Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-06-05
CaSpar RauSer,

| The death OF the Grand Duke Of Baden re-
| wives the recollection Of the story Of Caspar
| Hauser, which few years since created 50 deep
an interest every where. 1t Was first published
hesitatingy, as doubtful item of news: but as
time passed it was found to be 4 veritabe his
! tory, was reprinted in various forms, making a
consderab,e ,e volume, and been the topic of as
much curious speculation as the story of the
Man Of the Iron Mask Public opinion has in
both cases settled down in the conviction that
both these mysterious persons were Of royal
birth, whose existence interfered with the sue
cesson of Crowns. In the case of Caspar
Hauser the proof is said to have been once ob-
tained, and subsequently lost, that he was the
heir Of the duchy. Most persons remember
the particulars of this remarkable story, which
has been so often reprinted. One morning
wild, idiotic youth was found in the streets of
Leipsic. He was taken up by charity, and it
was found that, although approaching to matu-
rjty in years, he was like a new born infant in
knowledge, the use Of his faculties, and of his
limbs. He could not walk Or see, or make any
other than unntelligible sounds. 1t became ap.
parent that he had been confined all his life in
darkness, without communication with any
human being, and without room for locomotion.
The phenomenon was extraordinary. He be-
came a subject Of anxious study to the meta |
physicians, and means were taken to cultivate
his faculties and study their development. The
Developments make curious volume; but it is |
with the fate of this unfortunate youth we have |
to do. After acquiring language he described |
his early condition as that ofcaptiyity, from his
earliest recolections, in narrow, dark cell at
tended by one keeper, who from some cause |
unknown liberated him, and abandoned him |
in the streets where he was found. The incl |
dent became the subject of pablic controversy; |
indications were made to appear that some |
powerful persons were in hostility to the found
ling; suspicion connected the events with cir.
cumstances in the reigning family of Baden, and |
were attempted, in the midst of
which Caspar was murdered in Nuremburg.
The murder was traced so as to be fixed, in
public suspicion, upon high officer connected
with the Court, who was also proved to have
bribed the author of a pamphlet on Caspar
Hausers claims to suppress the work. The
subject died away, until revived by the late
events connected with the fact that the reputed
mother of Caspar Hauser, relative of Louis
Napoleon, is now at Paris. and has the opportu-
1itv by her influence there, to make his fate
ubiect of official inquiry during the contested
questions Of the Baden succession.
The brief points of the story are, that Duke
Charles of Baden, son of the then reigning
Duke, married, in 1906, Stephanie, niece of the
Empress Josephine. They had two sons, of
whom the first died young, and the second, who
would have been the rightful heir, was spirited
way in his infancy aid never heard of again.
This and other crimes were charged upon Lud-
Wig, Cor Louis) the brother Of Duke Charles.
Duke Charles died before his father and Lud-
vic succeeded; and after a dissolute and odious
egn, died unmarried, and was succeeded by
alf brother-the Duke who has just died.
whose title was disputed, by reason of the in
ormality in his mothers marriage, and whose
ldest son was an idiot.-Picay1ne /