River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-04-13

quent events showed, shrank from no
attrOcity to attain his objects.
when Queen Juliana's husband
died, she thought that her step-son.
the young King Christian the Seventh,
enfeebled as he was by disease, would
become pliable tool in hel hands.
At first such really proved to be the
case; but when King Christian married
the English Princess Caroline Matilde,
Juliana, her mother-in.law, and Prime
Minister Holck, began to tremble for
the continuance of their influence upon
the destinies of the kingdom.
The young Queen manifested an evi.
dent disposition TO emancipate her
husband from the degrading tutelage
in which he was kept by his intriguing
stepInother, and on more than one oc-
casion she induced him to thwart the
purposes of the Queen-dowger and of
the Prime Minister.
Shortly after her return from Alton.
Queen Caroline Matilde gave birth to
son, which filled her husband with un.
bounded joy.
Fearing that this event would still
further strengthen the influence Of
the Queen. Juliana and Holck con.
cocted an infamous intrigue against
her. They bribed young officer of
the Queens household Baron Molt.
kens) TO confess. under the threats of
sham inquisitor, that he had illicit
intercourse with her Majesty, and that
he and not King Christian, was the
father of Caroline Matilde's child.
This story, which was false from be.
ginning to end. was brought To the
Kings knowledge with such diabolical
ingenuity that he believed it to he
true, and at first he was 50 exasperated
that he intended to throttle the Queen
with his own hands But Caroline
Matilde protested her innocence with
every sembance of sincerity 80 strong.
ly that his belief in her guilt was
shaken, and he left her unframed. al.
though he thencefOrth treated her
with the most CALLING GOODNESS.
Baron Moltkins was sent to fort.
ress, and kept there nominally only as
a prisoner the Queen-dowage having
hyprocritically told her step.son that
II would be best to cover up the seam
dial rs much as possible.
Shortly afterward Or. Struensee ar
rived in Copenhagen. He had made
up his mind to accept the Kings offer.
and became his physician. He found
Christian the Seventh a prey to the
glOomiest feelings. The King who
liked the young physician from the
start, unbOsOmed himself to him fully.
He even told him of the Queens alleg-
ed infidelity.
On the following day an event occur.
red, which proved the turning point in
Struensee's career.
The smallpox was raging violently
in parts of Copenhagen. It even fore
ed its way into the interior of the
royal castle, and on the above mention
ed day it attacked the Kings infant
son. Or. Struensee saved the Young
princes life. and thereby made both
the King and Queen his devoted
friends. The King appointed him as
his private secretary with large sal
ary-
The Queen thanked him with stream
ing eyes, for the preservation of her
sons life. and in that hour of bound |
less gratitude she went so far as to |
protest her innocence in regard to the |
aforementioned charges to him.
Struensee generously offered to bring |
about full reconciliation between her !
and her royal husband.
''The King will believe nothing on
that subject except a retraction of |
the diabolical falsehood by Baron Molt- |
kens."
Strlensee assured her that he would |
leave no stone unturned in order to OBJ |
tain such retraction. He went in
disguise to the fortress, where Molt- !
kens was kept as a nominal prisoner.
Moltkens said haughtily to him:
"WhO are you
II am friend to truth and the dead. |
ly enemy of liars -
"What is that to me e.
You are the most infamous liar on |
earth ~
"Sirrah, will make You eat yonr
words -
The two clinched, but Struensee.
who was a very powerful man, easily |
succeeded in throwing his adversary. |
Then, setting his knees on the fellows |
breast, he Kissed out:
Now, Baron Boltkens, | shall slowly |
strangle you to death unless you CON
fess that your story about the Queens
illicit intercourse with YOU was a wick. |
ed falsehood.
The cowardly slanderer, was already |
turning black in the face. lie replied. |
in gurgling tone:
IL Will confess all -
$50 the Queen is pure ~
II know nothing TO the contrary"
Nv no caused You to tell lie -
The Queen-dowager did.
What bride did she give You a.
she gave me fifty thousand rix.dol.
lars.
VIII you swear 10 all this a.
y es, If don't endanger my life By
so doing.
NO, you shall have time to leave
Denmark. A"
The documents were drawn up and
sworn to before the astonished COVER.
nor of the fortress. lie wanted To de.
tain Moltkens. hut Struensee showed
him his commission as private secretary
Of his Majesty. and so Moltkens was
allowed TO depart.
Upon laying the sworn retraction Of
the libel before the King. Struensee
urged the latter strongly to Danish his
from Copenhagen. and to
beg the Queens pardon for having un.
Justly suspected her.
The King did both Juliana had 10
cave the capital, and the harmony pre.
'ailing between the King and his wife ,
became greater than ever. lie showed /
MS gratitude towards Struensee hy I
the dignity Of Count upon {