The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-07
STIRS SWEDISH NOBILI I
QUEER TRAGEDY WHICH &C
CURED NEAR STOCKHOLM
Did Countess HeIga SIn;crslsjold
Commit Murder: - Mysterious
Crime With Enough Sensation TO
Form II Plot for Il Thrilling Novel
-RcyaI Lenicncy Predicted.
From the New York Journal.


Baron Evert Reinhold Mauritz Taube
was the head of one of Sweden's most
wealthy and aristocratic families. the
possessor of the great entailed estates
and ancient castle of BroxVik, near
Stockholm, and q chamberlain TO King
Oscar of Sweden and Norway. He died
suddenly in December. 1896. Two repu-
table physicians certified that he had
died from natural causes, but after an
unaccountable delay his oldest son,
Baron Evert Taube, demanded an Off
cial inquiry.
The second sensation came when the
ffancee of Evert Taube, the Countess
Helga Skajerskjold, daughter of Count
Knut Henrik Skajerskjold, accused
her prospective mother-in-laW the Bar
oness Betty Taube. Of having poisoned
her husband. This accusation created
an intense sensation, not alone in Swe-
den, but at all the courts of Europe
where the parties are we'll known and
have relatives.
The state medical authorities at once
made a thorough examination The
body was eXhumed and traces of
arsenic and quicksilver were found in
certain quantities. But the scientists
said they could not swear that these
caused the violent hemorrhages from
which Chamberlain Taube died, owing
and the examination.
The judge before whom the case was
brought was in a quandary. The Taubes
had been married for over thirty years,
had two grown sons and had always
lived happily together, but public opin-
ion demanded a trial. and the
Baroness Taube was arrested, releas-
ed on her own recogniZance and the
trial commenced. 1t has now lasted
Sensation Has Followed Fast.
One days session had commenced
when the public prosecutor requested a
private interview with the presiding
judge. This the judge decided could
then handed the judge a letter which
had just been received from the detec-
tive police department at Stockholm
The judge read the letter in open court
1t contained the following statement
and bore the signature of the noble
fiancee Of Evert Taube:
81, the undersigned. confess herewith.
and request that 1t be read before the court
that it was 1 who poisoned Chamberlain
Taube with the expectation that 1, through
my iance, Baron Evert Taube would be-
come possessor of the Taube entailed es-
tates, and also cause suspicion to fall upon
the Baroness Taube Of having poisoned
her husband; but now, enforced by re-
pentance and not willing that the Baron
ess Taube should suffer any further for my
crime, I confess having done the deed.
When this letter is read, I shall not any
longer be among the living as I cannot sur
vive the shame. May every member of the
Taube family forgive me:
-"Helga Skaierskiold."
The letter caused an immense sensa-
ton in the crowded court room The
handwriting was recognized by the
Baroness Taube, her lawyers and other
persons. The lawyers at once moved
that Nine. Taube be discharged
Then another extraordinary incident
happened. The public prosecutor in
formed the judge that while the letter
was read by the court, he had received
a telephone message from the detec-
tive headquarters in Stockholm that
| the
Countess HeIga SkagerSkjoId.
had the evening before been murder
ously attacked by unknown persons In
| the suburbs Of Stockholm.
On recovering consciousness, she told
a remarkable story. The same even
| ing at about o'clock. she had received
! a message by mail, not signed, re-
questing her to meet the writer at a
certain locality at o'clock the same
evening, and to come alone, when she
| would receive important information