New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-02
THE AUSTRIAN TRAGEDY.
STRANGE REVELATIONS oE EUROPEAN
DIPLOMAT.
PRINCE BISMARCK PRoFITING By A STRIKING
SERIES OF TRAGEDIEs-sEoUEIs TO THE
DEATH OF PRINCE RUDoLF-BAD CHAR
ACTER OF THE NEXT HEIRS TO
THE CROWN.


THE CROWN.
rvpox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRpUxR1
Washington. Feb. I-a Seldom has mora
startling coincidence been Witnessed said an ex-
perienced diplomat to-day, than the almost
simultaneous announcement OF the death OF the
Austrian heir-apparent and the publication in The
London Contemporary Review of the remarkable
and manifestly inspired indictment of the Bis
marck Dynasty Crown Prince Rudolfs sudden
demise In the very heyday of his youth and manly
yigor appears to be shrouded in mystery. The
most conflicting accounts are given OF the manner
in which he met his death, and it is probable that
the world at large will never be allowed to know
the true story of the tragedy. The latter is but
another of those dark episodes that have occurred
during the past two decades and which have
invariably resulted in the death OF great per-
sonages who had incurred the personal enmity Oh
Prince Bismarck and whom the Iron Chancellor
chose 10 regard as a menace to his country and
to his own family. No one not even the most
intimate habitues of the little house at Vile
d,Avray has ever been able to unravei the mystery
which surrounded the death OF Gambetta, the
only man in France besides General Chanzy who
has ever caused the Chancellor an uneasy moment
since 1871. Chanzy's sudden decease at Chalons.
within few weeks Of that OF the popular Tribune,
was equally inexphcable, and attended by many
guSpiciOuS circumstances. GOlSOn anu OiSIndrok
were freely mentioned by Chauvinist Frenchmen
in connection herewith The famous Russian
General Skobelef, who as friend Of Gambetta
and of Chanzy had become the bette noire OF the
German Chancellor, met with equally unex-
pected and mysterious end. which not even his
inseparable companion, NJ. Hitrovo. who was with
him until within couple of hours OF his death, has
been able to explain. Who TO this day has sue
ceeded in tearing aside the veil which enshrouds
the last moments of the late King Louis OF
Bavaria? His corpse and that Of his attendant
physican showed traces of the fact that terrible
hand-to-hand struggle for life had taken place
on the shore of the Staremberg Lake. But who
were the assailants'
And now, last Of all, we have the death Of Arch
duke Rudolf, one Of the brightest most intel
lectual and liberal princes who have ever figured
as heirs-apparent to great imperial crowns. Tho
theory of suicide will obtain but little credence
among those who enjoyed the personal acquant
ance of the gay and pleasure-loving young Arch
duke. None of his friends will ever be brought
20 believe that the terrible wound which caused
his death was inflicted by his own hand. How
ever. as traditional Court etiquette demands that
the body shall lie in state in the great Stefans-
kirche in full view OF the public. and as 1t Is
necessary to give some more or less plausible
explanation for the gaping gun-shot wound which
had shattered the whole Of the right side OF
the face and skull. tearing away the esr and I.