New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-15
MARQUIS SEEKS
CONTROL OF WIFE
Says Mrs. Cattapani's Kin
Refuse to Let Him See
Her in Asylum


Cordova. OF Italy, artist and soldier,
has applied TO the Supreme Court for
guardianship Of his wife, Mrs. Hen
rietta Gardner Cattspsni, who IS an
inmate of the Sanford Hall Sanatorium,
at Flushing, L. l. He alleges that
Mary x. Stebbins, 8 cousin Of the In
competent and committee of her per-
son, has refused to let him sec Mrs.
Cattspsni.
The major says that his wife was
committed in 1915. while he was in
Italy, and without his knowledge, her
property being placed in charge of q
committee composed OF a trust com
pany and Charles F. Hibben, of Bos-
ton, a cousin of Mrs. Csttspsni.
The Italian nobleman says that he
camo from abroad 10 see his wife and
was referred TO Miss Stebbins, who
refused 10 permit him to visit Mrs.
Cattapani. Then Cattspani brought a
habeas corpus proceeding in brooklyn
Three slienists testified that his wife
was insane, but DR.. William B. Pritch-
ard said that Mrs. Csttapsni would not
prove menace out of the ssnatorium.
Could Take Her to Italy
Through his counsel, Cattspani told
Justice Pendleton that he had the
assurance Of the Italian Foreign Office
that he could have its aid If he cared
70 avail himself Of a decision of the
United States Supreme Court, which
held in a similar case that the wife
was a subject Of her husbands coun-
try. Under this Cattspsni could take
his wife to Italy. lie had not tried
use this decision.
Mrs. Cattapani was ffty-three years
old when committed in May, 1915. She
had lived with her husband only'a few
months. She owned real estate valued
az $4,000 and had personal property
amounting TO SOL 26. Her income was
S15,234 a year, which included her in
terest in two trust funds left by rels-
tivcs. II is the contention Of her rela-
tives that her husband showed no in
terest in her condition until his allow
ance was cut Off. The couple first met
while doing social work in this city.
Major Cattapani or Marquis di Cor
dova has had various experiences In
this city and Canada. In the latter
country in 1909 he pleaded insanity
when charged with a grave offence, say
ing he was under the influence of an
East Indian prince. He WAS deported
He was indicted in this city in 1905
on similar charge, but was not ar
rested until last April, when he came
here and announced his interest in
the work of the Boy Scouts, Of whom
he said he had organized a corps in
Italy. He said he was being prosecuted
By his wife's relatives. The persons
who made the charges repudated their
stories and the indictment was dis
missed.
Says Plotters Captured Him.
But the most exciting incident in
his career here occurred in 1902, when
he was found bound and lying across
rail at the waters edge at the Co
lumbia University boathouse, 10th
Street and the North River. He was
taken TO tho J. Hood Wright Hospital,
where he wrote, 81 am unable TO
speak. My name is Carlo Cattapsni,
Marquis di Cordovs. have been kept
prisoner since Saturday night. |
have been dosed with Spanish poison.
They wanted me to sign paper and
to make me appear q suicide"
His enemies, he said, who had
bounded him all over the world, had
shot at him in Monte Carlo, stabbed
him In London, bound him in a gas
filed room, and had twice kidnapped
him because they did not want him to
get certain papers TO prove his title.
When Cattapeni was sufficiently calm,
the police took him before q magis-
trate, who permitted him to go his way.
The next heard about the titled paint
er was when he was engaged in paint
ing the walls of church at Newbury-
port, Mass.
Major Cattapani, formerly an officer
in the Montenegrin army, was deco
rated by King Nicholas for valor in
one Of the Balkan wars and also for
his Red Cross work. Mrs. Cattapani
is the only American woman decorated
by King Nicholas, she having given
literally of her fortune to the Red
Cross work.