The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-28
R0YALTYS AFFLICTION.
THE PREVALENCE OF INSANITY
IN THE AUSTRIAN FAMILY.


dukes in a State of Semi-madness
Princes with Incurable Diseases
and Dying and Idiotic Monarchs.
VtennG Correspondence in Neae York Tribune.
Hidden away in the depths of a dense
forest, some five honrs by rail to the south
OF this city, is one of the most picturesque
and stately castlesswhich it is possible to
conceive. The broad moat and heavy draw
bridge, the dark walls of undressed granite,
pierced with mullioned windows and sur
mounted with turrets and battlements, all
unite to carry one back to the feudal ages,
an impression that is further strengthened
by the venerable aspect of the glorious old
trees which constitute the setting of this
architectural gem. 1t stands quite alone,
far away from any other human habita
ton, and with the exception of the game
| Keepers and foresters, CARRIED in the imperial
livery, who have orders to prevent the
| approach of any stranger within two miles
| OF the chateau, not soul is to be seen any
| where In the neighborhood. Hardly a
| sound is to be heard and Notwithstanding
| the presence of over sixty blOoded horses in
the marble wainscoted stables, and of a
whole army of attendants and domestlcs in
| the chateau, a strange and uncanny silenc g
reigns on all sides Every voice is hushed,
and even the very dogs appear to have been
trained 70 bark and yelp in 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 sorcerer.
1t Is 10 this romantic spot that the latest
victim OF that dreadful malady which con-
! stitutes the hereditary curse Of the imperial
| house of Hapsburg was secretly conveyed
| some three weeks ago. The late Count
| Beusts cutting and cruel remark about
| Austria's idiot archdukes has received an
other notable illustration, and few would
| be able to recognize in the mental and
| physical wreck, which scarcely retains a
vestige of humanity, the gallant and
chivalrous Archduke Leopold, who in
| herlted the vast wealth of the House of
| Este Born in 1926, he has for the
| past twenty-five years held the rank of
Sapper Corps of the Imperial forces, besides
| possessing colouelcles in the German and
| Russian armies. Tall and elegant, with q
| handsome 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 munlfcence
| on magnificent scale. Needless to add
| that it is epilepsy in its most hideous form
| which has thus so darkly clouded the
| eventide of Archduke Leopold's well-spent
| life. Stretched on bed, no longer pos
| Sessed of either the strength or sense to feed
| himself, he has reached that lOathsOme state
| of idiocy which the French so expressively
| describe as "gatisme,' and his only occupa-
| ton seems to be to gaze with a kind Of i'm
beetle stare at the splendid portrait which
! Amerling painted of him in the striking
| garb OF Crusader, which he wore at the
| Carousel at the Hofburg here just twenty
| five years ago.
| THE CURSE OF THE HAPSBURGS.
Almost every one of the ninety eight
archdukes and archduchesses who consti-
| tute the imperial family of Austria is sub
| ject in greater or lesser degree to fits of
| epilepsy. The good old Archduke Albert,
uncle to his majesty and generalssimo of
| the forces, is a perfect martyr thereto The
| emperor's Youngest and favorite daughter.
Princess Valerie, suffers from occasional
| fits Archduke Louis Victor, the youngest
| brother of the emperor, has been rendered
almost imbeclle by the maladv. The late
Kaiser Ferdinand was reduced to such a
state of idiocy and disgusting bestiality by
| the disease that he was obliged to abdicate
in 1913 in favor of his brother the late
| Archduke Francis Charles. The latter,
however, knowing that he too was subject
to the family curse, refused to accept the
proffered crown and passed it on to his son,
| the present emperor.
Even the poor little Swear old King of
Spain is reported to have inherited the
malady from his mother, who is an Aus
| triau archduchesS The sad fate of another
| archduchass. the mad ex-En3pre5s of Mexico
| is too well known to need more than pass
| ing mention here. But perhaps the most
serious case of all is that of the emperor's
-,
default of mall issue on the part of Crown
| Prince Rudolph, will succeed to the imperial
coown of Austria, but who is epileptic &c
such a degree as to have rendered it neces
sary on two occasions already to place him
under temporary restraint
IDIOTIC GERMAN PRINCES.
1t is not, however, the Hapsburg dynasty
alones on which the hand of providence
weighs 50 heavily. Indeed, at the present
| moment there is sea. cely a single rOysl
| family in Eurooe which is not afflicted with
some terrible kind of heritedary in1rmty
produced 0s a rule by too frequent inter,
| marriages between near relatives for sew
| eral hundred years past, which has resulted
III the impoverisnment and vitlatlon of the
| blood. Heretical aud reasonable though il
may appear from European point Of view
to advance such q theory, there is no doubt
but tlat the blood royal means tainted
| DlOOu, AsAtIl Iulb DObu AtV II "a lAA1A al anu
| physical point of view the blood of the peas
ant classes is OF far more generous and
healthy quality than that of the aristo-
cracy and Of royalty.
Tho King Of Bavaria is confirmed and
incuraDle maniac, who, according to tae
latest account, imagines himself to be a
bird, and spends his whole time building
| huge nests OF straw and sticks 4 the corners
Of mis- apartments, occasionally rising to his
feeT to stretch his neck and TO flap his ar laS
as if they vera wings. His brother, the
late king, committed suicide under peculiar
circumstances while it a state of de
meutia. The mother of the reigning EN-
press of Germany Is again an inmate OF the
private luaatic asylum at Graz, in which
size was detained for a period Of six month;
about two years ago Prince Alexander Of
Prussia, although general of infantry, il
IA complete imbecil, who can never be al
lowed TO remain alone for one instant, anc
whose harmless freaks and ecco1tricitie
have formed the laughing stock OF Europe
for many years past
King Frederick William " of Prussia
brother of the old Emper r William, passeC
the last three years Of his lite under clos
restraint, his insanity having been pro
ducad y the same iucurable disease which
has obtained 50 firm hold on the Emperor
of Germany.
The late King John of Saxony died insane
and many strange legends are still curren
among his people TO the effect that he IS still
alive and under restraint in some mountain
Cartai, ipciiantS which