The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-07-13
Victim of n Secret Marriage.
New York Special TO Chicago Tribune. /

New ork Special to Chicago Tribune.
The following strange story OF a NOR
ganatic marriage of the Emperor Of Ger
many, many years ago, is told on doubt
iuI authority in the Sunday Mercury. and
can't be confirmed to-day An elderly
lady recently arrived in this city and took
rooms at a hotel where she registered as
Nine Brandenburg, from Germany. After
a weeks solourn she took the entire floor
of Il large house on Lexington avenue,
which she furnished sumptuously. 1t now
turns out she is Anna, Countess DOhna
Brandenburg, and claims to have been
lawfully married to the Emperor William
of Germany in 1929. when he was only
Prince of Prussia and second son Of Fred
erick William I'LL. She first met the Prince
in September 1928: she was only sixteen
years old at the time. After several secret
conferences they were married late one
night by young country parson who did
not know the Prince The latter gave the
name Of William, Count Brandenburg. and
his occupation as that OF an officer of the
Royal Guards The marriage certificate
was duly made out, and then her husband
told her that it would be expedient to keep
their union secret for a time To this she
Iltt ttNStillCt, AClic Dplt Ilili- i'll lilC icNl
five years, three sons, ali of whom are still
| alive. Two Of them are superior officers
in the Prussian army, while the third holds
a prominent position in the diplomatic
service. When her third child was born
she implored her husband to reveal their
marriage-at least to his father, King
Frederick William III. The latter had
promised that his second son William
should marry the Princess Augusta Of SAKE
Wcmar. He flew into Il terrible rage when
William told him he could not become the
husband of that Princess. as he was al
ready married to the young Countess
Donna. In his wrath the King compelled
the Prince to sign a remuneration of the
Countess hand She was conveyed to a
small castle near Konigsburg in East
Prussia, where She was kept close pris-
oner for years. In 1887 she succeeded in
escaping, and crossing the Polish frontier.
she reached Warsaw, where she lived in
oDscurity. In 1898 the Emperor of Russia
was visited at Warsaw by the King of
Prussia, who was accompanied by his two
eldest sons. She could not resist the
temptation once more to see her husband
and to that end She went to Il gala per-
lormance at the Opcra-hoUse which all
Princes We're to attend One of the King 5
party recognized her on the occasion. She
was arrested by the police in her box, and
on the following morning conveyed to
Eastern Russia, where she was kept under
strict surveillance until the death of Fred
ericIi William Ill, in 1910, led to her re-
lease. She was permitted to return to
Prussia, and the new King offered to com
40 +a,, II /, fEbic cJo
fused to do She applied to the Royal
lryy Court for redress, but her appeals
remained unanswered Her fathers death
gave her Il large fortune, and she spent
several years travelling In 1913 she in
tended to appeal to the Prussian National
Assembly for relief, but the police got
wind of it. and She was "interncd" in her
chateau in Siiesia When William | be-
came King of Prussia she was informed
that she must leave the country or become
IN inmate Of 4 lunatic asylum; so she left
Prussia and went to Paris, from thence to
London, and finally to Geneva. She says
now that She has come to this country be-
cause that viii enable her to get redress
How this is to take place she declines to
tell, but is confident that she will succeed.
Sne displays numerous letters purporting
to be those of King William, acknowledge
ing her as his wife. and the following
copy OF decree and an appeal, from the
Prussian Staat5 Anzeiger. June 4. 1929:
by order Of His Majesty the King: A
Countess Dohna having claimed to be the
wife ofthe Prince William, Prince of Prus-
sia, | herewith decree that such un on if
it ever took place, he null and void
EREDFPJCE NUIJ.M REX
ANTHONY Won ALTENsKIN, Sec'y Of
State
The last appeal:
"To the Supreme Tribunal Of Prussia ::
The Prince William, Prince Of Prussia,
married me in 1928, near Ciegada, Silesia.
He has now married the Princess Augusta
Of SaXe-W eimar, and committed bigamy
l ask you to protect me, and to declare
his second marriage null and void.
GAMMA. Countess Dohna Brandenourg
The Court declared that if was incompe-
tent to do anything. the King beng Sum
mus Episcopus Of the State, and thereby
entitled to dissolve the marriage
From the Albany Argus