const char& Item::name() const{
            char& name = *_name;
            return name;
    }

Here's your problem. A char& is a reference to only 1 char. *_name = *(_name + 0) = _name[0]. So you only get the first character.

char* as strings is for C. In C++, you should use std::string:

    const string Item::name() const{
            string name(_name);
            return name;
    }