The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-08-15
THE PRINCESS sALM.SALM.

The recent royal scandal in Spain,
however groundless it may have
been, has been aVailed Of to again
bring into prominence the name of
the Princess Salm- Salm, noted in
this country more than twenty
Duchess d'Ossuma. The New York
Tribune endeavors to establish the
identity Of the two women as one
and the same. This is altogether
unlikely, though of course not i'm
possible. If the ordinary standards
of female beauty are to be accepted,
the circus-rider who became "Prin-
cess could hardly be called beauti
ful even in her hey-day; what she
may be now can be conjectured.
She was not tall, but decidedly
petite, with dark complexion and
grayish-blue eyes, though doubtless
fascinating, as generals, colonies
and captains might have testified,
as well, perhaps, as senators and
cabinet officers, some of them long
since dead. For list of her many
friends, one has only to read her
| book entitled Zen Years of My
Life" and to those who can .'read
betwec the lines much more
would appear than is there set down.
The "Princess" was a Canadian
| girl, having French blood, perhaps
slightly tinged with Indian. She
became acquainted with Felix,
Prince Sam" as be signed himself
in Washington, where the ill-as-
sorted couple were legally married.
Felix was cadet of the family of
Salm Bfampels, who had been
obliged to leave Austria and his
army commission behind at the
same time on account of his credit
ors. His career in the rebellion was
not particularly eventful, although
his.Wife, by her peculiar talent for
intrigue, was able to advance her
liege to the rank of head Brigadier-
General. His actual rank was never
above that of colonel of the Sixth
New York Volunteers. He was s
dapper little fellow, with a big
moustache and penchant for dogs
and horses; he understood 10th
better than he did woman, or atleast
let it be charitably supposed so, foI
if not he most certainly was thai
n most despicable character, aL7e man
Il complGtSGnt. He was continually
getting into scrapes by reason Of
his extravaganza, from which she
as constantly eXtrieated him. though
II not without frequent visits 10 the
: headquarters of the general COM
handing. There her influence Wai
I always potent, and though the
! Prince came near being brought &c
: justice by courtmaTtial several
times, she was always equal to the
s occasion, and fetched him through
o The war being over, the Prince
and his wife, with a few soldiers of
fortune thoWn cut of employment
: by tile collapse of the rebellion,
;, went to Mexico and offered theiI
& swords to Macmillan. That mon.
: arch was in such dire straits that
!, he welcomed most cordially the
i, Prince and his companions, eleyat
. ing Salm at once to colonelcy OF
9 cavalry, and his wife to a higl
: place in his regards. Her efforts
!, in behalf Of the life oil
!. the ill-starred Emperor were
: skilful, persistent and we'll directed
: but frultless. 1t is said that Juarez
Z the Mexican president, fell under
s the influence of her fascination and
= had it been possible, would have
4 saved Maximilian's life, had be
i dared to do SO; but the public feel
ing was so positive that had he at
T tempted it his own life would have
: paid the forfeit. He promised her,
:, however, the life of her husband
. who was allowed to leave Mexico il
safety, with one or two of his
8 friends, and bear with them the
body Oh the dead Emperor.
: Returning to Europe, Salm and
8 his clever wife were lionized by the
family and friends of Maximilian
. and poor Carlotta. The war be-
! tween Prussia and France breaking
r out, the prince was made a major
in the Prussian army, and was
shortly after killed at Gravelotte
After his death the princess seems
;. to have been neglected by his fam.
lily, perhaps through her history
having become known. In her book
she bitterly complains of the neg,
lect, and she joined the corps OF
nurses which followed the army
and attended in the hospitals. Hel
own accounts indicate that she
z spent much time in seeking out the
. wounded and sick generals, which
p may be accounted for by her predi
+ lectlons for persons of rank.
After the Franco German war
! nothing was heard OF the Prin
cess for some years, wher
the announcement was made
that she had been married to an
: English gentleman named Heneage
Very soon afterwards her new hus,
( band deserted her, having verified
y some rumors which came to his
ears affecting her former life, and
she appeared as plaintiff, a little
}, later, in a suit against him in the
e London courts, claiming alimony
, and support to the ex jent of many
thousands of pounds.
Since that period, now some four
" I. \