The New York herald., 1921-08-04
king PAYS TRIBUTE
in CARUSO FUNERAL
By His Permission Services
Will Be Held at Church
Resembling Pantheon.
ALL ITALY SHOWS GRIEF
American Ambassador Places
His Services at Disposal Of
Great TenOr's Widow.
BIZ the Associated Press.

NAPLES. Aug. 3.-All day the body OF
Enrico Caruso lay in the room where
he died, for at the last moment it was
decided that the burial should not take
place until tomorrow. By special per-
mission of King Victor Emanuel SER
vices will be held in the Basilica of the
Church of San Francesca di Paola, a
famous edifice resembling the Pan
theon at Rome. constructed by Ferdi-
nand l. in 1S17-31.
After this ceremony the body will
be taken to the cemetery and placed
iE the vault. The Mayor and Prefect
Of Naples will speak in behalf Of the
city and Government, respectively,
and it is probable that the American
Consul will deliver brief address in
behalf of the American Government
and the city of New York, which Ca
ruso called his second home.
Mrs. Caruso to-day told the Asso-
ciated Press that her husbands last
words were: Let me Sleep"
Until few hours before death, Mrs
Caruso added. the singer had expressed
the hope that he would recover, say
ing: II must get well because | must
return to the United States and fulfil
my contract"
The little daughter, Gloria, was
taken in to see the body of her father
to-day. She only knew that something
dreadful had happened, as her father
could not speak to her. Mrs. Caruso
IL bearing her sorrow with fortitude.
Caruso according to estimates in the
newspapers. left a fortune OF about
80. 200, 900 lire. cat the normal value OF
the lire this would represent about the
sum Of s6.00O,000. At the present rate
OF exchange it would be equivalent tc
$1.263.0 .000.)
The sculptor Cibariello took a death
mask of Caruso. The Mayor and Mu-
nlcipal Council of Naples solemnly COM
memorated the famous singer whose
death. the Mayor declared, was an ir-
reparable loss to Italian lyric art
Naples is in truth city of mourning
and from all parts of Italy have come
expressions OF grief many of them OF
a tender nature. because OF late years
Caruso had by the mastery OF his art
and his kindness OF heart found his
way into the warm affections of the
people. Therefore OF the thousands who
passed his bier to-day there was none
whose personal grief was not apparent
One OF the most touching scenes oc.
CURED when the godmother OF the sing.
er, Signora Maria Castaldi. came to the
hotel to inquire how Caruso was faring
She was met at the entrance by Giolic
Staffelli, the impresario. who Informed
her OF Caruso's death. The aged woman
was overcome with grief. She then en-
tered the Chapelle Ardente and knelt be-
side the body and prayed.
Tuesday morning his aged stepmother
came to the hotel. hoping for his rccov-
cry. She met an intimate friend OF the
family and greeted him with the query
How is Enrico?" The friend. unable
to answer, burst into tears. and the
stepmother. with dire forebodinss, vas
led upstairs, where she broke into cries
OF anguish and fell on her knees by the
bedside. She remained there until the
end.
The American Ambassador, Richard
Washburn Child. las sent the following
message 10 Mrs. Enrico Caruso: "All
the personnel of the embassy join with
me in expressing our profound grief al
your loss, which IL loss to the whole
world America feels as much as Italy
The loss of him whose heart and voice
we're of gold. We are at your disposal
for whntayar can be done"