New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-05
THE MAGYAR PATRIOTS.
DEATH OF KLAPKA AND TELEKI-KOSSCTH
STILL IRRECONCILABLE

every stare III central ana eastern Europe lo-
day they occur, and there is not much as
ripple on the surface of current politics. So far
has the world outgrown the issues of lsis, when
tile name Of Kossuth the watchword OF uni
versal patriotism. So dead, one might say, is the
Hungarian Revolution, smoihered by the amia-
bility Of the most popular sovereign In Europe.
Nevertheless, the passing away of these men
wofuly dminishes the little band Of survivors of
those glorious days, and, grounds of personal
and historic interest must not he left unnoticed.
The deaths of these men were singuary peace
full after the storm and stress of their lives.
Scarcely a man Of this century has seen more Of
romance. adventure and peril than Alexander
Teeki. In his youth he was a brilliant musician,
the bosom friend of Franz List, with whom he
travelled abont Europe on concert tours and in
quest of pleasure. During trip to Spain he be-
came cnamored of a beautiful damsel, the
daughter Of Carlst leader. For her sake he
Joined the Pretender's forces and distinguished
himself by his valor and daring. Rashly venturing
within reach of the Government troops Tor the
sake of an interview with her, he was taken
prisoner. and spent several months in Jail. Effect
ing his escape he found his tickle mistress welded
TO another, whercupon he left Spain and returned
to Hungary just in time to join the reYolutloniss
there After brilliant career he was taken
prisoner and cast into dungeon at Arad But
AGAIN he made his escape and fled to Turkey.
Thence he went to France, and ardenty identified
himself with the Republic and became an init
MATE friend of Victor Hugo. A few months later
came the Coup d'Etat and he was driven into
exile. living with Hugo at Guernsey. When the
Crimean War came on he went thither and did
valiant service after which he revisited Turkey.
and then settled in Switzerland In the latter
country he was married to an English lady She
died within year, and he thereupon went TO Italy
and took up a soldiers life once more. He was
one of the bravest of the famous thousand Of
MARSHA, and would probably have risen to high
honors in Italy had not the amnesty of 1867 been
declared in Hungary. Taking advantage Of that
act he returned home and settled upon his
ces.ral estates, which had been restored to him.
There he lived for the rest of his life, quiet.
happy country gentleman. But to the end of his
days he hated the Austrians with irreconcilabe
hatred; and when, only year ago, his son en-
tered Parliament as supporter of the Govern
ment he almost disowned him, and publicly de-
cared that the young man had degraded himself
and disgraced the family.
General Klapkas life was equally stirring and
eventful and his part in the Hungarian revolution
was much more important lie began his military
career in Vienna officer of the Imperial
Guard. He resigned his commission in ls47 to
90 10 India and serve in a distinguished capacity
the Maharaiah OF Lahore. But on his way thither
he storped 70 pay farewell visit to his sister in
Transylvania While he there the revolution
began. lie fastened TO Buda-Pesth and found that
Apponyi and Mctternich had been overthrown.
Instantly he wrote to the Maharajah resigning
his commission, and then offered his services to
the Prime Minister, Louis Batthyani. lie quickly
rose 10 eminence Within six months he was a
general and within year he was commander-in-
chief of the Hungarian armies.
After the capituaton he fled 10 London and
lived there for some years lie married an English
lady and wrote two or three important historical
works. When the war of 1866 broke out between
Prussia ard Austria, his unquenched luminosity
against the latter power led him to offer his
services to Prince Bismarck, who gladly accepted
them Kapka thereupon organized a Magyar
Legion composed of Hungarian exiles and refugees
and with il did effective work against his old
foes For this reason he was not fully included
in the amnesty of 1867, but remained debarrei
from the Hungarian army all his life. His
later years were chiefly spent abroad, the winters
at Constantinople, the summers in Switzerland.
His death, however, occurred at Buda Pesth, In
hotel One day he in perfect health. He
dined with some friends and entertained them
with the conversational briancy for which he
was famous Then he went TO bed, fell asleep,
and never awoke.
But if his end was peaceful, his funeral was not:
his funerals rather, for he had two Late at
night. the night following his death, his body was
being watched over by two newspaper reporters
and several of the hotel servants; 50 little honor
was paid him II had not yet been placed in
coffin At about midnight couple of men came
from an undertaker's shop, bringing a coffin, into
- III 81.
away They conveyed it TO the receiving vaults
of the cemetery and placed it therein with more
ceremony than rs if it had been a log Against
this extraordinary proceeding the newspaper re-
porters protested, but in vain. The undertaker's
men declared that they had full authority for their
action The reporters thereupon FASTENED TO ac-
auaint some Members of Parliament with what
had been DONE and when the session opened that
day there was a scene. The opposition members
demanded To know whether the Government had
authorized such disrespect to the remains OF the
illustrious soldier. No was at first made.
The Prime Minister, Count Szapary, was absent
and in his absence no one ventured 10 speak Tor
the Government. Then some hot-blooded Magyar
cried, Did Szapary authorize il? And is that
why he is afraid 10 he in his place to-day?'
A tremendous tumult arose The Chamber
became a mob. Few suspected Count Szapary
Of being guilty, yet his absence was
suspicious; and none of his colleagues dared
say word in his defence. Send Tor
Szaparyl" rose the cry. Let him come at once;
or we will fetch him. So the tumult ragged for
an hour. Then Count Szapary came hnrrying In
le gave ample reasons for his absence, and OF
course Indignantly denied that he or any member
of the Government had been in tue least respon-
sible for the treatment of klapla's remains. In
deed he was most anxious 10 do that soldiers
memory all possible honor The fact was. Klapks
had been on cordial terms with the Emperor ana
Empress and had for years received a pension
from them. So not even Austrian could have
IA