The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-12-12
CASTLES IN AIR
FADED, SAYS !.
COUNTESS


NEW YORK. Dee. l2.-only
Raphael, whose descendant be-
claimed to be, could have excelied
the mastery painting Of Count
Humberton Aguirre de Urbina, u
Chile, his washington society
bride averred yesterday.
But he painted with words, and
the picture he painted-vast es.
tates, much money, great talent
faded amazingly, Countess Con-
stantine Elsie Shack Oracle do
Urbina testified. She is seeking an
annulment.
Word Pictures Faded
Perhaps no city in all the world
is so familiar with the, qualities
of the counts verbal masterpieces
as washington, D. C.. Because IL
was in the Sixteenth Street man
sion Of the countess-leader Of
Washington society. widow OF Col.
Archibald Oracle and granddaugh.
ter of the chancellor to q former
Danish King--that the glowing
colors Of the counts promises be-
gan to fade.
With them faded the count, all
Of his brides jewels, her silver.
ware and most of her expensive
wearing apparel.
In her testimony before Referee
Burr today Countess de UrbIna
spoke of MY friend, Mr.. Cool
idge," and his efforts to have
young Urbina brought back from
Chile.
Police AStOnished
Those efforts have aStonished
Washington's police force. They
resulted in one of the outStMMd-
ing examples of a determined
man keeping himself in readiness
ever recorded in the Nations
Capital.
When the count transformed
himself into q waiter as he
worked his way to his native
country, Headquarters Detective
Ira Keck, of the Washington
police force, was ordered to locate
the fleeing wooer and the jewels,
obtain warrant for the counts
arrest and keep himself in readi.
ness to be dispatched to Chile
and return the fugitive to this
country.
| Sergeant Keck did as he was
told. He has steadfastly kept
himself i.l readiness with the
warrant, signed by President
Coolidge, il his pocket, but he
has never been dispatched to-
Chile However, he has his orders
and is obcying them.
Wedding Surprises
Washington society was aston.
ished when Mrs. Oracle married
De Urbina, who was 80 and 30
years her junior, in st. rp6riCk's
| Cathedral here in 1924. But theF
did not know until tbs count
fled that even then Mrs. Oracle
had doults about the promises
of the romantic South American,
She explained today nov sfs
was swayed by the count Reier~Is>>
Burr questioned her:
| "And why, Madame, witt
your worldly experience, didn't
you inv eStigate all this before
you married the young man.!
"He was such . devoted .
lover. He made me think l
had to save his life. He threat
ened repeatedly to jump off the
roof of the Shelton Hotel II
didn't marry him."
"Were al his representations
falSe?"
"AII pOppycOck. He had no
great uncle who had been
papaI ambassador to France.
He had no relationship with
Raphael. He was just . no
body"
,, "He might be the Duke 81
Alcantara for all the proof you
have here. You can't really
know he was not q descendant
Of Raphael?"
"a descendant Of such m
ilIuStriOuS person would not
have taken my money, forged
my name to checks or tried to
kill me-"
One night in Washington, In
: 1925, she testified, she heard
: noises in an upstairs study in
her home. Investigating, she
said. she saw two men. Then
her husband suddenly appeared
and threw blanket over her
head. trying, she said, to choke
her. but her screams drove him
off.
Referee Burr reserved decision,