolitan Opera Company, who arrived
here yesterday from Genoa on the
steamship Duca di Geneva, of La We
loco Line.
Amato was glad to be back in Amer
lea, and he did not hesitate to say so
as the vessel steamed up the bay from
Quarantine.
Several times since have been away
from America" he said, 81 thought
! would not be able to sing here this
season. On one occasion in Austria
began to think | would never sing any
where, but my voice really pulled me
cut of an exceedingly unpleasant pre-
dicament.
Before starting for this country /
had some business 10 attend to in Tri-
este Ny lawyer urged me that 1t was
important, so | crossed the border into
Austria on September II. | bought an
Italian newspaper and read it on the
train. There was an article in IL that
interested me, so when got to Trieste
| put the paper into my travelling bag
and forgot about it.
My business in Trieste ended,
started again for Italy, but at the Dor
der station of Commons a squad OF
Austrian soldiers came through the
train and scrutinzed most of the trav'
oilers. Somehow they singled me out
for particular inquisition and insisted
on searching my baggage. All went
well until they turned up that Italian
newspaper.
AmatO Arrested as Spy.
"With little courtesy | was taken
out of the train and Immediately put
under arrest as an Italian spy in the
service of the Allies. | explained to
the colonel before whom | was brought
that | was an Italian, a singer by pro-
fession; that | had sung at the Metro.
politan here and was about TO return
to America. He didn't believe a word
Of il. An Italian newspaper was found
IL my baggage. had been heard speak
ing English on the train, and what
more proof did the colonel need that !
was spy?
81 was detained half a day and for
a time | expected they would sooner
or later make short work of me. Ex-
plantations were useless. Personal pa.
pers, letters and other means of iden-
tifcation which | offered to prove that
| was Amato were of little avail, for
as the colonel explained, a real good
spy would have all those things in his
possession.
AT length, however, one Of the
guards, patron of the opera, ques-
toned me about singing. To prove my
words ! sang part of the Prologue
from 'Pagliacci.' He left me, and soon
returned with orders to bring me again
before the colonel.
This time the colonel was ready to
listen to my singing. if not to reason.
| sang several arias from Carmen
and Aida and he seemed to be melt
ing.
81 thought surely | would be re-
leased, but the colonel again became
the stern military man he was when
| first saw him, and he explained that
even a spy might sing well. He asked
me, however, if | knew any one in
Trieste who could vouch for me, and
! gave him the name OF my lawyer.
lie said he would telegraph at once,
and within three hours, when favor
able answer came, he ordered my re-
lease.
"They gave ME twenty-four hours in
which to get out of Austria, and 1t
L 70, ipIY n "a
exit over the border
Costumes Held in Paris.
Amato said his costumes, in fifteen
trunks. were in Paris, but that their
detention would not prevent his sing
inc with the Metropolitan Opera Com
pany. He said he felt confident that
italy would not enter the war.
Nine. Giulio GattiCasazzs, wife OF
the director of the Metropolitan Opera
Company, known on the stage as Nine.
Frances Aida, the tsoprano, also ar
rived on the liner.
She was booked under her stage
name, and the immigration officials,
when she came befor them, ordered
the name changed to Gatti-Casazza on
the ships manifest. The singer had
been in London and Paris throughout
the summer.
Rudolph Schirmer, music publisher,
also returned OH the Duca di Geneva.
He said he believed the European war
would end before January.
"All the factories in the neutral
states of Europe" he said, "are run
n,ng on half time and at half speed.
The people of these states are barely
making a living, and within two or
three months the pressure of hard
times will be so severe that they Will
band together and call upon the United
States to assist them in demanding
that the warning nations cease hostili-
ties and settle their grievances with
out further bloodshed.'
David +. WILDER, American Con-
sui at Zurich, Switzerland, brought
over the body OF his wife, who died
recently. He will take it TO 0neonta,
\. Y. for burial, and return in time
TO catch the Duca di Geneva when
she sails again for Genoa this week.
WHAT Is GOING ON TO-DAY.
Frec admission 70 American Museum OF
Do Il.