Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-02
A NEW VERSION.
Circumstances Attending the Tragedy
of Crown Prince Rudolph's Death.

| Cable Special to the New York Sun.
| When arrived in London recently wrote
to a world-famous physician in Vienna for the
true history of the astounding tragedy of the
! Crown Prince Rudolph's death. The physician
in question is a man who stands high at court
and is thoroughly in touch with royal affairs. l
also wrote to an Austrian officer whom had
known both in Vienna and New York besides
seeking particulars from the managing director
| OF big Vienna newspaper who has been of
| service to the san several times. Their re-
| plies, to my surprise, all agreed upon the main
facts. The story differs from the version ac-
cepted in America
The late crown princes nervous system,
which was never strong. had been impaired by
long series of appalling dissipation. gross
proflgacy. and excuses of all kinds A start
| ling number of families of all ranks connected
with the imperial court tell of the shame which
the crown prince brought upon them. At his
deDauches he used to drink tumblers partly
filled with champagne and partly with brandy
Such courses, in addition to reducing him to a
state OF mental and physical wretchedness
brought about quarrels of a very bitter nature
with his wife and his father The Crown
Prlncess Stephanle is handsome woman of
uncertain temper. She was not the kind to
overlook her husbands excuses, and there
were violent scenes between the pair. Eventu-
ally they decided to live apart although they
always went about together in public. Those
VINO know the true lnwardness of things were
amazed at the play-acting which Rudolph and
his wife kept up before the world
About SIX months ago the crown prince be-
came violently enamored of Baroness Marie Vet
sera, who belonged to a rich Austrian family
The family Is well known generally among
the smart people of the European capitals.
The baroness was a remarkably beautiful girl
She was tall. with long black hair. large dark
eyes; and irregular. but charming features. Ru-
dolph $ love was of a more enduring and worthy
kind than i'll other cases. He loathed the arti-
ficlal yoke which bound him to his WIFE and at
an uncertain date he sent a formal petition,
drafted by an ecclesiastical dignitary. TO the
pope applying for divorce. The petition was
referred to the emperor of Austria, who indig-
nantly demonstrated with his son. Things were
IN this state week before the crown princes
DEATH
The baroness on her part was encountering
equally great opposition in her own family:
the latter were determined that she should
marry Partisan fnancier. but she was already
deeply in love with the heir to the throne The
angry threats of the imperial father and of the
Nersera family brought the pair to desperation
Tired OF the world and hopeless of obtaining
the happiness which they desired they resolved
to die. The lovers went off to the isolated
castle OF Meyerllng, accompanied only by Count
Joseph HOyos. who considered it an honor TO
assist two such lovers to meet each other In
Vienna, however, the imperial family heard
rendezvous.
Prince Philip of Coburg, the crown princes
orother-in-law. was sent to bring Rudolph
BACK; but Prince Philip met with such a curt
reception that he went back alone. That night
the prince. the baroness, and Count Hoyos
had dinner together, and were made
merry during the remainder of the evening
by one Craterish, an outcast cabman of Vienna.
VINO sang comic songs i'll a room adjoining that
occupied by the prince and his guests The
spectacle OF the heir to one of the great en-
pres of Europe sitting with a girl whom he
had wronged. both of them resolved on death.
and both listening to the ribald songs of a
drunken cabman before going to their doom is
dramatic in the extreme. A debauch followed.
1t was the last wild freak of utter desperation
ana self-abandonment. On Wednesday MORN
ing the princes valet went early to his masters
room to inform him that Prince Phillip of Co.
burg had again come from Vienna. The door
was locked All those in the house gathered
aud broke it open. On the bed they saw the
crown prince and Marie Vetsera dead.
The girl had taken strychnine. a packet
which had contained that poison being found
near by. The princes left arm clasped Maries
BODY. The revolver with which he had shot
himself through the brain lay in his right
hand. IL Is not surprising that the horrible
death OF Crown Prince Rudolph should have
mad serious consequences on the health of his
mother, who has for "A long time been ailing.
The empress Is now suffering from severe men
tai trouble in addition to her constitutional
complaint of rheumatism. How ill she il is
shown by the fact that for three weeks the
emperor never left her at all. even for exercise,
The two have been notoriously in O permanent
state of quarreling, induced probably, bv his
majesty excessive gaietv, but illness has drawn
them together again. The empress will prob
ably go TO Wiesbaden for massage treatment
before long. villa has been prepared there
Tor her. The imperial pair are now staying at
the castle at Buda.