New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-30
A ROYAL IMBECILE.
DISEASE AND DEATH BESIEGING ALL THE
THRONES OF EUROPE

IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE rRIBUNE] |
Vienna, December is.
Hidden away In the depths of dense forest, |
some five hours by rail to the south Of this city
is one of the most picturesque and stately castles
which it is possible to conceive. The broad moat
and heavy drawbridge, the dark walls of I'M
dressed granite, pierced with muloned windows
and surmounted with turrcts and battlements
all unite to carry back to the feudal ages
impression that is further strengthened by the
venerable aspect Of the glorious old trees which
constitute the setting of this architectural gem
IL stands quite alone, far away from any other
human habitaton, and with the exception OF the
gamekeepers and foresters CARRIED IN the Imperial
livey, who have orders to prevent the approach
Of any stranger within two miles Of the chateau,
not soul is TO be seen anywhere in the neighbor
hood. Hardly sound is TO be heard, and not
withstanding the presence of over sixty booded
horses in the marble wainscoted stables and
Of whole army of attendants and domestics in
the chateau, strange and unoanny silence reigns
on all sides. Every voice is hushed, and even
the very dogs appear to have been trained 30 bark
and yelp in a mere whisper. Indeed, like the
Enchanted Palace Of the Sleeping Beauty in the
fairy tales, the whole castle seems to be subject
TO the spell of some malignant sorccrer
1t is to this romantic spot that the latest victim
of that dreadful malady which constitutes the
hereditary curse OF the Imperial House Of Haps-
burg was secretly conveyed some three weeks ago.
The late Count Beusts cutting and cruel remark
about Austrias idiot Archdukes has received
another notable illustration. and few would be
able to recognize in the mental and physical wreck
which scarcely retains vestige of humanity, the
gallant and chivalrous Archduke Leopold, who
inherited the vast wealth Of the House OF Este
Born in 1926 he has for the past twenty-five
years held the rank Of Comm ander.inChief OF the
Engineer and Sapper Corps of the Imperial forces,
besides possessing colonecies in the German ana
Russian armies Tall and elegant, with hand
some face and an exceedingly winning manner,
he was by far the most popular member OF the
Emperor's family. With the solitary exception OF
Archduke John he was the most talented and
clever Prince of his line, while his immense
fortune ENABLED him TO dispense generosity and
muniicence on a magnificent scale Needless to
add that it is epilepsy in its most hideous form
which has thus so darky clouded the eventide Of
Archdulle Lcopolds wellSpent life Stretched
on bed, longer possessed Of either the strength
or sense to feed himself, he has reached that
loathsome state Of idiocy which the French so ex-
pressively describe as gatismc," and his only
occupation seems to be to gaze with kind Of
imbecile stare at the splendid portrait which
Amerlng painted of him, in the striking garb Of
O Crusader which he wore at the Carousel at
the Hofburg here just twenty-five years ago.
With the sole exception Of the Emperor himself,
almost every one of the ninety eight Archdukes
and Archduchesses who constitute the Imperial
family Of Austria is subject IN greater or
lesser degree 10 fits Of epilepsy. The good old
Archdule Albert, uncle to His Majesty and Gen
crahssimo of the Forces, is perfect martyr there
TO- The Emperor's youngest and favor1te
daughter Princess Valerie suffers from occasional
fits. Archduke Louis Victor, the youngest brother
olyNnc iryDtln
by the malady. The late Kaiser Ferdinand was
reduced 70 such state of docv and disgusting
bestiaty by the disease that he was obliged to
abdicate in 1s4s in favor of his brother the
late Archduke Francis Charles. The latter, how
ever knowing that he too subject to the family
curse, refused TO accept the proffered crown. and
passed it to his son, the present Emperor
Even the poor little three-year-old King of Spain
is reported TO have inherited the malady from
his mother, who is an Austrian Archduchess The
sad fate of another Archduchess the mad ex-Em-
press of Mexico, is too well known TO need more
than passing mention here. But perhaps the most
serious case Of all is that Of the Emperors eldest
nephew Archduke Francis, who. in default Of male
issue on the part Of Crown Prince Rudolph will
succeed to the Imperial crown of Austria, but who
is epileptic to such degree as to have rendered
il necessary on two occasions already to place
him under temporary restraint
It is not, however, the Hapsburg dynasty alone
CD which the hand of Providence weighs so heavily
Indeed at the present moment there is scarcely a
single royal family in Europe which Is not al
nicted with some terrible kind of hereditary infrm
ity, produced as rule by too frequent lntermar
riages between near relatives for several hundred
years past which has resulted in the impoversh-
ment and vitiation Of the blood Heretical ana
reasonable though it may appear from Euro
nAx~ a
there is no doubt but the blood royal means
tainted blood and that both from moral and
pbvscal point of view the blood of the peasant
classes Is of far more generous and healthy a
quality than that Of the aristo cracy and OF roy
atty In order to become convinced Thereon, IL
is but necessary to take up the Almanach de
Gotha" and to glance over the list OF those born
uhder the shadow of a throne The hlng OF
Bavaria is confirmed and iDcurabe maniac,
who, according to latest accounts, imagines him.
self to be bird and spends his whole time
building huge nests Of straw and sticks IN the
corners of his apartments, occasionally rising 10
his feet TO stretch his neck and TO flap his arms
as if they were wings. His brother, the late
King, committed suicide under peculiarly tragicai
circumstances while in a state of dementia. The
mother of the reigning Empress of Germany is
again an inmate Of the private lunatic asylum
at Graz, in which she was detained for PERIOD
Of six months about two years ago Prince Alex
ander Of Prussia, although General of Infantry.
is a complete imbec',a who can never be allowed
to remain alone for instant and whose harm
less freaks and eccentrlcites have formed the
laughing stock Of Europe for many years past
His mother, it may be added, died raving ma
mac while his brother like Mr.. Dick IN Da-
yid Copperfed," is regarded by some people as
o remarkably clever man, and by others as
silly crank King Fredericl, William ~. OF
Prussia passed the last three years of his life
pnder close restraint his insanity having been pro-