The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-25

ritiaDie StOilts nave from time 10
time been published OF the mad kings
life In prison His ma.aiy always bore
heavily on the Empress Elizabeth, and
on more than one occasion she secretly
vi liza him to see for herself that he
received good treatment
Chief OF the recent tragedies OF the
house Of Hapsburg was the supposed
suicide in 1889 of the Archduke Ru-
dolph Francis Charles Joseph, son of
the emperor and heir 10 the throne, the
one on whom all the hopes of the inn
per.al house had rested. The affair is
now known as the Meyerl.ng drama.
Several versions OF the tragedy have
been given out, but the facts IN the case
probably never will be known to any
one outside tie royal house.
The archduke was deeply infatuated
with the charms of the Baroness Net-
cera. beautiful young girl, who re-
turned his love. He wished TO be united
10 her by morgauatic marriage, but his
father would not allow IL. on the
evening of January 20 the crown prince
met the baroness in gamekeeper's
house not far from the Castle Of Mey-
erling.
In the morning both we're found dead.
lying side by side. 1t was assured that
tho baroness had taken poison and that
the prince had shot himself.
Another story is to the effect that Il
forester went 10 the house where the
prince was staying in order to ask the
gamekeerer TOR some instructions re-
garding the hunt that was TO take place.
He knocked loudly Mt the door 4
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 recog
nizcd 10 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 a man who ran to his aid, carried
the prince into the gamekeeper's house.
The baroness. seeing the prince in q
faint and bleeding from wound.
ina gined that he was dead. She imme-
diately took out her travelling bag and
pulled out a vial Before she could be
prevented she drank its contents and
fell dead upon the floor.
Baron" Schau. who died on Wards
Island after career of dissipation in
the United States, asserted that no
drove the crown prince to Meyerling on
the day of the tragedy, and told very
different story of the princes death. He
said that he drove the prince and a
jolly party OF friends to Meyerling. No
women were In the party. Supper was
served in the castle of Meylerling, and
during the festivities the Baroness Vet
cera suddenly made her entrance into
the supper room, and with flashing
eyes asked the prince II it was true
that he had renowned her. The prince.
after a silence, answered that his ia
Their would allow of no union between
himself and the baroness. The latter
then drew deyolver and fired at Ru-
dolph.
The ball wounded him but slightly,
and he caught the Infatuated woman liz
his arms. She managed, however, TO
turn the pistol against herself and in
ficted a mortal wound. A relative OF
the baroness then sprang up and
brought champagne bottle with all his
might UPON the head OF the prince, who
sank upon the floor and died. The low
ers were then laid side by side upon a
couch, and all the witnesses to the
scene were sworn to secrecy.
The Empress Elizabeth Amalle Eu-
genie OF Austria, wife OF Francis Jo-
seph. emperor OF Austria and king OF
Hungary. was born on December "a,
1897. at Schloss Passenhofen, on the
banks of Lake Traum. Her father was
the Duke Macmillan Joseph OF Bava-
ria; her mother was cousin OF the mad
King Louis OF Bavaria. She was the
youngest OF five daughters tine eldest OF
whom became the Princess OF Thurn
and Taxis, the second the queen OF Ma
pkss, the third the Countess de Tram Of
Gaeta, now in exile in France, marry
ing a brother OF the King Of Naples,
and the fourth the Duchess d'Alencon.
whose sad death in the Charity Bazaar
in Paris is still fresh IN the public
mind.
The Duke Macmillan was man OF
simpla tastes eld frugal habits, as b.
came a German prnceling OF compare
lively limited income, who dressed
himself In coarse cloth and his daugh-
tiers In WOODEN or cambr.c, according to
the season.
Princess Ehzabeth was the Cinderella
OF the family. merry little hoyden.
who amused herself by riding around
the country, associatfag with The peas
ants and behaving generally as young
woman who though princess, asplred
to nothing bayond her simple. happy
country existence. Then. when she was
sixteen years OF age. PrtLce Charming
came riding into her life. The story OF
her woong and marriage has bean told
In various ways.
All agree, however, that when tho
young Emperor Francis Joseph. clad in
a hunting suit, came knocking at this
door OF Schloss Passenhotel, it was to
make the acquaintance OF her elder sis
tor. Princess Helene. who had bean des-
tined as his bride. He was cordially re-
ceived. One story says that the four
elder princesses only were at home
when he arrived. As he sat chitting
with them in the afternoon under tn
trees OF the lava. the visitor discov
cred the slim form OF a girl OF exquisite
and delicate beauty, dressed In white
and followed nv an enormous dog.
She advanced in the halo Of the sgt-
ting sun like an apparition. her mag
nificent hair streaming on her Shout
ders II was tta Pra1cess Elizabeth.
The heart OF the emperor. which had
remained unmoYed BY the statelier and
maturer beauty Of Princess Helene. was
captured at once. a few DAYS later. at
ball, ne passed the whole evening