File No. 365.117/492

The Secretary of State to Ambassador Page

No. 480

Sir: With reference to your despatch No. 597 of December 14, 1916, concerning the citizenship and impressment into the Italian army of Vito Messino, there is enclosed herewith for the information of your Embassy and the Italian Foreign Office a copy of a letter of January 31, 1917, from Mr. Harry Heher, attorney-at-law, No. 301–302, Commonwealth Building, Trenton, New Jersey.2 It will be observed from the statements made by Mr. Heher that Mr. Nicholas Messino, of Trenton, New Jersey, believes that the Francesco Messino, who is now serving in the Italian Army and is inscribed in the recruiting lists as being from the Comune of Genoa, is his son, who, however, was born at Trenton, New Jersey, on May 9, 1889, instead of in New York City on May 24, 1892, as stated in the note from the Foreign Office. It is also stated in Mr. Heher’s letter that the name of the mother of Vito, or Francesco, Messino was Petrocelli Teresina, and that she was born in Sarconi, Italy. There is also included in Mr. Heher’s letter a statement in regard to the reasons why the young man in question is now known as Frank, or Francesco, Messino.

You will please inform the appropriate Italian authorities in regard to the statements made by Mr. Heher, and ask that a further investigation be made.

I am [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:
Frank L. Polk
  1. Not printed.