The Washington times., 1922-02-21
FORMER WIFE
| Of CRANE WILL
F|GHT FOR SON
Costa Rican Beauty Bobs
Hair in Preparation for
Legal Battle.

my hair and cleared for action"
That is the iisht.hearted defiance
issued by Miss Elida Piza, former
wife Of Herbert p. Crane, Chicago
millionaire manufacturer and iron
magnate, on beginning her legal
battle to retain custody Of her son
and recovery Of what she terms
$40, 900 back alimony.
The Costa Rican beauty says that
once she has her boy definitely
awarded to her she wants to forget
her broken romance with the
wealthy iron magnate.
IT want to forget ever was mar.
ried and. be a girl again. That 10
why l have bobbed my hair. You
see-also-it won't get in my way
when l go into court to make my
fight.
zone thing I have determined
Mr.. Crane will never get my boy.
I will keep him, no matter what the
law says!'
And to emphasize her determine
ton she explains she has left her
child here in New York under
actually armed guard.
VIII Keep Soon.
MY father sent the guards from
Costa Rica. They are tried and
true employees of his coffee plsnta-
ton and will see that there are no
attempts to kidnap my boy. They
are immune from bribery"
Miss Piza, incidentally. also wishes
1t known that she does not eat
lizards.
ridiculous. have never tasted
one. And do not feed them to my
SON."
Attorneys for Crane in filing his
request for at least part.time Gus
tody OF his son, charge that pork
chops and lizards" were the chief
delicacies Of Costa Ricans, and said
his father wished to bring him up an
American.
Only Half Lizard.
"Ot course" the olive. skinned
beauty added. there is the 'inauinat .
II Is a great delicacy. but It is only
half lizard, half fish. Besides. my
former husband himself ate inquinas
with much relish while counting me
back home"
Meanwhile. Crane. on q pleasure
tour with a party of friends. has
Just experienced on the tropical
scene of his exotic romance a taste
of what he may expect on his re-
turn to Chicago and the forth
coming legal tiff with his former
wife.
He has undergone the humiliating
experience OF having his nose
tweaked In public by his late
father-in-law and OF refusing q duel
Ito the death" proffered by the
latter, according to q letter which
Miss Piza has received from her
father.
The story. as related in the mis-
give. is as follows:
Mr.. Crane, while crossing Costa
Rica recently on the San Jose Gen.
trail railroad Is said to have taken
advantage of a stop-over to ride on
horseback to the plantation where
he met, wooed and won the beaute-
Gus Eiida.
Apparently looking about for a
sight OF his former wife, he was
recognized by employees Of the coffee
returned to his train the plantation
hands informed Piza of his presence.
The old planter rushed upstairs to
the bureau drawer, where he kept
his dueling pistols. He cleaned them
out and loading them with sure-tire
shot made a dash on a fast steed
to the railroad station.
Challenged To Duel.
There he found the train still
waiting. Striding through the cars
he found his former son.in.law seat
ed alone. With all the dignity re-
quired by the Costa Rican code OF
honor. he proffered one Of the pis-
tolls. and intoned in his best
funeral manner
"One of us will leave this coach
feet first
In reply he received naughty
smile. Piza became Infatuated.
II slap you"
The back of his hand struck Mr..
Cranes right cheek.
But the smile remained.
Il slap you on the other side
SOL
This time the left check got IT,.
Mr.. Crane continued to show ap.
probation of the humor of the
situation. The old planter cried:
II dare you to get off and fight
II out. man to man"
This time Mr.. Crane made vocal
answer.
.'Nybv NV dear sir much an