The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-01
THE MURDERER OF AN EMPRESS.
An Account of the Life of Luigi Luc-
chesi-The Hapsburgs' White Lady.
From the New York Tribune.


From the New York Tribune
Many stories were circulated at first
about the identity of Lucchesi the muir
derer OF Empress Eliza5eth Some re-
ports represented him as being a student
and belonging to that class Of educated
anarchists who are generally satisfied with
preaching the murderous doctrine to the
'compagnons." without being tempted
themselves 10 do the nefarious deeds which
they lncited the others 10 do. Lucchesi
was said to be an exception to the rule,
and to have left the study of his law books
in order to assert his awful principles by
assassinating an inoffensive Princess who
had never anything to do with politics
but who belonged to that class of rulers,
kings emperors or even president of re-
publcs, which the anarchists consider 1t
necessary to terrorize.
Those reports were incorrect, and the
whole story Of the murderer's life is now
well established. Lucchesi, far from be-
ing student of law, was a common Ia
borer, without even a trade. He was
born in Paris In 1875 on a bench of the
Boulevard, where his mother who had
emigrated from Parma, Italy. was sud
denly taken sick with the pains of con-
finement. One year later he was brought
mysteriously TO Parma and abandoned IN
some corner of the city. By the side Of
the infant was found the official registry
of his birth, stating that he was born
in the Twelfth ward, or ACCOMPLISHMENT,
of Paris, from unknown parents. He was
sent by the Parma municipality to the
founding asylum which placed him in
charge of a family in the town OF Navglio.
AT years of age the boy was taken
back to the asylum, and again confided to
Co. -
in the town of San Douino. That place
is a comparatively large industrial city.
in which socialistic and even anarchistic
ideas were held by many inhabitants.
Luigi Lucchesi remained in that city
long enough to imbibe there the doctrines
which were to lead him to the accomplish
ment of his horrible deed Until he was
about u years old he earned his living
by peddling divers articles, and after that
he worked in different countries as a
helper to masons, stone-cutters, shoemak-
ers, etc. He was reported as a deserter
ftom the army because he was abroad and
did lot present himself at the military
headquarters OF Parma when he was at
the age of being drafted. Soon after,
however, having returned to Italy, Luc-
chest was Incorporated into cavalry reg
iment. He was noted for his insubordna-
ton, but that did not prevent Capt. De-
vera from taking him for his private SER
want. The Italian papers say that the cap
tain was satisfied with the service of Luc-
chest until the regiment was sent. to Pa
lermo. Sicily. There his character chang
ed suddenly; he became every day more
and more inattentive, nervous and imper-
tnent Finally, in March, 1897, Lucchesi
called on his officer. to whom he said:
Captain. YOU have been very good TO
me, and 1 feel grateful for it, But
feel now that I was not born to be a SER
want, and beg you to set me free, so that
! may go TO America"
He left Palermo, and the captain did not
hear from him until he learned of the
crime committed by his former Servant
upon the Empress of Austria Hungary.
In connection with that murder, it may
be interesting to recall a legend we'll
lieve that whenever catastrophe threat
ems one Of the members of the Hapsburg
family a white lady appears in the halls
Of the Schoenbrunn Castle. The white
ghost was seen in 1867 before the tragical
death Of Emperor Macmillan, brother-in-
law of the late Empress. 1t was seen
also in 1889, as an announcement OF the
mysterious drama at Meyerlng, when
Archduke Rudolph lost his life. The same
apparition was seen before the disappear
ance of John Orth, the eX-Arehduke
drowned in the South American seas, could
have been known at Vienna. The white
lady was seen again in the year when
the young Archduchess Matilda was
burned alive, having tried to conceal in
her dress a lighted cigarette which she
was smoking in secret. It is recalled now
at Vienna that at the beginning OF this
year sentinel at Schoenbrunn affirmed
that he had seen the white lady roaming
about the castle.