The Detroit times., 1914-08-17
MAD SCULPTOR,
SCION OF KINGS,
dies in ASYLUM
Eldest Son, Descendant of Med
icis, is-Being Reared by Amer
lean Woman
is RIGHTFUL OWNER
OF VAST DOMAIN
Old Papers Expected To Prove
Lads Right To Old Italian
Estates

DENVER, Aug. l4.--Descendant Of a
long line of kings, sculptor Of note
and hopeless madman. Leonardo To-
meoni died recently In the State Hos
pital for the Insane at Pueblo.
His eldest son and heir, Romeo
Tomeoni. lad whose dark, classic
features show his relationship to the
Medicis. one Of the oldest royal houses
In Europe, was taken from st. Vim
cents home, the Catholic orphanage,
and Is being reared as her own son by
Mrs. Fred II. Heb, No. 5040 Stuart-st.
Romeo is believ to be, by the
death Of this father, the true owner OF
the ancient Bagni di Lucca, beauti-
ful half-ruined mass OF marble which
was for centuries the home Of kings
on the Italian peninsula; owner. too,
Of the thousands of acres of mountain
and plain, woodland and vineyard
which belonged to the estate. His
father left dozens of papers in the
Italian language, many bearing the
crest of his family, which, 1t Is be
lieved. will prove the identity of the
lad and his rightful ownership OF this
vast Italian domain.
The grandfather of the dead Lea
nardo Tomeoni was the last in his d.
rect line to bear the princely title
ILeonardo's father was a younger
brother, though he inherited the
estate OF Bagni di Lucca (baths OF
Lucca). The palace WAS still won
derful old place, despite Its hopeless
state OF disrepair, when he inherited
lit. The walls bore frescoes and paint
ings from the hands of old masters
Raphael, Michael Angelo and Da
vinci. As a boy Leonardo spent his
days wandering among these price
less treasures. The inevitable hap
pened and the artist In the lad was
brought to the surface.
He told his father he must become
sculptor. There was storm scene
but the young man was determined
and the father finally yielded. An
Italian money lender was called In
and Leonardo went to Rome and to
Paris and to Vienna to study under
the best masters.
At'length he returned. Traditional
romance was reversed. The mother
had a pretty maid. woman from the
peasantry, OF whom she was exceed
ingly fond. Disregarding the diner
ence In their birth the mother urged
that Leonardo marry the maid that
she might have her always In the
household. Leonardo did So He had
not been reared to expect anything
but a marriage OF convenience.
He found his bride far from congen.
ial, and after time left her TO come
4
the woman he had learned to love. He
came 10 Denver about ten years ago
and ct No. 5000 Stuart-st. built a home,
cottage, but a, miniature palace
painted and moulded by himself after
HIS boyhood home.
He divorced his wife and she was
married again.
Here IN HIS adopted city he worked
hard at his profession, saved money
and sent Il back TO his father, finally
paying on the mortgage held by the
covetous money lender. The receipts
were made out In his own name. and
these he kept II Is partly by these
that the guardian OF the young Romeo
hopes TO prove that he Is the rightful
owner OF the Bagni Ill Lucca, where
now are living HIS fathers younger
brother and his grandmother. The
grandmother, by the way, has visited
in Denver.
More than q year ago Leonardo
Tomeoni became insane and was com.
mittcd to pueblo, where he died july 5.
Before his mind had entirely failed
he asked Mrs. Helb 10 care for Rom
60. The other two children. Katrina,
II. and Robert. II. are In the custody
OF the divorced wife.