Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-05
A STRANGE STORY.
Alleged Neglect by the English Gov.
ernment of One of Its Subjects
A Detailed Account of Great Suf-
ferings-The Identity of the Wri-
ter VOuched For.


A Detailed Account of Great Suf-
ferings-TRe Identity of the Wri'
ter vOuched For.
From the New York Star.l
We have received from well known
gentleman the following letter, addressed
to him by an English lady, whose ac-
quaintance he made while travelling in
Europe in 1867, at which time she was
perfectly sane. He has not since heard
from her until the receipt of this singu-
lar communication. In forwarding this
letter to the Star, this gentleman says:
81 enclose strange letter received from
an English lady we met once or twice in
Europe. | am in doubt whether it is the
result Of bad treatment, insanity, or
both AS she desires publication, see
no objection to your publishing it, with
her name"
No. AZ MARGATE, YoRK, ENGLAND,
September 30, 1870.
DEAR SIR VIII you kindly make pub
lie the persecution that have been sub
jected to for the last two years? About
week after you bade me adieu at the
Victoria Hotel, Interlaken (lS6T), a
Count proposed for my hand. | declined,
not knowing anything about his family
or CONNECTIONS. returned back to
Vienna, and led my usual secluded life
as my income had become reduced so
that gave lessons in two schools three
times a week the summer after | had
been in Switzerland. | remained in
Vienna in the month of August, 1868.
A Hungarian nobleman, who was very
rich, and who had known me for seven
years, gave out publicly that he was
going to marry me, and took lodging
opposite. The writings were drawn up,
the bridal presents ready, the lodgings
in Baden Baden taken, and, also, the
servants engaged His relations OBJ
jected, as they wanted him TO marry
cousin. The whole town was in an up
roar that he should marry a Protestant
heretic Kings and priests would not
give him leave or sign the papers. When
this excitement was at its hight he was
determined to be married without them.
No license could be got Lord Bloom
field had left; the chaplain was in Eng
land Dear Mr. -, you never saw
such town in your life. My life was
every moment in danger. / was
scorned for being poor and having
to give lessons. The person where
/ lodged was in the employ of the En-
peror They bribed her, and poison was
given me, something to make me insen-
sible. Then they entered my room, cut
my eyelashes of, and hair down to the
middle of my head, rubbing something on
to give pain and turn it grey. My hair
at present is green, red and grey, striped.
They made my skin brown, opened the
veins on my back and spine and burnt
my chest. The marks remain after two
years, and ! have never been free from
pain since The priests and the women
tney employed we're like fairies, ] was
reduced to skeleton, and was frightful
to look upon. During all this time no
one was admitted to my room but three
persons The betrothed was relation
Of the Emperor. Some persons opposite
gave out that unfair means were used
and that should be killed. The case
was desperate. He was waiting for his
aunt, as priests and women had been all
night making the most frightful noisesin
the house. Next morning, a policeman
in civil dress watched me, and as or
dered a carriage to goto my DOCTOR two
men, who had been hid in coach-house,
sprang upon the cab, and they drove to
place in AlteryeFstadt. A man dressed
in the, royal LIVERY put his arms round
me, and ! was dragged to room and put
upon straw bed. Ihad nothing on but
a dress over my night-clothes. was
kept there fourteen days. Priests came
in the night, medicine was given me to
sleep, the English people were sent
from one place TO another, but
not to my prison. They then removed
me to a private madhouse. A man gave
his card who had never seen me. / was
kept there seven months. 1t was made
known that | was not insane. was
then taken to a Kur AnSfdH near
Vienna; kept there from April I until
July 30. Twas wild with Indignation at
this treatment, as every few days they
came to say that ] was to leave next day,
and asked what would ! give for lodg- |
ing per month. ! said all should be
made public They then said ! shopld
be carried TO England pennyless, and be
kept out of the way ten months longer to |
crush my spirit. was landed and car
ried to the police station as felon, and
put again out of the way for another ten
then carried back to Dover, and
then they wanted me to return to Vienna.
| said never, until the world knew what
an orphan lady without relations had
been subjected to for want Of proper pro |
lection from the British Government. |
received letter two days ago that all my
jewels, furniture, books and let |
ters had been sold, and no account given,
merely stating the papers were given to
the proper authoritiss. ! had no debts.
This infamy must be made public, that
no other may suffer who has no one to |
protect them. am very weak still |
Please write and tell our mutual friends,
Mr.. and Mrs. Meyer, accompanied with
many compliments and good wishes.
Yours sincerely,
HAMILTON BoWEs.