davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29

any known progress toward the
hoped for event.
In May, 1909, sympathy for the
young man was greatly stirred by
dispatch in the newspapers that,
heartsick over his failure, he had
attempted to shoot himself when on
his way to India, but the truth of
this dispatch, as seemed to be the
fate of every other statement grow
ing out of the affair, was afterward
denied.
During August and September of
the same year popular interest in
the courtship was revived by "semi-
official" announcements from Rome
that all opposition to the match
finally had died away, and that the
marriage certainly would take place
in February, 1910. These announce
ments were said to have resulted
from meeting between the duke
and his eldest brother in Venice on
August 2, 1909. It was understood,
the ''semi- official announcement
went on, that the title Of Countess
Ct Teramo was to be bestowed upon
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
n OWAGER QUEEN MARGHERITA of Itoly aUho qvos
strongly opposed to the Dukes 2narxaQe to Miss Ens

riage; the President of the Italian
Senate, as officer of the State and
notary of the Crown, had been des-
ignated as the one to transcribe the
act of marriage in the registry Of
the royal household,
AS these reports, invested with
circumstances Of apparent author
ity, came from Rome, they were ac-
ccpted as truth by many persons
in spite Of the equally definite asser-
tons from other quarters tha. the
engagement, if it ever existed, was
all off.
Public Was for the Duke
The duke all this time had the
sympathy Of all those who Glove a
lover" and seemed to be making
every effort to overcome the OBJ
stacles at the Italian court. He and
his two brothers, the Duke Of Aosta
and the Count Of Turin, were said
to have had several conferences with
King Victor Emmanuel at the palace
in Rome on the subject of the pro-
posed MARRIAGE but without making
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
THE DUKE OF THE
4 ABRUZZI IN the uaiform,
Of an officer of the Italian
Many

Miss Elkins in anticipation of her
marriage and that as next step ar
rangements were we'll under way
for her to become a member of the
Catholic Church.
Miss Elkins and her mother were
then reported to be at Nauheim,
Hesse, Germany, and the duke in
tended to join her there, it was said,
as soon as he returned from a trip
to the Himalayas.
Back From the Himalayas
The next month the duke re-
turned from the Himalayas, but did
not go to Germany. or to the house
Of the Countess Granard in England,
where it waSnext rumored the en-
gagement would be renewed. In
stead, he went to Marseilles, and
from there to Rome, where, it was
said, he had another conference at
Racconigi Palace with the King and
the Queen.
The next heard of the duke was
in the shape of report that he had
gone secretly to Switzerland to meet
his American sweetheart, and once
again the usual announcements were
forthcoming, first, that the marriage
positively would take place, and,
second, that it positively would not.
Meantime, new crop of reports
of an entirely different nature began
to reach the United States from,
abroad. Miss Elkins, whose every
step was chronicled by reporters,
made visit to Paris, and mention
was made of the fact that one
Billy Hit was frequently seen in
her company.
Inquiry as to who Billy Hit
might be disclosed the fact that he
was William F. r. Hit, son Of the
late Representative r. r. Hit. OF
Illinois, once a power on the Repub.
lican side of the House in Washing.
ton.
Billy Hisss it seemed. had beer
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
MP. AND MRS. WILLIAM
1HA z. r. HIT. Mrs. HIT
aUas formerly Miss Katherine
E'Lkl71s

