The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-15
SUICIDE OF KING LUDWIG.
THE :DEPoSED MONARCH BROWNS
HIMSELF IN LAKE STERitBERG.
His Physician Attempts to Save Him and
Is Also Drowned-Life History of the
Eccentric king-An Unfortunate Love
Atair-An Enthusiastic soprano.


Aaair-An Enthusiastic Soprano.
LONDON, June IA dispatch Just re-
ceived here from Munich contains the start
ling intelligence that K ing Ludwig ii, the
lately deposed Bavarian monarch, who lett
the palace Sunday for Berg castle, on Lake
Sternherg, committed suicide at that place
Sunday evening by drowning.
A later dispatch from Munich states that
King Ludwig succeeded in taking his life
while his attendants were momentarily off
their guard. The king was promenading III
the park arounds surrounding Berg castle.
Dr.. Gadden, the attending physician, was
also III the park watching the pa
tient Tie king, awaiting favorable
moment, made dash for Lake Stern
berg on which the castle grounds are sltu-
ated, and threw himself into the water. He
was almost instantly missed by the doctor,
who immediately gave the alarm and
dashed oil after his royal charge. The lat
ter, however, reached the lake before any
one could intercept him, and when the doc
tor reached the edge oi the lake the king
was struggling Ill the water. The doctor
sprang inio The lake in the hopes of saving
the drowning So erelgn, and III the
desperate struggle which ensued both king
and physician went down and were seen nc
more
AT 10 o cio X Monday morning the genar
ais OF the Bavarian army met and took the
oath Of. allegiance to King Lunwigs
broth +, otto, who at once assumes the
name OF hag, under the
name of Otto the First. He il
three years younger than Ludwig was, hay-
ing been born April q, io4S Otto, how
ever, will be simply nominaily king, as he
is mentally incapable of government and
Prince Luitpold, his uncle, viii remain
regent
Ludwig IL, who was born Aug. -, 1915,
was the son of King MaXimillan IL, and
succeeded TO the throne at the death of his
father, March IL, lStp4. The misanthropic
monarch is said to have had i'll early life an
attachment that turned out unfortunately,
and that left him mentally a changed nan.
For years the European Journals have con
tanned articles and items and incidents OF
almost evory sort regarding the strange
ways OF King Ludwig, his peculiar habits,
tastes, large expenditures upon his palace,
while he himself lived very unostentatiously
and even very economically. His devotion
10 art has been well known, and his early
intimacy with Richard Wagner was such
that the people at length compelled the king
to send the eminent composer away from
court
One matter, however, was creditahie 10
the kings political sagacity, he SIDED with
Prussia in the contest with France OF lSsu-
Il, and favored the unifcaton of Germany.
Many stories are told OF Ludwig in proof
of his extreme ecceutricity- He was at the
Paris exhibition in 1854. While in the
French capital he fell over head and ears
in love with the Empress Engenie. When
she parted with bim at this station as he was
about TO return home she kissed him. He
has never allowed tins lips OF another woman
| to touch him since that sacred occasion,
| One tried, and received ducking for her
| reward. She was an actress and had ere
ated the role of Iseult The king invited
| her TO take turn in his boat, and made her
repeat her great aria Becoming too enthu-
siastic she was about to fling herself into
| the roy al arms Their owner merely threw
| her into the stream, and ieft her to get out
as best she could
| The Bavarian crown is hereditary in the
| male line The sole executive power Ire
| longs TO the king, but his ministers are
! responsible for all his official acts. The
| king and the parliament which consists of
an upper and lower house, exercise the
| legislative functions The executive is car
! ried on by what liz know Us the council of
i state, seven in number, IN the name uf the
/ king, to these are to be added the minister's
/ ani one prince of the blood royal Prince
/ Luitpold an uncle TO The king, IS the one
| at " hose instance the recent proceedings TO
restrain him were instituted. The brother
OF the king is Prince otto, who was born
| AlIil -, ISIS and there are besides, in the
male line Prin Luitpoid and his three
sons, the eldest of whom alone has four
| sons
| Ludwig was deposed ,IJue 10 because Of
| his evident lunacy. Prince Luitpoii, Lud-
wigs uncle, was appointed regent lud
wigs only brother Prince Otto, has been
insane for ten years. Count liolstein, VINO
| was instructed by the Bay arian ministry to
wait upon the King aud authorize the ap-
puintnent of a regency council, was ar
rested by order OF Ludwig. The crazy
king was then placed under restraint