New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-29

plackmailed), II will readily be seen how right
His Royal Highness Is. not only for his own sake.
but also for that OF the community at large, to
take every precaution with regard to the proper
care OF such documents
GOING TO GREAT LENGTHS.
IT may be questioned as to what extent a per-
son Is justified in adopting extraordinary meas
ures to recover possession OF letters written by
himself or by those near and dear to him. when
he Is aware that the people in whose possession
they are at the time into whose hands they
are likely to fall are capable Of making i'm
proper use thereof.
And If the measure should occasionally verge
on the border-line Of what is illegal. one will
be tempted to attach any undue blame to the
perpetrator. Thus when the "soi-disant Count
Jaracewski committed suicide at his lodgings in
DoVer-st., st. James's, on Lord Hastings having
brought to life the fact that he was nothing more
than an adventurer, and worse General Sir
Dighton Probyn. the chief If the Prince of Waless
household. was sent In hot haste to the dead
mans rooms, where he went through all his pa
pers, removing therefrom every scrap relating
either to the Prince or Princess Of Wales. both Of
whom had been fond OF Sherry and Whskey,"
as he was called, and had frequently invited him
to stay at Sandringham OF course, from a legal
point Of view, Sir Dightoh was altogether wrong
in touching the papers Of the suicide previous to
the arrival of the coroner and police; but under
the circumstances he acted for the best. fact
that was acknowledged subsequently by the Ger
man Embassy, which In view Of the "so-disant'
count having DeeE a German SUBJECT was at nrSt
inclined to question the high-handed proceeding
OF the Princes controller.
II was with similar object in view that on the
death. a couple Of years ago. of old Countess
Hacke, who for fifty years had been the principal
lady-in- waiting and cOnfdante Of the late En-
press Augusta of Germany, Emperor William
adopted the extraordinary measure OF conf1scat
ing within an hour after her demise her entire
correspondence and papers. none CT which have
been returned to her family. Had the Emperor
of Austria acted in analogous manner at the
Admiral Count BOmbeleS
who had been the chief of the household Of poor
Crown Prince Rudolph. he would have been
spared the money that he was obliged to spend
and the trouble that ne experienced. in recovering
all sorts of confidential documents concerning his
son from an adventures who had secured hold
Of them at the time Of the Admirafs death.
When, couple of years ago, Sir Thomas Freake
charged with inveigling man into the cell
lars of his private theatre at South Kensington,
in London, and Of OBTAINING him there bound and
gagged for several hours while he drove off to the
fellows apartments and obtained from hs.desk a
lot OF compromising letters written by member
of Sir Thomas's family which the man was using
for purposes OF terrorism and even blackmai,
everybody commended Sir Thomas and no punish
ment inflicted upon him by the authorities
for what was undoubtedly most illegal and
high-handed proceeding The greatest dignitary
in the diplomatic service Of the Car, Baron Won
Mohrenheim, Amba ssador at Paris, is indebted
for his first promotion and for his rapid rise to
the fact that while young secretary Of Legation
at Berlin he acted III precisely similar manner
for the purpose Of recovering from INSCRIPTIONS
hands the compromising correspondence Of one Of
the most charming but. at the same time, most
indiscreet OF Muscovite Grand-duchesses
EX-ATTACHE.