Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-10-02
90 him, and thus the family quarrel was


ended.
Probably the most unfortunate Haps-
burg of recent times was Archduke Rudolf
Francis Charles Joseph. He was born
AUG. 81, 1855, and was the eldest son of
Franz Joseph. emperor Of Austria He
was carefully educated and learned to
speak ten languages and also became
scrscd in zoology and the natural sciences.
He was also great traveller and hunter.
He was married in 1850 to the Princess
Stcphanic, duchess Of .;axony, daughter of
Leopold II, king of the Bclgians. 1t was
one o. the most brilliant nuptial ccrc-
monies OF the century. The royalty we'd
dcd pair did not live happily, and the
princess sought in vain for u separation
II was said that she was in love with an
American when the policy of the state
forced her to marry Rudolf.
RUdolfs sudden death, which occurred
at MoycgiirS, near Baden, on Jan. 80,
1889, aStounded Europe and was at first
supposed to have been caused by apoplcxy.
Then the statement was given out that
the heir 10 Austria's throne had met his
death by being accidentally shot while on
q hunting expedition to Meycrling. Later
the entire civilized world was startled by
The news that the prince had committed
suicide.
The GrchGukc was deeply infatuated
with the charms Of tie Baroness Notcera,
beautiful young girl, who returned his
love. He wished To be united to her by
morganatic marriage, but his father would
not allow s;,ci, an arrangement. On the
| evening OF Jan. - thc crown prince met
| the baroness III a s;g,nckccpcr's house not
! far from the castle o! Meycrling and spent
hn ir.rv tar Vv, hn rp,..r zinc
4! both wee found dead, lying side by side
| upon a bed. 1t was asserted that the bar
! DRESS had taken poison and that the prince
! had shot himself
! ETurI Ferdinand seemed TO he the log
| ical SUCCESSOR to the Austrian throne, but,
| if 1t bc true that he married the other day
| in London "a middle class lady from
| kohlschGidt. near AK Ia Chapciic," his
! chances OF obtaining the crown have cor
/ tainly diminished. There is 10 aristoc
racy IN Europe which is quite rs haugi,t;
l or as Iunc;ilious about matters of oti
! Gucttc as the Austria Hungarian, and tho
| members of that body would certainly not
he inclined to acknowledge as their SOW
| ercign eny one who had married beneath
him. Indeed such u marriage would &C
! priyc the heir prcSI!nptiVc OF tic rights 81
I Succession. Splendid nobleuen these arts
| are. ana woe To any ono among
them who willfully proves false to the ira
ditions OF his order. For example, let tn,
rumor spread that an Estcrhnzy intends t
marry some one who IS not of the pures
blood, and straightway all possible obsta
Giles Will bo placed in his path. ThcFc aris
tocrats ure loath to believe that the kci
prcsumptivo has married middle elias
lady" and one who was formerly house
keeper Of Herr krupp.
| Those who assImo the story to be tru
think It very possible that the archduk
was influenced by motives which sccine
to him to bc excellent. He must hav
known, say these persons, that his acces
sion to the crown would NOT bc popula
owing to his delicate health, and in an
, case 10 Is more than likely that he has IL
desire to become emperor. Being in
mcnscly rich, he can afford to do rs b
pfcascs, and, being Hapsburg, he ma
prefer to marry the woman of his choic
and to pass his days IN comparative scclr
, sion rather than to wed some poteEtate
daughter selected for him by the Austria
I court and to reign as suzerain of Austri
! and Hungary.