the young Italian, followed by the
good wishes of most Americans, un-
dertook his cross-seas journey, but
up to the present no satisfactory Of
fetal explanation Of what happened
to prevent the match has been forth
coming. That the young man was in
love with Miss Elkins, and that she
in some degree reciprocated his feel
ings never was disputed.
Some blamed Queen Dowager
Margherita of Italy for the COL
lapse Of the romance, and others
Senator Elkins, the young woman's
father, who was said to be irrev-
ocably averse to the marriage un-
less all the rights Of royal con-
sort were accorded to Miss Elkins
The idea Of her becoming a NOR
ganatic wife was firmly opposed by
him.
AS the international negotiations
and exchange of cable messages
continued it developed that the
King and Queen of Italy were in
clined to listen with favor to the
young DUKES pleas, but that the
Duchess of Aosta, wife of the
dukes eldest brother, sided with the
Queen Dowager.
Then ensued a period of years
when no day seemed complete which
did not produce some new angle Of
the international romance.
Denied by the Senator
Originally it had been rumored
that the marriage would take place
some time in October, 1908, and
the first official announcement to
the contrary was made by Senator
Elkins in August of that year, when
he told newspaper men at the Bel
mont Hotel in New York that the
report was "absolutely without
foundation"
Soon afterwards however, the
Princess Letitia, stepmother Of the
duke, was said to have confirmed
the betrothal between the duke and
Miss Elkins, and the gossip began
all over again. This time it was
reported from Italy that the mar
riage was to take place some time
in November, and many details were
provided in connection with the
event. The King, it was said, was
to give the bride a diamond tiara
worth s120,0oo; Senator Elkins
was to be invested with the collar
of the Annonciade, worn only by
the adult relatives of the King;
several battleships were to escort
the duke to America for his mar.
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
THE DUCHESS OF
4 AOSTA, sister-in-loav of
the Duke of the Abruzzi, tuho
opposed his marriage to
Katherine Elkins
THE DUKE OF THE ABRUZZI revieavi,
a notlre troops atpon his orrivol im Italia
Somahland IN Eastern Africa

North Pole problem. This was, of
course, long before the roof of the
world had felt the foot of any ex-
plorer, and there was intense inter-
est in the italian nobleman's prepa-
rations. His plans completed, he
embarked from Christiania on June
12, 1899, in the Stella Polaris, and
forced his way to within 241 miles
Of the pole, or further north than
any explorer before him. His rec
ord of "furthest north" remained
unchallenged until 1906, when the
late Admiral Peary won the honor
by approaching within 202 miles of
the pole.
Still Hungered for Adventure
Any ordinary young man would
have been satisfied with all these
accomplishments, but the dukes
love of adventure was not so easily
appeased, and after having written
an excellent book on his polar ex-
plorations, he undertook the prob
lem of scaling the Mountains of the
Moon.
This famous range is in Africa,
and was known to Ptolemy, but mad
never been conquered by any white
man before the Duke of the Abruzzi.
In fact, for years their existence was
thought to be myth. The duke
solved the mystery by climbing six
teen of the mountains and bringing
back an exact record of their
location and height.
This, then, was the young man
who came overseas to WOO the fair
American.
Statements as to the first meeting
between the two have been generally
conflicting, but it took place some
time in 1907, in this country, after
the duke had made his third visit to
the United States as the representa-
tive of his country at the jamestown
Exposition.
In March, 1908, Miss Elkins, her
father, the late Senator Stephen B.
Elkins, and her mother were stop
ping at a hotel in Florida, and
tongues began to wag when a dis.
tinguished looking foreigner, regis
tered at the same hostelry as Ludo-
vico Sarto, was discovered to be no
less a parsonage than the famous
young Duke of the Abruzzi.
Followed Her to Baltimore
When a few days later the Elkins
family returned to Baltimore accom-
panied by the duke, the gossip be-
came general, and when short time
afterward the young man started
back for Italy it was openly stated
in the newspapers that his mission
was to ask the consent of the King
and Queen Of Italy to his marriage
to Miss Elkins.
Twelve years have gone by since
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29

'
regretfully and said "Poor
Il fellow" when they read the
other day that the Duke of
the Abruzzi had taken up his abode
in Italian Somaliland and might
possibly devote the remainder of his
life to the agricultural DEVELOPMENT
Of that colony. In the homes in the
United States, Italy, France, Great
Britain, Spain, where the incidents
Of his international" wooing were
remembered the emotionally in
clined shook their heads and mur
INJURED:
away off in that terrible part of
Africa Just imagine. Too bad!"
And yet the duke is not exactly
the person one would pick offhand
for an object of pity. Born the son
of a king, prince in his own right.
a gallant soldier, heir to a great
estate, comparatively young, good
looking, and with picturesque
background of daring and skillful
exploring and mountain climbing, he
would seem to be blessed beyond
most men.
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
Billy on the Job

