The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-27
SCANDAL NEAR A THRONE
IrINvoLvEs BARON BLETcHRoDER
AND TOUCHES BISMARCK

.~o3.s suoh intense interest as that mani
Tasted bv all Berlin in the scandal again
gathering around Baron Bleichroder, royal
commercial privy councillor, royal consul
0sueral of Great Britain, millionaire
banker, court sycophant and sometime pro-
tege Of Prince Bismarck and Emperor
William /. The elements OF this scandal
are Bleichroder's relations to Frau Croner,
a tailor's wife, the consequent legal pro-
ceedings against him by her husband, the
disappearance from the court records Oh an
discriminating document said to bear bieich-
roder's signature, an accusation OF perjury
and recent negotiations between Croner IN
London and Bleichroder in Berlin
with a view to bargaining for the ces-
sation Of hostilities on the part Of
she threatening tailor. The first
detailed account of the past and
present Of the scandal has Just been laid be-
fore Berlin in pamphlet by Anthem ALL
wardt, Jew-baiting agitator, who sup
ports his narrative with the alleged fac
SMILES Of documents concerning the vital
points OF the whole Neutrality-suspicious.
affair.
To appreciate the significance Of all this
for the men who made the German empire
and hold it together, and the great social
world of the capital, a person must know
something of the career of the remarkable
man at the center of the cloud.
Baron Bleichroder is one of the four rich
est men in Prussia. He is the Berlin repre-
sentative of the Rothschilds, and his hand
touches the treasury of every civilized
nation In the world. He lives in a palace,
has held the purse strings Of kings and
queens, and is famous for his generosity to
the poor and downtrodden of the Hebrew
race. His influence was first felt strongly
as the great palace under the Linden,
during the. Franco>Prussian war, when,
at the instance of Bismarck,
he lent the government millions OF
zmarks. In consideration of this SER
vice Herr Bleichroder was made Baron
Bleichroder. He also became known as
Bismarck's financial body guard" The
acquisition Of his title apparently softened
large part of the hard common sense charac-
teristic of unadorned Herr Bleichroder.
His influence with Bismarck, and through
him, with Emperor William l., inspired in
him the idea that he commanded sufficiently
high powers to get him and his family into
social association with Prussia's aristocracy
This was a sad delusion, since for
arrogant, ruthless, and impudent ex-
clusiveness the old Prussian nobility
have no equal. Although they have earned
in this century the reputation Of constantly
asking and never refusing favors. they per-
sistently kick those who help them. Having
lost the civil privileges for which they
fought their kings in the days Of the estates,
they cling only the more tenaoiously to
their social privileges and stand stiff
necked against every democratic tendency
of the times. In social matters no his
torical development moves them, no sover-
eign sways them; each remains a sovereign
10 himself.
With his efforts to join this anachronistic
circle began Baron Bleichroder's career of
humilianon-a career with few parallels in
the annals Of modern society. The full
record of this humiliation would I'LL
volumes. A few instances will illustrate
the nature Of all.
The removal of the disability of Hebrews
for service in the officers corps OF the Prus-
sian army rendered it possible for young
Blelohroder to become a reserve lieutenant
ein the Guards, whose officers are almost ex-
clusively Of the Prussian aristocracy. In
this lay an opportunity, Baron Bleichroder
thought. to take long step upward on the
social ladder, and he invited all the officers
of his sons regiment to dine with him. The
invitations were declined unanimously. An
appeal to the omnipotent chancellor led to
a command from the emperor to the colonel
of the regiment that the officers must at
tend Baron Bleichroder's dinner, and the
retusals OF the invitations were withdrawn.
At fifteen minutes before the dinner hour
che colonel, at the head Of the regimental
officers, appeared at the door of Baron
Bleiohroder's palace. The host himself
came to the door to welcome them. The
colonel saluted and said:
AT the command of his majesty, the
king, we come to dine with you"
The officers entered, waited few
moments in silence, and then sat down at
Baron Bleichroder's table. Throughout the
dinner their part of the conversation was
strictly monosylabic. When the last course
mad been served the colonel, with his other
officers, arose and said:
THE command Of his majesty, the king,
having been obeyed. we now bid you good
evening"" And they all left at once.
Baron Bleichroder aspired to make fine
match for his daughter and planned early
and late means for getting her into high
Berlin society. He eventually engaged the
powerful Influence Of the Countess Won
Schleinitz for a sum estimated at So, 900 to
$4,000 to accomplish his purpose. The
countess became Miss Bleichroder's chap
serone. and by dint of perseverance and
f1nesse got her half launched in the less con-
Aeervative nobility. Her masterpiece how
over, was the securing Of an invitation for
Miss blelchroder to court ball. There were
symptoms of revolt among the men near
Che emperor when this became known,
and after some political-social-
financial fireworks the iron hand behind
the throne brought it about that several Of
Ulcers OF the guards were notified, in the em>
peror's name. that they must dance with
Miss Bleichroder at the ball. When all the
guests had gathered, however, some of
those feminine undercurrents," of which
the iron chancellor frequently complained.
began TO become apparent, and the master
of ceremonies whispered to each officer un-
der orders to dance with Miss Bleichroder
that, If he so desired, he might consider the
orders In question recalled Miss Bleich-
roder was at the ball for three bours and
no man approached her. Then she left.
The climax OF humiliation for this pitt
able young woman and her ambitious
father, however, came at the time OF her
marriage. By an enormous dover she was
enabled to capture penniless baron of long
ancestry and a longer list Of debts. Her
father settled upon the couple fine estate
in Silesia and had them conveyed TO their
new home. In another compartment of the
same railway carriage with them rode the
bridegroom's mistress and lawyer who wa.
to manage the sale of the estate. Within 9
few days the bride, robbed of her property
was deserted by her aristocrat, who re
turned to Berlin to pay his debts with bel
money and to Drag Of his smartness.
The present difficulty Of Baron Bleich
roder had its origin in the days before hit
aspirations for social prestige were at theil
strongest. Some twenty years ago, it is said
he was intimate with Frau Croner, whose
husband keeps a fashionable tailor shop OIL
Inter der Linden Frau Croner's inclina
49, $50 L. &c