Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-01-05
aaron MUNcHAUsEN.

Does any one nowadays read Baron
Munchausen, or has he been quite SUI
perseded by Jules Verne and other
modern wonder-worl1ersP In 1885 ap-
peared narrative OF 'Marvelous
Travels and Campaigns In Russia,
published under the name of Baron
Munchausen, though its author was
f. r. Raspe, a native Of Cassel. AS
the Munchausens were actually an old
and powerful family, It is rather sur.
prising that Raspe should have adopted
their name, though an Ingenious reason
Tor his doing so has been recently
elaborated.
Before his time there appeared In
Halberstadt a handsome, well-dresset
stranger, who called himself Baror
Carl Friedrich Muhchausen. He was
well received there, and soon married
IN elderly heiress, who considered his
title an ample exchange for her money
The Baron told her dazzling stories o.
his wealth, although he confessed thai
1t was at the time soinvolved by law,
suit and sundry other legal complica.
tions, that he could not obtain the use
of it. In order to hasten these pro
ceedings, he proposed going to the
north of Germany, and they accordingly
went to Jever, near which there was
an estate actually belonging to the
Munchausens, and on this property the
Baron attempted to raise money by
means OF mortgages. Neither the ten
ants nor notaries doubted his title to
the estates, but the more cautious
money-lenders insisted on delay and
further inspection OF his claims.
Meantime, tho Baron and his wife
were cordially entertained by theneigh-
boring dignitaries, who were never
tired of hearing about his extraordi
nary adventures. He had visited the
Holy Land, Greece, Egypt, Nubia, and
had most remarkable tales to tell o.
the events which befell me in those
countries. One-day, however, he wen
too far, and referred to his previous
marriage with a daughter of Major
General Won Werder One of the ladie:
present seemed much perplexed, and
finally told Munchausen that she
could not in the least understand this
statement, as she knew that Genera
Won Werder's only daughter had mar
ried gentleman iniSaxonJ. The Ba
ron blushed, stammered, and admitted
that he had manufactured the entire
story.
Strange to say, his acquaintance
merely laughed at the occurrence, and
contented themselves with calling him
a boaster. AS yet they did not doubt
his pretensions. Suddenly the town
was electrified by the news that the
Baron's wife had been shot while lying
in her bed. 1t was the Baron who
found her, but she was quite dead
when he gave the alarm, and though
he appeared to be frantic with grief
he could make no suggestions in re-
gard to the possible murderer. All
the evidence obtained by the police
pointed to his own guilt, and he was
accordingly arrested. Then there
we're found among his papers letters
addressed to Baron Scharrenschild,
and he confessed under pressure that
this was his true name, and that he
had assumed that of Munchausen. AL.
though it was known that he had an
interest in his wife's death, being
greatly in need OF her money, he
would not acknowledge that as the
reason, but declared that he had done
the deed in attempting to shoot a pei
dog which had annoyed him. This
explanation only proved that he was
willing to lie to the last, as neither he
nor the Baroness had such dog.
Application was made to the real
Mupchausens for any information they
might have concerning tho Baron
Scharrenschild, and it came out that
the impostor bearing that name had,
with no recommendation except his
manner and assurances, married and
deserted daughter OF the house. In
1704 the man was executed under the
name of Scharrmschild, but who be
was and whence he really came could
never be discovered. These occur
rences were not soon forgotten in Ger
many, and any man who talked boast
fully OF travels, duels or adventures
was SAID to be another Baron Mum
chausen. The encyclopedias attribute
the origin of the name to the existence
Of a real Baron Munchausen, who was
famous for his large stories; but as he
died in 1897, and must, therefore, have
been living when the book was first
published. the account here given
seems more probable. GentIema''s
MG0dzi1e,