St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-17
WOMEN AT COURT.
One of Them Caused the Prince
Imperial's Death and Another
Advises His Father.

ADVISES his t'atner.
l met the other evening at dinner
party most charming old Austrian
lady who had come from Vienna to
Paris, writes Paris correspondent of
the Philadelphia Telegraph, to visit her
daughter, who is the wife of French
nobleman and had just presented her
husband with an heir to their joint es-
tates. After dinner the conversation
turned upon matters and things in
Austria, and | spoke of the mysterious
death of the unfortunate Crown
Prince Rudolph and the secrecy that
had been observed concerning all the
Countess Won X shrugged her
shoulders. sit is a mystery for the
outside world and for the newspapers
if you will" she answered, "but the
true story of the case is generally known
among the upper classes of VienneSe
society, and l have no objection to re-
lating it to you.
"Briefly stated, the facts are as fol-
lows: A foreign nObeman, the Prince
de l. who was widower and a con-
nectiOn by marriage with leading
member OF the Austrian royal family,
was presented one evening at ball to
the very beautiful Baroness Marie de
Vecsera, instantly fell madly in love
with her, and formed the resolution of
making her his wife. He was on terms
of Intimate friendship with the crown
prince, and before proposing in Que
form for the Young lady's hand he con
suited Prince Rudolph OH the advisable
ity of the step he was about to take. L
must see the Baroness Marie replied
the prince, 'to ascertain if she is in all
respects as charming as you say be-
fore l give you my full appreciation
The introduction took place, and the
superb beauty of the lovely girl i'm
pressed Prince Rudolph no less than it
had done his friend before him.
"The passion thus inspired was 'mu-
tual, and of uncomfortable vehemence.
A liaisOn was formed, which was con-
Quoted with the utmost possible secrecy,
but rumOrS of its rise and progress did
not fail to reach the ears of the unfort-
innate Prince de l.. AT last the i'll
fated expedition to Meyerling took
place, and the presence there of the
lovers was betrayed to the unhappy
wooer by one of the servants who was in
his pay. He FASTENED to Meyerling,
but was denied admission to the house.
He then made his way to the back part
of the ground, climbed over the wall,
scaled the balcony attached to the
princes room, and, shutting the win
dows, he leaped into the presence of his,
false friend and his faithless lady-loVe.
A terrible hand-to.h hand encounter en-
sued between the two men. both of
great strength and accustomed to all
sorts OF athletic exercises. The fur
niture of the room was literally smashed
to pieces in the conflict.
IL lf,, . d., Il 49,
up an unopened bottle of wine and dealt
the crown prince furious blow on the
head with it, crushing in his adversary'S
skull and killing him instantly. The
Baroness de VeceSera had, it seems, al
ways carried about with her dose of
strychnine, with premonition of some
such catastrophe. On seeing her lover
fall corpse before her she swallowed
the fatal drug and death ensued in a
short space of time. One of the young
mobiles who had been Prince Rudolph's
guest at Meyerling FASTENED to Vienna
to bear the terrible tidings to the en-
peror, while another one fastened to
guard the house wherein lay the bodies
or the lovers.
1.-The emperor" continued the count
ess, would permit no legal proceed
ingS to be taken against Prince de
self-defenSe; neither would he consent
to receive the princes resignation of
his position in the army. The facts
were hushed up as much as possible.
All discussion of the catastrophe was
prohibited to the journals Of Austria.
But the story was known to too many
persons to be kept close secret"
L afterward met at an evening recep-
ton Belgian physician who has been
settled for several years past atVienna.
He fully cOrroborated all the details of
the crown princes death, as impaired
to me by the Countess Won X, and
| added curious little history concern
ing the emperor of Austria.
1t appears that for long years back his
majesty has sought and found coEsola-
ton for his troubles and repose from
| the cares of state in the remarkable in
| tellect and brilliant conversation of an
eX-actress, by name Catharine Schratt,
whose counselS are said to have been of
| the greatest advantage to him on many
| important affairs of state.
He is accustomed to drive out to the
| palace at Shoenbrunn, and there, leav-
| ing his equipage, he will be met by
Nine. Schratt and will take long prom
| enades with her in the forest to talk
| over matters and things i'll general. So
widely is this friendship known in
| Vienna that the lady is known as the
| vice empress. Her extraordinary in
telligence and clear, cool judgment are
valued in the highest degree by the
emperor and are acknowledged even by