The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-03-18

A Husband?-Why Here is One
I again returned to Won Holstein's
office for final agreements. 1t was
decided that I should travel as the
wife of a capitalist. On reaching Rio
Janeiro we would have a conference
with the German Consul there. 1t
was thought that it might be neces-
sary to visit southern states of Brazil
as the wife of a capitalist and while
my husband looked for some land
purchase (my husband would rep
resent himself to be a Dutch finan-
cier) I would Operate" as planned
by our Secret Service Bureau. On the
day on which I left Berlin 1 was in
troduced to my husband" whom 1
found an agreeable and gentlemanly
man. Under Dutch passport we took
passage by Rio de Janeiro by a Bri-
fish boat, and spent few days in
London before sailed.
Republic of Kunani
1t was while in London that first
heard of the Republic of Kunani,
which had its headquarters in a city
office in the British capital. But at
that time I paid little attention to
the scheme which seemed to me quite
a mad one.
However, on the boat I met an
American, who was also a financier,
and who was on his way to Brazil
to grab land, who told me quite a lot
about this little Republic and it's crazy
president. This American even knew
the name of the President of Kunani
You have heard of the Frenchman
Jacques Lebeudy, who wished to be
king, and there not being a vacant
throne for him in the civilized world
he went and set up a little kingdom
of his own in the Sahara desert.
Don Preside Lopez Is His Name
This is the way it all happened
There was a rich Brazilian named
Don Preside Lopez, who wished to be
a President, and therefore set up g
separate republic of his own, in the
most inaccessible part of all Brazil
He had spent his money in building
a railway which ran from nowhere tt
nowhere, laying fifty miles of rails OF
which no train ever ran. He had es
tablished a little settlement, with {
band of adventures of all national
ties as mad and crazy as himself, an(
they ran their republic free from al
interruption in the very heart of the
Amazonian forests. His cabinet,
| learned, was composed of men whC
would never dare to return to theil
a generous amnesty. In Brazil people
knew about this Republic of Kunan
but they called it THE Madmen'
| Land" A terrible curiosity seized mi
| to see this strange republic and t.
meet it's mad president and his cab
iret of adventurers.
| How She Met Lopez
One day, after a conference in tn
office of our Consul in Rio de Jan
Giro, I had occasion to meet a youn!
German who was born in America. Il
a joking way I inquired of him abou
this mysterious Republic of Kunani
and was pleasantly surprised to lear
| that to the people of Brazil there wa
no mystery about this state. He toll
L
in Rio de Janeiro, broke, and greatl
in need of funds to pay off the salar
les of his cabinet. He had been en-
| trusted by his cabinet members t
bring to Rio de Janeiro a consignment
of gold and diamonds which he ha
sold to the Brazilian Treasury an
realized 100000 francs; later he wen
to an exclusive gambling place an
lest every mark of it. He was in sue
dire circumstances that he was com
PEELED to vacate his spacious rooms a
hotel and was now staying at
third class house in the Bohemia
section of the city Like a mad mar
as he was, he was now daily visitin
the offices of the Brazilian nationa
lottery, where he expected to win
} lucky number. OF course, Lopez coul
rot return to his republic without
cent in his pocket.
For days frequented the Rio d
Janeiro state lottery offices, as I wa
informed by our consul that certai
people I wished to meet would
7 found at these establishments Near
5 while, l was in search of Presidi
} Lopez.
After many days without progre:
: in any of my special assignments, or
r day by a singular streak of fertur
S I met Lopez. I made his acquaintanc
t il a very strange fashion.
What They Do in Rio
+ In Rio they draw every day a stat
lottery, and on Sundays they doub
: the prizes, and after the mornir
+ church services everyone buys ticket
V One may win $4,000 marks on ar
v Sunday with a lucky ticket, and 80
8 600 marks on ordinary days One GOO
Il thing with these Adjustments
f that while they satisfy everybody
: gambling instinct it can never ru
r anyone.
t Funds for Kunani Republic
n Before the list of winning number
y which was posted on the door of tt
e establishment where the lotteri
d were being conducted, I met Presid
i Lopez, who was scanning the list
l the same time as L
: He was tall, thin man, with gre
y hair and air of distinction; one coul
see at a glance that he was some