St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-20
The True Story Of Prince Ru-
dolph's Death Now
Known.
A Tale Of Passion, Love and
the Widest Of Ro-
mances.
The Princes Paramour, a
Lovely Girl, Kills Her.
self,
And Twelve Hours Later the
Prince Commits Sui
eide.

4AAO0 OOA1xA4V0 ~ 0x
eide.
Temple Bar.
AS long ago as 1885, says the writer.
clouds began to gather over the princes
domestic life. The Wittelsbach blood
apparently began to work in him. After
a long period Of rest he began to crave
for excitement again. He grew more
reckless in his shooting expeditions, ex-
posed himself unnecessarily to dangers,
and was eager for adventures. His
physical strength was not equal to the
demands which he made upon it, and
he had to revive himself with stimu-
lants. His temper got spoiled. He
passed from fits of deep m00diness to
angry par0xysms, in which he spoke
roughly to everybody about him. His
Irregularities began to be noticed, ru-
mors of them reached his wife, and
there were painful domestic scenes.
The Princess Stephanie was too much
in love with her husband to let herself
be abandoned, especially as she saw,
with wife's penetration, that her hus-
bands courses were leading him to per-
dition. Better than anybody she marked
the deterioration in his health. manners
and character, produced by his altered
style Of living. and she made desperate
attempts to save him, though, perhaps,
she did not always use the best means
to this end. He. on his side, was too ill
!, NJ fo% o1y< har,
ulations in good part, and sharp words
lent scenes of recTiminatiOn. At last
complete estrangement supervened,
and the pair lived as much as possible
apart. The crown prince was clearly
in am unsound state of mind.
When dining alone the prince would,
if dissatisfied with what was brought
him, dash glasses and dishes off the ia
bic with a sweep of the hand. He went
about slamming doors. He stormed at
servants and threatened them. It also
began to he observed by his encourage
that he had contracted taste for low
company, which was quite at variance
with his refined instincts. Cabmen and
the least respectable of music
hall comics were invited to sing
before him in private parties, to
which only boon companions were adj
mitted, and at which great deal was
drunk. He became haunted by two
fixed ideaS-One, that he should die
mad, like his kinsman, the late king of
Bavaria, and the other, that he might
possibly be saved if he got divorce.
The thought of suicide had undoubtedly
terminated in his mind. but this brought
him back the more tenaciously to his
idea of divorce.
His petition to the pope for divorce
was referred to the emperor of Aus
tria, who called his son and tried to rea-
The crown prince was logged in his an
swers, and had at length to be told that
If he did not mend his manners he
should be sent to live for year or two
Bosnia or somewhere else far from
court. AS for the young lady with
whom his name had become associated
"a young lady with some beauty. but
with no other remarkable attractions
he was warned that if he did not break
off his relations with her her family
would be requested to put her in con-
vent. This was on Sunday before the
crown princes death. He had had
terrible scene with his wife that day
before having been reprimanded by his
father.
The day after the Crown Princes ar
rival at Meyerling-a Tuesday-he was
Joined by bis brother-in-law, Prince
Philip of C0burg, who went down to
demonstrate with him. The two went
out shooting. together, accompanied by
Count Joseph Hoyos; but the prince
soon left the party, and when Prince
Philip returned to the Schloss he found
fI,aAG no Of
Mile Marie -, the young lady for
whom he had an attachment. The girl
had run away from her mothers house
in Vienna. and was making a fearful
appeal to the Crown Prince not to desert
her. Prince Philip of Coburg tried
hard to persuade him to return to Vienna
and attend court dinner, but he re-
fused; so Prince Philip went back to
Vienna alone, leaving Marie - still at
the Schloss.
The girl then made another appeal to
the prince not to forSake her, and he
was obliged to tell her of the peremp-
tory orders which he had received from
his father. Upon this Marie -
turned away, and, unseen by the prince,
swallowed the contents of paper full
of strychnine powder. The violent
poison took almost immediate effect,and
the unfortunate girl rolled on the floor
uttering piercing screams. The princes
valet came to the rescue. and was fran
tically told to run and fetch a doctor,
but before he could leave the house on
this errand he was called back and re-
Marie - onto bed. She died in
commissions about half an hour after
ward. The crown prince, in his terror
ond condemnation prOhoh1v pnado nm
his mind at that time that he would
commit suicide; but, after the first
outburst of his grief was over, he grew
calm, and ordered his valet to say moth
ing of what had occurred. Marie -
was covered with white sheet; and
the prince, taking some flowers from
vase, scattered them over this ShrOud.
He then went into another room to
dine with Count Joseph Hoyos, and the
valet naturally supposed that the two
would concert means of informing
Marie rs friends of her death. So
he remained silent, as he had been Or
dered.
The crown prince ate little at dinner,
but drank feverlshly, and several times
left the room to go and look at Marie
IS body and to write letters: After
dinner cabman who had driven the
pIlllCS W MCyOluuS dAlu llhu put ny Ills
horses in the stables of neighboring
villa, was introduced into the dining
room to sing comic songs before Count
Hoyos. The crown prince entered the
room occasionally, but was too agitated |
to sit down, and he complained of head
ache. Yet he was 10th that the count |
and cabman should separate. and he
kept these strange guests till in the |
Count HOyos then went to |
bed and the coachman left the house. |
The princes valet was also told to 60 |
to bed, but feeling uneasy he went and |
lay down in his clothes. Dropping off |