New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-26

THE GRAND-DUKE OF BADEN.
toward Prussia than any other South German
race The people Of Baden never forget
that in 1S4S when they were struggling for the
constitutional rights which they now enjoy, a
Prussian army invaded their territory. leaving
ruin and desolation in its track, hanging, shoot
Ing and imprisoning all the very flower OF the
youth Of tn cir country and driving thousands
into exile The Grand-duke. therefore. has never
been accused OF undue Partially IN his role Of
mediator. and is at the present moment without
exception the most influential and important
monarch of the Confederation.
That he should be on the Of assuming the
title Of King in Difference TO the suggestion OF
Emperor William and Of the other Princes be-
longing to the Confederation, all Of whom have
had occasion to benefit by his services, is not
surprising. all the more as the title Of Grand
duke has become somewhat confusing. especially
when 1t is borne in mind that every member
ef the Imperial House Of Russia Is known by
that title from his birth. Baden in size Of terri
tory and population is fully equal to many Of
the Kingdoms Of the Old World. and its ruler
"a In nc wise inferior but on the contrary more
important politically, than the Kings Of Saxony
Of WurtemSerg, Of Servia and of Rumania. 1t
is therefore probable that the dispatches re-
ceiyed from Europe the subject by cable are
well founded. and that within few weeks the
ruler Of Baden who was transformed from
rnargrave into a Grand-duke by the first Ma
poleon and by the French will now be promoted
to the rank Of King by the Germans.
A RULING FAMILYS ROMANCE.
Numerous as have been the romances Of the
regning houses Of Europe in the present
fury. there are few that are more sensational
in wi he
reigning family OF Baden, and the present Grand
duke according TO a general belief owes his
throne to the fact that the rightful heir was first
kidnapped and then murdered. The vast
1crity Of the Baden people are Protestants. Mar
grave Charles Louis. who was made by the first
Napoleon a Grand-duke, was however, a Catho-
lie and as such married at the Tuieries Ste
phanie Tascher de la Pagerie niece Of En-
press Josephine and an adopted daughter OF the
Emperor Napoleon The Grand duchess Ste
phanie gave birth to five children prior to the
death OF her husband. Three Of these were girls,
one Of whom alone survives. and Is the grand
mother Of King Charles Of Roumania and Of his
brothers and sisters. Two Of the other children
we're sons one Of whom died as an infant of six
months while the other is generally believed to
nave been the hero of what is known as the
Kaspar Hauser mystery.
Grand duchess Stephanie was very unpopular
In Baden. not only on account Of her French
birth and afiliation, but also on account of her
Catholic religion in which she insisted on bring
ing up her children. 1t was especially the aris-
tocracy that was opposed to her. and inasmuch
as the other members Of the reigning family
were all Protestants Of the most uncompro
missing type a party was quickly formed firmly
determined 70 prevent any Catholic son OF Ste
phanie from succeeding TO the throne. with her
self regent during the lads minority. Ac-
cordingly stories were circulated to the effect
that the young son Of Stephanie was suffering
from ncurable malady, and one day during
. momentary absence Of the nurse child thus
afflicted and the point Of death was substi-
tuted for the perfectly healthy son OF the Grand
duchess. The latter might have obtained JUS
tce had II not been for the fact that her hus-
band died at this juncture very suddenly. and
In the confusion which ensued she was pushed
to one side. practically driven from the country
while. in default Of male issue OF her husband
his uncle. the Protestant Grand-duke Louis Will
Am succeeded TO the throne.
KAsPAR HAUsERs STORY.
Years afterward young man was found
's'n'ing OF hunger at the gates Of Nuremberg
~''a was taken to the police station He was
i'iey unable 10 communicate with anybody
""s no power Of speech and no acquaintance
VII" ei,her reading or writing, never having
App"'e"uy' conversed with any human being
He ieH INTO Charitable hands and gradually was
Taught ana educated whereupon he by degrees
'eca'ne able to give some. account Of himself
FROM 'hls II appeared that he had been kept
"he feast In dark ROOM seeing nothing,
nearing nothing and knowing nothing. When 1t
vas necessary 10 cleanse him he drugged.
ih's existence continued from the time he could
'enefnber until the day when he was placed.
UNABRIDGED In cart and driven to the spot a;
the gates Of Nuremberg where he was subse-
euentiy found by the police
among the many people who interested them
serves In his case the wealthy Earl Of Stan
nope grandfather of the present Lord Rose
very and father OF the Duchess Of Cleveland.
sne only surviving bridesmaid OF Queen Victoria.
having unlimited wealth at his command. the
EAR set 10 work to trace the mystery existing
IN connection with the young man. who had been
named kaspar Hauser by the people who had
oeirended him. BY dint OF research. the Earl
managed to collect almost incontrovertible evil
oence to the effect that Kaspar Hauser was no
o'her than the kidnapped son Of Grand-duchess
e'ephanie. The Grand-duchess. on learning OF
uls' was greatly agitatsd. and It was arranged