The San Francisco call., 1898-02-13

NN which Actor Radcliffe sub
 Y Y jected his English as well as
 his Anne ican wife, the courts of Europe are agog over we-l-authen- ticated story that before the final sep aration of the young Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Hes~e, a fortnight ago, the Grand Duke laid violent hands on his beautiful and high-spirited con- sort; first of all using his fists upon her and ultimately pitching her by force out of the room in which the cli- max of their matrimonial bickerings took place.
 Both are the grandchildren of Queen Victoria-the Grand Duke being the only surviving son Of Princess Alice of Great Britain, while the Grand Duchess is the offspring of the Queens sailor son, Duke Alfred of Edinburgh and Co., burg. There is no doubt that they were married too young, and their separa- ton is distinguished from all other dis solutions of royal marriages by the fact that for once 1t has not been caused, either directly or indirectly, by any in- fraction of the seventh commandment. In fact the trouble origin ated entirely with the Grand Dukes tendency to practical joking, a tendency which is quite frequent among European royal ty, but which, in the case of the young ruler of Hesse, is carried to an extrav- agant degree.
 His practical jokes differ from those of his uncle, the Prince of Wales. They resemble those of his first cousin. the Kaiser, in that they partake of the na- ture of rough horse-play and coarse ness. Moreover, the Grand Duke has been, ever since he married, in the habit of selecting his beautiful young wife as the principal butt of his harsh jokes. These have already, in the spring of last year, led to her suddenly leaving Darmstadt and seeking refuge with her eldest sister, the Crown Princess of Roumania, at Bucharest.
 In the middle of a ball at the palace at Darmstadt the electric lights were suddenly extinguished, whereupon the young Grand Duke and several of his associates, who had previously provid- ed themselves with squirt guns, shot water at the bare necks and shoulders of the ladies present, incidentally hug ging them whenever they got the chance.
 The brand Duchess was drenched, besides being embraced roughly by at least two men who were not her hus- band. Frantic at the indignity to which both she and her guests had been sub- jected, she left Darmstadt accom- pdUleQ OQIy Dy HeT IldlQ, carry the IO1- lowing morning. No one knew what had become of her until thirty-six hours later a telegram from Bucharest announced her arrival there. It was | only with the utmost difficulty that she was persuaded to return to her husband | and child, and then only on the solemn ] promise of her husband that he would | abstain from practical joking at her i expense.
 Since her return matters have gone | from bad to worse. There has been | more practical joking, and,. moreover, | the highly cultivated and exceedingly | clever Grand Duchess, who has been | ly an English girl, has strongly resented | thevery anti-British attitude which her | husband has taken up in connection | with the recent i'll feeling in Germany against Great Britain.
 The Grand Duke was never tired of | abusing the English policy, the English | court. and, indeed, everything that per tains to Great Britain, entirely oblivi- | ous of the fact that both his father | and himself have been dependent upon the bounty of Queen Victoria. The | venerable sovereign has not only dow cred his sisters and provided him with a large annuity, but she actually pays most of the expenses of the court, the Grand Duke being the poorest Prince in Germany.
 It may be added that the Grand Duke as a boy had the misfortune to kill his younger brother. He was chas ing him through the rooms of the ducal palace and upon catching up with him gave him a push. The blow carried the l