The New York herald., 1922-03-18
MOURNED FAR AND WIDE
Saved Hundreds in Budapest
When Bella Kun Rode
High Horse There.

Aenfy OF Buda ana Fest acquired an al
rection for the name, and when a few
days before Christmas. the news came
that G. Romanelli was dead. Budapest
went into mourning.
IN the churches they said masses for
MIN. In the Parliament they halted the
regular business ard euiosized him. AL
ready one Of the largest squares III the
city has been named for him. and the
people met there to mourn. They un-
yelled bust Of the short. little man
with the fiery eyes and the black mus
tache who had saved them in the dark
days of Bella Kun.
Rome and New York Mourn.
Even in Rome the people were deeply
affected There was sorrow at the pass
ing of brave and romantic figure And
in New York. where many knew him
ten years ago. people shook their heads
and said 1t was too bad. But
Last week Col. Guido Romanelli him
self came TO this city. He walked into
the offices of his friends and saw them
leap from their chairs as they would
at the sight of returned spirit. lie
had to explain that he was not dead,
and he has been explaining ever since.
1t was all the fault Of newspaper
nan in Budapest. who failed to verify
a first name. The news reached Buda-
pest that &C. Romanelli' was dead. and
the hasty conclusion was reached that
1t was the Romanelli they had loved,
whereas. it really was Col. Giovanni
Romanelli. also of the Italian army, but
unknown in Budapest
mo" sadly remarked Col. Romanelll
last night as he sat In the lobby OF the
Hotel Embassy, lit is not true that am
dead. But | have had the rare privilege.
granted to only a few men. Of hearing
and reading what people say when they
believe a friend dead. 1t was gratifying.
but sometimes 1t Is embarrassing. MY.
acuuaintances are surprised TO f1nd me
alive. and, having mourned me, they
sometimes betray disappointment. as II
were an migrate.
secs n Failure In His Real Death.
"Now my real DEATH when it comes,
will be a failure. 1t will be an anti
climax
Col. Romanelli has had a long and
distinguished career as an artillery oifi-
cer in the italian army. He was sent
TO Budapest in 1919 as head OF the
Italian Mission He remained there
when the city was taken over by Bela
Kun long after the representatives Of
other governments had fed.
During those days he endeared HIM
self to the Hungarian people, 50 tnat
he became sort OF national hero lie
protected the families Of the BolsheVik
leaders when Bella Kun was driven out
suppressed pogror1s. put down riots ana
saved many n trying situation When
he was called back to Rome to join his
regiment the people remembered him
with much OF that confidence and anec-
ton with which they are said 70 regard
Herbert Hoover.
The false news OF the death was car
ried back to Rome. whence 1t had come.
and the name OF Guido was substituted
for Giovanni in the mind Of the public.
The report was circulated on Saturday.
and, as no newspa pers were published on
Sunday, it was too late to do much about
II on Monday.
The Vatican sent a message OF con-
dolence to Col. Romanelli's mother The
sorrow in Rome was little less than that
in Budapest. Even the War Office be
licvcd the report for several hours.
His Holidays Ruined by Report.
my Christmas and New Years were
ruined" said the Colonel. II had so
many letters Those who believed was
dead wrote to my family expressing
their sorrow. Those who had learned
was alive wrote me of how happy they
were. 7 had to answer them all"
Col Romanelli Is well known among
the Italians OF this city, and the report
or his death. together with a lengthy
obituary was published in most of the
local Italian papers. No denial ever was
made, or, IL IL was made. IL never gained
much circulation. So the Colonel when
he landed here a week ago on a semi
official mission for the Italian Govern
ment. walked In upon his old friends and
found them amazed.
Col Romanelli explained that he is
making a tour of the United States and
Mexico to visit the principal Italian
colonies. The Italian Government, he
explained desires a more complete
knowledge Of conditions in these colonies.
with particular reference to the question
Of Italian immigration.
Il hope" said the Colonel. that be-
fore ! arrive in the other cities of this
country II will have been definitely
established that I am not dead / ask
you to believe me- am not dead -