FRUSTRATED ELOPEMENT

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1017, 9 March 1912, Page 4

FRUSTRATED ELOPEMENT

LOVE DRAMA AT SEA

The newspapers in Rome report a dramatic sequel to the elopement of Queen Margherita’s first lady-in-waiting, Signoriua Eivia Malfatti, with Omar Rifaat Bey, late Turkish attache to the Embassy there.

The flight of the couple brought about by the present state of hostilities between their respective countries, was hindered by the merest accident, yet in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable. The lovers recently announced their betrothal, only to hear it ruthlessly c ndemned in the high Court circles in which they lived. Despite this, they continued to meet. At the outbreak of war Rifat Bey, along with the Turkish Ambassador and other high officials, had to arrange to leave Italy without delay. Putting forward some excuse for not travelling to Constantinople with bis superiors, the attache met Mile. Malfatti secretly, and travelled with her to Genoa, where the lovers remained a considerable period waiting a Turkish vessel upon which Omar Bey had booked, in his own name in order to get the best accommodation. As later events proved this was his undoing. As the vessel with the elopers on board was making the Straits of Messina, the Italian battleship Dona sighted her, and, in accordance with the rules with the blockade, ordered her to heave to, a pinnace putting off to enquire the vessel’s errand and to obtain a list of her passengers.

On scanning this list, the warship’s commander, Admiral Maitatti, read the name Omar Bey. Though ignorant of his daughter’s elopement, he at once decided to board the vessel, as he was of course aware of her inlatuatiou. The first person he was confronted with on mounting the gangway was the attache himself, who, grievously mistaken as to the admiral’s visit, took it for granted that the game was up and before a word had been exchanged announced that his ‘•wife” was below.

For a second the admiral stood aghast; then, realising the position, he demanded to be taken to his daughter. A dramatic scene followed the meeting of father and child. Protestations and explanations were in vain, and she was ordered to leave the ship at once. Omar Bey, on the other hand, was told that he would be permitted to proceed to Constantinople.