whenever MISS Elk1ns went shop
ping in Paris or elsewhere on the
Continent it was duly observed that
the faithful Billy was not far off,
and when the Elkins family returned
to New York in October, 1911, VIII
liam F. r. Hit was aboard the same
steamship.
Some of the tenacious adherents
to the dukes cause still continued
to predict from time to time that
the marriage would take place yet"
and occasional advices from over
seas stated the royal opposition
was fast disappearing" but on Octo-
Der 27, 1913, further conjectures in
this direction we're abruptly termi-
mated by the marriage of Miss Elkins
and Billy Hit at Elkins, w. Va.
For all the devotion displayed by
the young man, the marriage was
complete surprise, and even the
nearest relatives of the couple, in
cluding the mother Of the bride, did
not know of the impending cere-
mony, it was said, until few hours
before it was performed.
The marriage was performed in
the afternoon in the main hall of
Halleyhurst, the Elkins country
place, in the presence of the iinme-
diate members of the two families
only. The ceremony was informal,
and Mr.. Hits mother, who was not
present, learned of it by telegraph.
End of the Romance
This ended the Elkins-Abruzzi
romance, five years after it's incep-
tion, but did not entirely destroy
public interest in the duke. He was
heard Of from time to time through
his activities in the war, and when
he suffered his second disappoint-
ment by having his advice ignored
as admiral of the navy the sympa-
thy that went out to him was inten-
sified by his failure to marry the
girl of his choice.
In November, 1919, it was an
nounced that he had gone to the
Italian Somaliland in the hope of
discovering the source of the Webb
Shebeli River, known as the "K1ver
of Leopards," and after that came
the news that he had decided to
remain in Somaliland and develop
its agricultural resources.
That the task undertaken by the
duke is far from an easy one and
may very well occupy him for the
rest of his life is admitted by every
one who has the least acquaintance
with the country.
Italian Somaliland Is a narrow
strip Of the northeastern coast os
Africa, bordered on the west nv
Abyssinia. Its open plains are
covered for the most part with
coarse grasses, with here and there
dense tracts of jungle land. Its
natives are glistening blacks. who
come Of fighting race and generally
go about armed with spears, and H.
climate ranges from intense drv
beat to days Of suffocatine humidity,
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
MISS KATHERINE EL-
w KINS at the time her
engagement to the Duke of
the Abruzzi aCds reported

devoted to Miss Elkins for several
years, having been an admirer even
before the advent of the duke, and
it had even been rumored at one
time that they were engaged. This
rumor was effectively laid with the
appearance of the duke, but as the
possibility of the latter's marriage
to Miss Elkins became more and
more remote, increasingly frequent
mention was made of the presence
in the young woman's company Of
the persistent Billy.
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
Another Explanation

EAAOAACA AAPldAAdtAOH
Of course, there is another pos
sible side to this picture, although
the public refuses to consider it.
The duke, during the war, was Ad-
miral Commander in Chief of the
Italian navy. AS such he made GER
tain recommendations which, he
contended, would serve to hasten
the end of the war. One of these
recommendation was that an at
tack be made by land and sea on
that part Of the Dalmatian coast
which lies north of Cattaro, as
means of cutting off the Austrians
from their base, but as the plan
called for an employment of from
10000 to 100000 soldiers, General
Cadorna, of the Italian forces, re-
fused to sanction it.
The duke took the refusal much
to heart, and, from reports, offered
his resignation to the King, who
would not accept it. Afterward the
Admiral came in for criticism when
certain units of the Austrian naval
forces eluded his vigilance, or were
said to have eluded it, and this in
creased his dissatisfaction. He
finally induced the King to relieve
him of his command, and very little
was heard of him by the public for
some time after that.
! 1t is admitted in some quarters
that his disappointment over his
treatment in the war might have
had something to do with his de-
cision to go to Somaliland, but this
view finds very little support among
those who insist on investing his
act with a sentimental significance
and who hold tenaciously to the be-
lief that his unforgotten devotion
! to his American sweetheart was
what prompted it. The suggestion
that the duke really saw a new op-
portunity for serving his country
by bringing into productivity an
important part Of its African terri
tory which up to the present has
been largely barren, is as generally
scoffed at as the other.
Started Back in 1908
1t was in March, 1908, when gos-
sip first connected the names Of the
Duke Of the Abruzzi and the for
mer Miss Elkins.
Prince Luigi Amadeo of Savoy, to
give his other title, had for several
years before that held distin-
guished place in public esteem as a
young man of courage, an explorer
and a mountain climber. Born in
Madrid in 1878, in the last year Of
his fathers reign as the King of
Spain, he became known, even as a
boy, as born mountain climber.
At the age of twenty-one he
scaled the Matterhorn, and soon
afterward made a cruise around
the world for his government as a
lieutenant aboard the warship Girls
toforo Colombo. While on this
cruise he made his first visit to the
United States, returning in 1897 to
carry out his ambition to climb
Mount St. Elias in Alaska. In this
he was successful, attaining the
$4,000 foot level after a series of
experiences which attracted world
wide attention. He was the first
man to reach the summit of this
mountain.
For two years after that the duke
| devoted himself To studying the
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29

