The daily gazette., 1878-06-27
FOURTH EDITION
Demise orQucen Mercedes.
Death of the Queen of Spain--
Her Recent Marriage and
Brief Career.

MADRID, June 26.--Queen Mercedes
died this morning. Queen Mercedes, n
will be remembered, was married to the
young King of Spain on january 23 of the
present year. She was the third dau oh.
Ter of the Duke of Montpensier. This
marriage was looked as the copsumma.
tion of NJ. Guizots policy, begun a gen
Grafton ago, which resulted virtually in
placinga French princess upon the throne
OF Spain. The marriage was pure love
affair, and many pleasant auguries grew
out OF this suspicious event. The we'd
ded pair were cousins, being grandchild-
rem OF that Ferdinand VII for whose
throne Spain made such sacrifices, and
who repaid so badly the devotion of his
people. Thrown much together from
their earliest childhood, Alfonso and
Dona Mercedes became tenderly attach
ed to each other, and the young Alfonso
used TO address his fair cousin as "My
/ little wifa" This childish friendship
continued 10 ripen until the revolution
of 1865 separated temporarily the young
lovers, for The Duke de Monipensier took
sides with the revolution against Queen
Isabella. The family fued, however, fail
ed TO weaken the attachment between
Prince Alfonso and Dona Mercedes, who
like true lovers, became more attached
than ever on account of their mistor-
tune.
The young Queen was born in Madrid
on the oath OF June, 1860. She was con-
sidered very beautiful. She was of Span
ish type, with very black hair and ewes,
fine features and full figure. Her father
the Duke, was one OF the first to CON
graduate Alfonso on his accession to the
throne; and since then ii was supposed
that he entertained the hope, finally
realized, Of becoming his father-in-law.
Last summer the matter took definite
shape. The opponents Of the alliance,
We're numerous and 1t was at first belev-
ed that they would prevail, but early in
October the chief difficulty is in the way
the unpopularity of the Duke-had been
overcome by the Duke promising to quit
Spain Immediately after the marriage.
Little opposition was afterward made TO
the marriage, but, unfortunately, an evil
star shone upon the welded life of the
young couple, and five mouths after the
ceremonies joining Alfonso and Mercedes
IN hol y wedlock death has stepped In and
torn them asuuder.
TIE SCENE AT THE PALACE.
Before the death of the Queen the
King and members OF the royal family
were assembled around the Queens bed.
'Ihe ministers were summoned to the
palace early this morning, and in the
foreign office all the chiefs of the diplo-
mallc corps were assembled. The pal
ace gates were closed. There was an
immense crowd outsi de the gates, held
back by the guards. The scene was most
impressive. The Queen passed the lat
er hours Of her illness in state of un-
consciousness. King Alfonso remained
at her bedside until the end. Deep
commiseration is expressed by all cla ses.
The ministers will communicate
the intelligence of the death of the Queen
to the Cortes this evening.
BERLIN, June 26.-In the course of
the examination Of the case of Bishop,
the Englishmen convicted and sentenced
TO Imprisonment for bribing officials TO
obtain plans OF German fortresses, it was
discovered that he had been sentenced
to ten years Imprisonment in 1864 by a
court at Turin for participating in con-
spiracy in favor of tile ex-King Francis,
OF Naples. 1t was also discovered that
he corrupted Prussian scrgent al Metz,
in 1877, i'll order to obtain information
relative to the mobilization of the royal
engineers. He was stanch ultramon-
tame, and an enemy of Bismark, Prussia,
and of Germany.