The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-14

way ana the reputation was permltted 70 enter
the castle, but could not succeed in reaching the
King. They left Prince Luitpold's letter, re-
placed the Kings servants with others, placed
strong military Gordon around the castle. and
left two physicians to guard the Kings room,
and then they went away. subsequently the
physicians succeeded in obtaining access to the
King. They induced him to permit himself to
be removed to Berg castle, on Lake Starnberg.
The State Council have informed the Kings
mother Of her sons deposition. She at once
made arrangements to retire to convent. Her
father and brother died mad, and the same fate
impends over her sons.
The Catholic clergy evidently appreciate the
gain to them of Ludwigs deposition They will
undoubtedly assert more influence over Prince
Luitpold than they could assert over King
Ludwig. The Pope has sent CONGRATULATIONS TO
Prince Luitpold upon his assumption OF the re-
gency, and has ordered the Papal nuncio at the
Munich court to establish the most cordial rela-
tons between the regency and the Vatican.
At Berlin the deposition of Kind Ludwig 10
regarded with supreme indifference.
The full story of Ludwigs eccentricites. those
which passed the patience OF the state. would
be generally regarded as incredible. He had a
mania for avoiding the daylight and for
turning day into night. He often summoned great
musicians to come to the palace at late hours by
post horses to crafty the royal wish to hear
single air. He frequently had statesmen
aroused in the small hours of the night, ard
FASTENED to him to assist him in playing a bill
lard game He would drive at night III chariot
or on horseback. with flying speed. accompanied
by mounted torch bearers, far up into the
mountains in imitation of "Leonore' and or
Goethe's "Erl Kenigo Once, while engaged in
one of these wild night mountain chases, be fell,
with his horse, down a deep crevice. He was
badly hurt, and his injury aggravated his men
tai ailmert but his physicians were obliged to
approach him disguised as lackeys or as SOL
diers.
Count Boes, of Waldeck, has been appointed
guardian of the King.
Of King Ludwig H. it has been said that he
has had only one personal and intimate friend
in his life. That one was the late musician and
composer Richard Wagner, whom Ludwig Idol
lied. The first stage performances that the crazy
King ever witnessed was Wagners Lohengrln
He was infatuated with it, and at once became
most liberal patron of the composer, andfor if
teen months he required the creator of the new
school to reside at Munich, and only allowed him
to depart when forced to do so by his Minis
tiers The young K1ngs patronage fageaa was as
60 elsewhere, for Ludwig's bounty not only
made the musician wealthy. but enabled him to
produce his works at Bayreuth in the most Law
ish and complete manner This connection with
the great musician first drew attention to the
eccentricites of the handsome Bavarian King,
now bankrupt. and broken in mind and body.
Ludwig IL was born at Nymphenbourg, Aug.
%, 1845 and succeeded to the Bavar'an
throne on the sudden death of his father Maxi
Il,
passed in virtual seclusion with his ecclesiasti-
cal instructors. They allowed him no boyish
companions and no indulgence In boyish sports
and games To these he had recourse after he
assembled the throne, and he has been known to
play at marbles for hours with his courtiers In
one of his palaces just outside of Munich. Of
these palaces he had seven, one OF them in the
Ober- Ammergau being built in imitation of
the Palace of Versailles, and furnished in Lonis
XIV style, in the most extravagant manner.
ho1a rt1 cfofrr cat in MIR
costly Gobelin tapestries, gems of all kinds,
stoves ornamented with agates, chandeliers
studded wi+h diamonds, and bed which cost
$4,000, are among the features OF this palace.
the one described by Wagner in die Walkure,"
and at the foot of the meadow on which it stands
is an artificial lake the bottom Of which is lined
with tin to prevent the water from soaking into
the porous soil. Some distance from these two
hermitages for the great palace was little else
than that, he built Moorish pavilion. which he
called Morocco, and which is resplendent il gold
and jewelry. The most precious ornament 1t
contained was large peacock, mainly of emer-
aids and turquoises, suspended from the center
of the single room the pavilion contained, and
which is lighted by magnificent chandeliers the
light Of which is thrown back from innumerable
mirrors lining the octagon on all sides
In the rear of the Louis XIV palace is cave
in the depths of the mountain, known as the
Blue Grotto. This is reached by a tunnel, and
has been converted into veritable fairyland,
lighted and heated artifcially to suit the tastes
of this strange monarch, who would visit the
palace and cavern at most unexpected times. On
the artificial lake, so lighted as to resemble
lake of liquid gold, he has been wont to sail in
golden gondola made to resemble swan. To
present stimulation of breeze, an ingenious
steam continuance was constructed by which the
waters were made to swish about as though real
waves produced by natural causes, stirred their
surface. Still another palace of this royal luna
tic, massive and magnificent had roof garden,
on which he had reproduced as nearly as posi-
BILE the far-famed tropical garden of Semiramiss
palace
King Ludwig was q liberal patron of both
music and the drama, but "by all highest com
mand" all the performances he witnessed were
witnessed by him alone, and from his royal box
he enjoyed the performances, though no one on
the stage could see him. His favorite play was
Schiller's sMaid of Orleans" and for its produc-
ton he had special scenery painted from his own
designs, and special costumes made. SO, too, he
had .'Narcisse" mounted and costumed at an
expense of over 100 000f, and had Charlotte
VOTERS the famous Viennese actress. play the
principal role, he being the only witness. The
theater was darkened, and the performance
began at midnight. At its conclusion he sent
a handsome diamond bracelet to the actress
hotel after she had retired for rest, and the
Kings Chamberlain compelled her to rise and
acknowledge it's receipt before he would leave
the hotel. Any other course he announced
would have greatly displeased the monarch.
When Wagner produced his famous trilogy,
the final rehearsal, which was virtually the first
performance. was witnessed by the King alone
in theater artifcially darkened, the only lights
being those on the stage. Many other operas
and plays were produced under similar circum
stances, and in return the artists recipients
of royal favors, rich and lavish for Ludwigs
generosity was unbounded. All of these and
similar eccentricites wiped out the Kings pri-
vate estate and so entailed the income from the
civil list that for several years he has been at the
mercy of moneylenders, and quite recently they
foreclosed on some of his property, and the gov
eminent, to save itself from bankruptcy, had to
refuse to give him any more advances, as its
| credit. like his, was nearly gone So now his
wonderful summer palace, designed to be the
| finest in Europe remains partly finished and its
completion is matter of improbability.
A couple of years ago King Ludwig dismissed
all his body servants, and since then his only at
| tendants have been troop Of light cavalry.
1 These have accompanied him eyervwh he