lIey ShOok Chelr neadS ana sighed
TOO bad!" was their own interpre-
tation Of the outcome Of the dukes
courtship Of the former Miss
Katherine Elkins, of West Virginia,
an affair which in its various stages
engaged the attention of the Pope,
the King of Italy. the King of Eng
land, the King of Spain and mobiles,
statesmen and the reading public
everywhere.
Twelve years have elapsed since
that most extraordinary of world
romances began its narrative of
rumor, counter rumor and denial; !;
transatlantic voyages, royal trepida-
tions, high hopes, fond aspirations
and broken" anticipations, and still
the public refuses to forget. 1t is
one of the most remarkable in
stances on record of the persistence
of popular sentimental inclinations.
Solemn, semi-official assurances
from the Quirinal at Rome that
there was no basis for the. general
view taken of the Abruzzi- Elkins
attachment, combined with news
dispatches from the Eternal City
and Venice that the young noble
man was now infatuated with two
other women, being so much in love
with both that he could not decide
CT either, failed to convince any
one, and the people went on believ-
ing as they had before.
Story Gets a Fresh Start
Now, more than a decade after
the inception Of the romance, the
fires have broken out afresh.
Why else would prince of the
House of Savoy forsake the fair
halls Of his ancestral estate and
bury himself among the blacks of
the African littoral, where only
hardships and burning sun await
him?
1t would be humorous if ere could
get rid of the vague uneasiness that
1T might also be tragic. However
gratifying to the sentimental on
locker may be the spectacle of the
unsuccessful suitor rushing off to
shoot big game in an alien land,
there is always the possibility that
the young man himself may be un-
happy. 1t is one of those situations
which appeal to the risibilities of
all but the victim.
The public's dogged refusal to
give up its pet theory concern
ing the duke would touch the funny
bone, but for certain batting fea-
lures which, as in the initial stages
Of his courtship, becloud the entire
situation with uncertainty.
After all, it is a fact that the
duke has abandoned the attractions
OF Venice for the blistering wastes
OF Somaliland, and 1t is also true
that unlike tho former Miss Elkins.
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
THE DUKE OF THE
I ABRUZZI, qUho has "bur-
led" himself IN Italian
Somalil07ad

F. r. (Billy) Hit, he has never
married.
AS in the beginning of this mys-
terious affair, the smile is constantly
being checked by the sigh. And in
stead of the prince riding off and
leaving the poor little girl, as in
the tales of old, here, If the public
version be true, we have a case of
the prince himself going into mourn
ing long after the girl of his choice
had found happiness in the love of
another man.
New-York tribune., 1920-08-29
By Arnold Prince

were many who sighed
regretfully and said "Poor
h fellow" when they read the
Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-17
WEDNESDAY, MARCH + :.

ly been detected. Bladder-wort is a
fairly common aquatic plant, ana no
very special interest attached to il ere
its fish-eating propensities were dis.
covered It's tiny vesibles were know.
to contain air, and the only use of these
so far known, was to keep the plant
alioat-a belief, be it remarked, all
the more reasonable because many
aquatic plants actually have such air
reeeptaeles for that very. purpose. The
tiny bladders attached to the leaves
and leaf stalks are each furnished
with a door. the whole acting on the
eei-trap principle, entrance being easy
but exit impossible. Any water erea.
ure tnat ventul es in to look aronna
out of mere curiousity never by anv
chance emerges alive.
Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-17
Declarations Of
Five Candidates
Are Filed Today

