New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
4 LIBEL on THE EMPRESS TAOTI.
THE HORRIBLE HISTORY OF THE BLOOD COUNT
Ess' REVIVED BY ITS PERVERsIoN TO
APPLY TO HER.

Savage as the Abyssin!ans are-the late Emperor
John. In spite OF his Christianity having been ac-
clstomed 70 slice of the noses and lips OF those OF
his subjects whom he found making use OF either
snuf or tobaccothere Is no truth IN the story cir
culated in tho French and Italian press TO tho
effect that the Empress Taou is accustomed 10
battle in tho blood OF young girls slaughtered for
the purpose the object being 10 preserve her wan
ing beauty This tale is utterly without foundation
and is so obviously derived from the He OF the
Austrian Countess Nadasdy, who lives IN Austrian
history and poetry as die Blut-Grahn' that II
may be worth while 70 relate oriehy the eAuao'ui-
nary crimes OF the latter.
7, sa.r,a ,ha, IN an evil moment the Countess
whose memory IS commemorated in Vienna by the
name OF the "Blut-Strasse." given to a thorough
fare crossing the site formerly occupied py her
palace discovered, she thought that human
blood whltened and beauthed the skin. From that
time forth she stopped al crime IN order TO Sc
cure her horrible cosmetic. More than two hun
bred young and beautiful girls are known 10 nave
,oer murdered either by her hands or by those OF
her aged maid. Helen 10; her nurse, Catherihe
Benetzky or her dwarf. Fierko. at ner 'lelnese
nalace alone while M her castle or Cselth IN nun
gary over three hundred more were put TO death
The total number OF her innocent victims &C
cor3,ne 10 absolutely official reports. numbered 800
a,r,s and this alarming figure would have been
much lartcr-as large. indeed, as that ATTRIBUTED
~ her by legend-had not the authorities at last
,nterfered the Governor OF the province In which
her castle was stuated-who, by-the-way. was ner
Hrs, cousin~being charged with the duty or p.ac-
ing her under arrest Ii seems that wheh ne Pv.e,
traed into her apartments Tor me purpoSs M heina
no less than three young peasant maidehs oe.,lss
Md 70 death their blood being carefully collected
in large tub into which the dreadful Countess was
about TO plunge. -, $500 ,,,-,o1 q, .ha
stake and her dwarf broken on the wneel; "n.i s
tho Countess herself being Of too lofty oirth ana
ancient lineage TO be subjected to ordinary ern.io
nal nrocedure was condemned to remain IN cicsc
MAJ arnanoant in her gloomy castle. According TO
tradItion she was there starved 10 dean
IN Hungary and is that Of sinEulariy lovely woman
dre.sed in the purest Renaissance style. WIN
Greamv winning smile. great black eyes ana
wealth OF dusky tresses which Unframed me mos ss
Te'jrsfe Of snowy compeXions. Count frafcls
Nadasdy. her hus band far from checking her per
rimes ra her encouraged them than otherwise, TOT
30 vas wont 10 profess the opinion rather common
in those davis that the lower classes were Hierey
,noant 70 serve az pastimes and Instruments TOT the
nobility. She was barely fifteen when she mar,
r,e1 him and was much devoted 10 him. aithougn
his name is 10 this day eXecrated ana curssu
throughout Hungary, thankss 10 rne Wh,cS
stained his otherwise brilliant military career.