The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-12
BATHED IN BLOOD.
The sister OF King of Poland XIII
ed 300 Maidens in Order to Pre-
serve Her Youth.

/ ed 300 Maidens in Order TO Pre-
! serve Her Youth.
From the London Evening News.
About the year 1910 Elizabeth Bathor,
sister 10 the King of Poland and wife
Of a rich and powerful Hungarian mag
nate was the principal actor in the most
singular and horrible tragedy mentioned
in history She occupied the castle OF
Csejta in TransyVania.
Like most other ladies of that period
she was surrounded by a troop Of young
girls. generally the daughters OF poor
but noble parents. who lived in honorable
servitude I'm return for which their edu-
cation was cared for and their dowry
secured.
Elizabeth was of a severe and cruel
disposition, and her hand maidens had
no joyous life. Slight faults are said TO
have been punished by most merciless tor
lures
one day. as the lady of Csejta was adj
miring mt the mirror those charms winch
thar faithful monitor told her were fast
waning she gave way to her ungOVern-
able temper. excited perhaps by the mir
ror's unwelcome hint and struck her
unoffcnding maid with such force in the
face as TO draw blood.
As she washed from her hands the
stain. she fancied the part which the
blood had touched grew whittier, softer
and. as il were, younger. Impued with
the credulny Of The age she believed she
had discovered what so many philoso-
pliers had wasted years in seeking for.
She supposed that I'm virgins blood she
had found the elixir vitae. the fountain
of never-failing youth and beauty.
Remorseless by nature and now urged
on bv irrepressible vanity, the thought
no sooner flashed across her brain than
her resolution was taken; the life OF her
luclSIess hand maiden was not 20 be COM
pared to the precious boon her death prom
ised TO secure. Elizabeth, however, was
wary as wen as cruel.
Al the foot of the rock on which CceJta
stood was a small cottage, inhabited by
two old women, and between the cellar OF
this cottage and the castle was a suoter-
ranean passage, known only 10 one OF Two
persons and never used but IN times or
danger. With the aid of these old crones
and her steward Elizabeth led the poor
girl through the secret passage 10 the
cottage. and, after numbering her, bathed
In her blood
Not satisfied with this first essay. at
different intervals, by the aid of these
accomplices and the secret passage, no
less than 300 maidens We're sacrificed on
the altar of vanity and superstition!
Several years had been occupied in this
pitiless slaughter, and no suspicion or the
truth was excited, though the greatest
amazement pervaded the country at the
disappearance of so many persons.
AT last however, Elizabeth called into
play against her two passions even
stronger than vanity and cunning. Love
and revenge became interested in the dis
covery of the mystery, Among the mys-
terry of Cseita was a beautiful virgin, who
was loved by and betrothed 10 young
man of the neighborhood.
In despair at the loss of his mistress he
followed the traces with such persever-
ence that, in spite of the hitherto sue
! cessful caution Of the murderess he PEN
/ Grated the bloody secrets of the castle,
/ and burning for revenge, flew TO Pres
! burg boldly accused Elizabeth Bathori of
! murder before the palaune in open court
| and demanded judgment against her.
! So grave an accusation brought against
! person of such high rank demanded the
| most serious attention, and the palatine
! undertook TO investigate the affair in per-
| son.
! Proceeding Immediately 10 Csejta, be-
! fore the murderess of her accomplces had
| any idea of the accusation, he discovered
! the still warm body of a young girl, whom
they had been destroying as the paatine
| approached and had not time to dispose
of before he apprehended them
The rank of Elizabeth mitigated her
! punishment to imprisonment for life, but
| her assistants were burned at the stake.
Legal documents stnl exist to attest the
/ truth of this circumstance