The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-01-16

In spite Of the protests that have reach
ed him from Vienna. Indeed. at the
present moment there IS no royal per-
sonage in Europe who is in such bad
odor at the court of Austria as King
Leopold.
RUDOLF'S UNTIMELY DEATH.
Probably the most unfortunate Haps-
burg of recent times was Archduke Ru-
dolf Francis Charles Joseph. He was
born August p, 1858. and was the
eldest son of Franz Joseph, Emperor
OF Austria. He was carefully educated
and learned to speak ten languages, and
also became versed in zoology and the
natural sciences. He was also great
traveller and hunter. He was married
in 1880 10 the Princess Stephanie,
Duchess of Saxony, daughter of Leo
pold H., King of the Belgians IT was
one of the most brilliant nuptial cere-
monies of the century The royalty
welded pair did not live happily, and
the Princess sought in vain for a sep
aration. 1t was said she was in love
with an American when the policy of
the State forced her 10 marry Rudolf
Rudolf's sudden DEATH which occur
red at Meyerling, near Baden, on jan
uary 30, 1889, astounded Europe, and
was at first supposed TO have been
caused by apopleXy. Then the state
ment was given out that the heir to
Austria's throne had met his death by
being accidentally shot while on
hunting expedition to Meyerling Later
the entire civilized world was startled
by the news that the Prince had COM
mitted suicide.
The Archduke was deeply infatuated
with the charms of the Baroness Vet
cera, beautiful young girl, who re-
turned his love. He wished to be united
to her by morganatic marriage, but his
father would not allow such an ar
rangement. On the evening of January
18th the Crown Prince met the Baron
ess in a gamekeeper's house not far
from the castle of Meyerling, and spent
an evening with her. In the morning
both were found dead lying side by
side in bed. 1t was asserted that the
Baroness had taken poison and that
the Prince had shot himself.
CONFLICTING STORIES.
But there were great many variants
to the story, and though the fact that
the Prince committed suicide is now
versions as to the manner of his TAX
ing off. One story is to the effect that
a forester already equipped for the
mornings chase went to the house
where the Prince was staying in order
to ask the gamekeeper for some in
structions regarding the hunt that was
to take place. He knocked loudly at
the door, a window was opened and
man jumped out and ran away. The
forester aimed and fired, the fugitive
fell, and when the forester walked up
TO him he recognized to his horror the
Crown Prince, who had tainted. The
shot had entered the Princes shoulder.
The forester called for help, and with
the assistance of man who ran to his
aid, carried the Prince into the game
keepers house.
The Baroness, seeing the Prince in
faint and bleeding from a wound, imag-
ined that ne was dead. She immediate
ly took up her travelling bag and pulled
out phial. Before she could be pre-
vented she drank it's contents and fell
dead upon the floor.
Soon afterward the Crown Prince
came to, and was taken by his own
orders to the castel of Meyerling. Here
he ordered his valet from the room into
which he had been carried, and here he
placed a pistol to his head and fired
fatal shot.
Letters of the Prince and of the Bar
oness found after the tragedy tend to
disprove this version, and indicate
premeditated suicide on the part of both
parties. Then there were several wit
nesses who declared that they had seen
the bodies of the Prince and the Bar
oness lying side by side Immediately af
ter the tragedy.
ANOTHER STORY.
A man by the name of Johann Tran
CULLEN, known by the sobriquet Of
Baron Schau," who died on Wards
Island after a career of dissipation in
the United States, asserted that he
drove the Crown Prince to MeyerlinS
on the day of the tragedy, and told 4
very different story of the Princes
death He said that he drove the
Prince and jolly party Of friends 20
Meyerling. No women were in the
party. Supper was served in the cas-
tie of Meyerling, and during the festiv-
tiles the Baroness Vetcera suddenly
made her entrance into the supper
room and with flashing eyes asked the
Prince if it was true that he had re-
nounced her. The Prince, after 81
lence, answered that his father would
allow of no union between himself and
the Baroness. The latter then drew
revolver and fired at Rudolf The pail
wounded him but slightly, and ne
caught the Infatuated woman in his
arms. She managed, however, to turn
the pistol against herself and inflicted
a mortal wound. A relative of the
Baroness then sprang up and brought
a champagne bottle with all his might
upon the head of the Prince, who sank
upon the floor and died. The lovers
We're then laid side by side upon
and all the witnesses to the
scene were sworn to secrecy.
A number of stories varying in details
were current in Vienna during the
days following the tragedy, and many
startling rumors were whispered about
The court, Of course, hushed up the al
fair as much as possible, SO the story
of the Princes taking off has never
been authoritatively told.
WHO WILL SUCCEED FRANZ 10
SET?
1t has long been known that Franz
Josef has been anxious to change the
order of succession to the throne. His
will alone, however is not sufficient to
bring about this change. The Prag-
matte Sanction must first be altered,
this being the famous pact by which
Emperor Charles VI, in 1923, settled
the crown on his daughter Maria The
resa and her heirs. The assent of the
Powers and of the Austrian and Hun
garida Parliaments will be necessary