John A. Jeffrey, Ala Mckay bloc.,
Portland, today filed with the seere-
tary of states office here his nominate
ing petition as a candidate for the
democratic nomination for district at
torney for Multnomah county. JEFF
frey declares that he is independent OF
all cliques and faction" and promises
to ''fearlessly and honestly enforce the
law"
Elwood Washington Of Hammond,
Ind. intimation OF whose desire to
serve as vice-president Of the United
States. was received in letter to the
secretary of states offic several days
ago, today filed his formal nominating
petition as a candidate for the republic
can nomination. Washington's cam
paign card declares that his is the first
of his name to be presented before a
national political convention since the
first president OF the nation.
Other candidates filing today were:
w. II. Brooks Of Ontario, repubii-
can. candidate for delegate to the ma
tIohdi repuoiiSdH cOnNehtiOh Aroih the
second congressional district. Brooke
declares for return to the principles
Of Washington, Lincoln, Mckinley and
Roosevelt"
p. ]. Gallagher, Ontaria. republican
candidate for reelection as represent
ative from the twenty seventh legisla-
tive district.
Noble Andrews, Myrtle Creek, re-
publican, candidate for nomination for
representative from Douglas county.
Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-17
Tasting Canned
Goods to Detect
Poison Is Risky

Stanford University, Cal, March 16.
Use your eyes and your nose, and
never under any circumstances your
tongue to determine whether any
canned food is fit to eat, is the advice
of DIR. Ernest C. Dickson Of the Stan
ford Medical School, who is investi-
eating botulism, the poison which has
recently caused deaths among people
eating canned food products
The bacillus of botulism is Destroyed
by heat and there will be no danger
from this source If canned foods are
boiled before they are eaten, accord
ing to. DR.. Dickson, who said this is
tie sum and substance of what sci
ence can tell the general public for
its protection.
The Stanford University Medical
School laboratory under DIR. Dickson
in cooperation with the Hooper Med
ical Foundation of the University of
California, with Dr. Karl Meyer in
charge, is conducting an extensive in
vestigation of the methods of food
preservation. This investigation is
being financed by canning interests.
Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-17
Five indictments
Are Returned by
Grand Jury Today

Working rapidly on number OF
cases, the Marion county grand Jury
returned indictments Wednesday az
ternoon against five persons who had
been bound over TO await investiga-
tions.
Alice Smith, Joseph Lichty and
Romeo Lais were each indicted on the
charge OF contributing to the delin-
quency OF a minor, and are held un-
der $1,000 bond. Lichty and Lais.
when arraigned before Judge Kelly.
pleaded guilty OF the charge and will
be sentenced "Wednesday afternoon.
Alice Smith has not been arraigned
for plea, but will be in court. We'd
nesday afternoon.
After 4 true bill was returned
against Joseph Burdune, charged with
forgery, a bench warrant was Issued
for his arrest and ne is held under
$500 bond. Burdune was charged with
passing a forged check upon the State
Bank of Donald,
John A. Hess and Nora Dennis
were arraigned upon the charge OF
lewd cohabitation and after pleading
guilty are held under $500 bond.
With the completion of these inves-
LEGATIONS, there remained two impor-
tant matters for the jury to delve
into. Working under the direction of
Attorney General George NJ. Brown.
the jury viii investigate the state
treasurer's office in connection with
charges brought by Portland paper
concerning the purchase Of certain
municipal bonds.
It is understood that the grand jury
will also be called upon to pass upon
charges brought against the State In
dustrial Accident Commission by E.
Lee Roy Kelley, q Portland attorney.
Kelley, in his charges. alleges that the
accident commission made the award
in the Dibbern case in order to pro-
tect the Grant-Smith-P Porter Ship
company from possible award OF
damages from hte admiralty court, in
which Kelley and Mrs. Dibbern had
filed suit.
Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-17
Salem Inpited To
attend Big Trade
Meet In Frisco

The Salem Commercial Club. in a
letter from the Portland Chamber of
Commerce today. is invited to partici-
pate in the Seventh Annual Nationai
Foreign Trade Council meeting in San
Francisco May 2. Manager T. E.
McCroskey is instructed in the letter
to secure the names OF those wisA.ns.
to attend. and to make reservation OF
cards provided for that purpose.
The Portland Chamber, according to
the letter. is sending $50 delegates.
They win leave there on the Oregon
Special at 1885 p. m. May 5, arriv-
ing in San Francisco on the morning
Of May 10. Hotel Bellevue in the Bay
City has been reserved for the Oregon
delegation.
The trade council meeting is called
for the purpose OF striving to open
greater markets for American proo-
ucts in foreign lands, and the benefit
Salem will derive from such a meeting
is held great.