BELIEVE ISNARDI
DEAD OR FUGITIVE.
LITTLE ITALY DIVIDED AS TO
THE FATE OF MISSING CONSUL.
Only Charge Which Might
Be Brought Against Him
Not Extraditable There.
As days pass and there is no sign of Peter Isnardi, the missing Italian consular agent, the theory gains force in "Little Italy" that he has either taken his own life or else gotten well out of the country. In line with the latter belief comes a statement from Judge Ralph S. Latshaw of the criminal court that in Mexico the crime of embezzlement is not extraditable. Embezzlement is the only charge Isnardi has to fear from his enraged fellow countrymen.
Since he took "French leave" two weeks ago yesterday, Signora Isnardi declares she has had no word from her husband. She was a little calmer yesterday than she has been at any time since the occurrence, but still refuses to discuss any of the affairs that might serve to incriminate the man to whom she had been a helpmate for twenty-five years.
It is rumored about the Italian quarter that the signora is one of those who believes that the delinquent consular agent has taken his life. This idea was first suggested by Father Charles Delbecchi of the Holy Rosary Catholic church, and it is now becoming general.
"I believe Isnardi went down to the Missouri River the night he left and threw himself in," said Antonio Sansone, who lent the agent $1,000 two weeks before he dropped out of sight. "Isnardi was what you Americans call a good fellow. He was rather extravagant and believed firmly in keeping his head up, whether or not he had the money to justify his pretensions. He was not dishonest at heart.
CONSUL APPEARED WORRIED.
"During the two weeks preceding his departure he acted queerly about his office, seeming at times to be almost beside himself with worry. There is no doubt in my mind that his delinquencies finally drove him to suicide."
Signora Isnardi yesterday gave Sansone a written order to take possession of the fixtures in the consulate. They are worth about $200.
Notwithstanding the pressure brought upon the prosecutor's office to issue a complaint against Isnardi, nothing of the kind has been done nor will be done, it was stated yesterday, until the charges assume a more concrete form.
Speaking of the case, Judge Latshaw said he incline to the belief that Isnardi has taken flight in Mexico or Canada.
"He has had plenty of time to reach other of these countries," the judge said, "and if he has, he is safe from extradition. I can quote many instances where men in danger of arrest on charges of embezzlement or obtaining money under false pretenses have gone to Mexico and openly gone into business there. If Isnardi feared that it would be construed that his business had not been altogether fair to his clients here, he may have taken the precaution to drop across the frontier until matters quiet down."
The consulate remained locked up yesterday, and the private papers of the consul were not examined.
