Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-15
A COUNTESS IN POVERTY.
Count Kronhjilin's Wife Dies-saved from
uauuer's Grave.


Pauper's Grave.
4 Paterson special 10 the World says:
The remains of Countess Matilda Kronh-
jiln, Of Gothenburg, Sweden, were in
TERED at Cedar Lawn Sunday afternoon.
An aged woman the mother of the Coun-
tess. was the only mourner. Besides her
was the 5-ycar-old son of the deceased,
too young TO realize his loss. while his
grandmother wrung her hands in despair
and deplored the fate that brought her
once pretty daughter in contact with
worthless noblefnan. He's Il murderer
and a robber," she said in her native
language. and she said detectives had
been searching for him for years.
The dead woman's maiden name was
Matilda Theron. Herr mother conducted
restaurant in Gothenburg, and among
her patrons Were gay young nobiemen.
Count Kronhjilin was a anent VISITOR
He became enamour,d ol lIatiida, VINO
directed the affairs of the dining-room.
The relations between Matilda and the
Count became a source of much gossip
among the noble families of Gothenburg.
IL is said, and the Counts father warned
him not to forget his station.
The youthful Count said he loved the
daughter Of the widow Theron, but his
renuest for consent TO marry her was
refused, and he entered into secret
matrimonial alliance with the fair Ma
tilda. They had been welded about
three weeks, when Matilda's brother,
suspectng unlawful relations, demanded
an explanation. Instead Of explaining
matters the Count forced n quarrel with
Matilda's brother. y pitched battle took
place, the result of which was that Ma
carried homo I'm
critical condition. lie died a few weeks
later.
The Count. to escape arrest, fed from
the country with his wife and her
mother. Through the Influence Of his
father. who is a military officer, he es'
caped in female attire. and came to
America He was known here as knute
Krone. Nine months later Mrs. Krone
returned To Sweden and gave birth tc
a little girl Two years later she re-
turned. and a boy was born. This was
the child who saw the coffin lowered into
the grave this afternoon. The little sir
died about six months ago.
The Count came to this city with his
family about two years ago. His career
here appears TO have been a strange one.
Dissipation was the Counts chief cha
ractcristic. Last summer he began t.
He was frequent visitor to the oyster
Bay, on Broadway. a resort for fast
Young men and women. At times he eX-
hibited large roll of bills, and spent
money freely. The money, IL is said. was
rtmittances from his relatives In Sweden
one day the Count quarrelled with hi.
wife at Broadway and Main street If
was locked up. and fined in the Polio
Court for dsordcrly conduct.
When his little daughter became il
about six months ago the Count ORDERED
a coffin for her. and on the same nigh
he came home with a new hat heavily
trimmed with crepe. The child died q
3 few days later. and was buried by ex
Assemblyman John +. Smith, but tn,
Count had evidently forgotten 10 pay th'
bill Of Sl3j. Undertaken Smith, however
is not the only creditor of the Count IL
/ this city.
! The family lived in a humble house OF
| east Thirty-third street. near Washington
l Park. The Count was seldom at home
/ Neighbors frequently saw him steal vi
8 to the house at night and emerge iron
the barn at daylight. They wondered nov
he made 4 living, and some suspecte'
him of being professional burglar
About A month ago he left the city an'
has not returned. His wife was thel
suffering from consumption. She die
Wednesday. ami Cor three days he
mother kept vigil over the corpse. Sh
had neither money nor friends. and kneV
not what TO do with the body until Un
dertaker Smith volunteered to save
from a pauper's grave.
A letter was received yesterday fron
the Count. II is postmarked Hartford
Conn. and he request that II his wlfe
dead the fact be indicated by returning
him a letter marked with a black cross
The Countess was about 80 years oiu
Her last words 10 her mother were
see that her boy was wen pro'iueu lo'
and ,hat he be given good education.