The Washington times., 1921-01-16
Sisnor Rasozzino, the Caruso Chef.

~ the many and peculiar mishaps
which have befallen Caruso. the
great Metropolitan Opera tenor,
there is one which has not been explained
in the newspapers.
In the Municipal Court Of New York the
other day Mr.. Caruso and Mrs. Caruso
made their appearance in a suit brought.
by Carlo Ragozzino, a cook 1t appears
that Mr. Caruso engaged the man as an
Italian chef to cook at the Caruso Summer
cottage at Easthampton, Long Island.
Caruso agreed to pay Ragozzlno $40 a
week and the chef began his service the
first of last May at the Long Island cot
tage, just before the famous Jewel robbery.
Caruso himself went to Havana to fill an
operate engagement, and after two weel.s
Mrs. Caruso discharged the chef. The cook
brought suit to recover his wages for the
entire Summer season up to November l.
claiming that Caruso engaged him for the
season.
When the case was called for trial Ragoz-
zinc, the cook, took the witness stand in
his own behalf, and stated that he had
called to see Caruso early last Spring at
the Knickerbocker Hotel, where the Ca
rusos we're living He had been recon-
mended by somebody at the Metropolitan
Opera House, Di Giovanni, and after a
short interview with the tenor he was
hired, he claimed, for the season. The
cook insisted that he was competent and
satisfactory chef, and that the only reason
for his discharge by Mrs Caruso was be-
cause he spoke Italian and Mrs. Caruso
was unable to get along with cook who
did not understand English.
At the end Of Ragozzino's testimony the
lawyers called Mr.. Caruso, and the testi-
mony as given by the famous singer was
as follows:
QUESTION BY LAWYER CONWAY
ATTORNEY FOR MR.. CARUSO)-Mr.
Caruso, you remember the first occasion
when you saw Ragozzno?
ANSWER BY MR.. CARUSO-Yes, sir.
In the Hotel Knickerbocker.
O. And when you came into the room
where Ragozzino and Ziroto, your secre-
tary, were, what was the conversation that
took place?
A. Mr. Ziroto told me, This is Mr.
Ragozzino, cook recommended by Di
Giovanni" / said "Who is Di Giovanni"
and Mr. Ziroto said. you remember the
Young boy who comes half an hour before
the performance at the opera house to an
nounce that It is half an hour to wait for
the performance and give US the pro-
gramme of tonight" | said, "Oh. yes, the
, young boy" Well" he said. this Mr..
Ragozzino is the godfather of this boy"
Then said, do you fix anything with this
gentleman" He says, Yes; he asked me
$50 a week, but arranged for $40" Then
asked him where he come from; he says,
81 come from Naples"
JUDGE EDER-You asked Ragozzino?
ANSWER BY MR. CARUsO-Ragozzino,
yes. Il come from Naples" l said, where
do YOU work." "Oh," he said, Il worked
in very places where you go to eat"
WELL" ! said where I go to eat?" 60
to Del PIAZZA or little place downtown
when he was down there" in many
other restaurants where you don't know
tnat was tneTe wen, WUdt is Tic
price?" $40 a week" Then I said, DO
you know how to cook anything in Ameri.
can style?" and he said, yes, Of course;
l have been here for a long time and !
know French cooking, Italian cooking; Of
course, American is very easy"
Well" said, you know we are many
people in the house. In a few days" |
said, 81 will leave for Atlanta and Havana,
after I shall stay away about two month,
then there will be three or four people
less In the. family, but" I said, II will
make a list of the people which will be in
the house." and make list.
| said, MRS. Caruso Mrs. BENJAMIN.
Mr. Park Benjamin, my son Enrico, Hen
rietta Ristore, Bernetta Fontaine, Frank
Ferrar. his wife, Eda Mozzino, our nurse,
nurse for Mrs. Benjamin and three chill.
dren, two Of Mrs. Benjamin and one us,
my baby" Then ] said you must take
care OF these people because they are
Americans, because when ] come back Il
is very easy for me to make some spag.
hetti"
He said, Eyes, II is very easy for me be-
cause the American cooking is very easy
to do, very simple" ] said. "You don't
think IL ia too much uork for vnu 30 Ha