The times., 1899-08-10

1
story cannot be rejected as incredible.
"hen Prince OF Bulgaria was actually
seized in his own palace and carried of.
SO Few years ago. Daring and lawiess
spirits keep that example before them. no
doubt But we may strongly suspect that
such details as are Furnished do NOT convey
the real truth-that II was not Moslems
VINO devised the conspiracy. though they
may have been tempted to Join It. The
Turks OF CANDIDA as elsewhere, may be un-
commonly stupid, but stupid men avenge
themselves by murder. However, the in
cident may set US thinking upon other
plots of the sort Just now il is asserted
that President Loubet was 10 have been
carried of from Auteuil. But history re-
cords good many of them serious enough !:
they are not very commonly known he
| cause they failed. 1t is not necessary To
go back to the Middle Ages; examples
enough can be found in the last century.
But one of earlier date recurs to mind
which must not be overlooked, seeing that
direct ancestor of the Prince of Wales
was concerned
hunz Won kaufungen. desperate SOL
der OF fortune, had a grievance against
the Eiector OF Saxony. Learning that the
servants at Altenburg would be absent one
evening, ne scaled the walls and carried
on MS enemy's two sons. Thirty rufiaas
accompanied him. All night they rode for
their lives. Before dawn the alarm hell
at Altenburg was sounded and svsrv
steepie In Saxony began to cIang. one after
anotaer They had to leave the read hut
steaaiiy they pushed en- through the woads
~ 10 make sure OF one prize at least Kauf
uislued MS party. taking the
so,-s-s 10Y with three men, while his
| squire ana the main body rode off with m,
cider Toward evening the child u-aa I,o-r,
out with thirst and fatigue and tbe po
eniidh lronlier and safety lay but a uila
or so ahead. Kaafungen yeptured to 11is-
mount and gather some biIberries sor bir,
ouuaehiy charcoal burner stepped our Of
,ne ,i Dusnes- He had heard the bells lang
Ing nadiy ali day-this traveI-stafned
sails struggling through the woods with n
s',..',ni ooy IN charge appeared to him
SUSPICIOUS. Re wanted 10 know this and
tnat-hnally shouted for helm and rs tsr
Itoie whe came on the scene, followed bv
ene "hoie company of charcoal burners
% ohe victim was rescued PrasartIv tbs
squire surrendered the other unhurt. Fro-n
the younger OF these boys -descsDds the
present King of Saxony from the elder
oai rrihce OF Wales The day OF their re-
lease Is still a public holiday.
Very spirited and very nearly spcea,s,,,,
was the attempt of certain Huguepot ref,,-
gees. ofncers IN the Dutch service. to carr
on the Dauphin in 1fGS. They stole aerosa
france one by one. meeting at Courtrai
lhehce they rode at evening to the Bridge
=, oeVres, al the moment when the Dau-
pnin, always punctual, would be passing
state carriage arrived TO the ruonen+
Win the royal arms and all that; they
made the occupant alight. lifted him rnon
a horse and galloped of II was TOO darl-
70 recognize the captive. probably. He
proved to be the Marquis de Beriughen
PREMIER EcHyer du Roi; a moment late
ior once, the Dauphin reached the bridge
in tlme TO hear the galiOp OF the horses re-
firing He had but one servant with him
and no escort; IL only that luekless mar
quls had not come in the way the heir Of
france must have been killed or captured.
We may amuse ourselves with spsculating
on the consequences.
kidnapping became a regular business
after that period; Ministers and generals
obnoxious wives and unaccommodating
judges. personal foes and handsome won-
en-, heiresses. dancers. and giants-ex
ampies could be given IN every case. but
We are dealing with princes ouIy. When
the rebellion of IT'S was mature the old
fretender started 10 head it. Lord Stair.
the English Ambassador, sent information
to Colonel Douglas, who commanded an
I1lsh regiment in the French seryice-a
traitor, or course. With three soldiers
whom he could trust Douglas rode 10 Mo- |
naneourt and waited at the posthousa |
there for the chaise: what his plans NAV |
nave been exactly is uncertain. But he |
committed the same error which ruined /
Louis XVIs flight at Varennes-Iike Young |
Count de Bouiile, Douglas failed TO keep |
an eye on his men. And the. .postmissress. |
Nine. Lospitai. who knew that a great |
parsonage would be passing soon incogpi |
10, conceived suspicious While the chief |
sat apart in dignified seclusion she piled |
his ruffians with drink. and finally locked |
them up; then stole to his own door ana |
turned the KEY. Fresh horses being sent |
10 meet the King" Douglas had the |
mortifcation OF seeing him pass by al full |
gallop Shrewd Nine. Hospital wouId a. |
eept no reward beyond the privilege of |
kissing the Queens hand but n nortrsit !
Of Her Majesty was added
Numberless We're the plots for kidnan-
ms the young Pretender. Ambassadors ana
diplomatic agents all over Europe showed
zeal IN the cause; IL they failed 1t was be-
cause the home Government was not in
n
emy, they might well hesitate 10 face tire |
and the risk of abducting him
with the constant danger Of keeping him |
In prison TO follow. But 10 understand |
the situation Of that lEekIess Prince read
3 despatch OF Sir Charles Fanbury VIII |
iams, Ambassador to Prussia in l749. ad
dressed to the Foreign Secretary: For
4 small sum I VIII undertake. 10 find a
Pole who will seize his person (the chew
alier'sl in any part OF Poland and carry
him to any part OF the ncrth that His
Majesty pleases TO appoint" Sir Charles
rad received many offers OF the sort
which he put by, though convinced that
hey are very feasible" Lord Hyndford !
writes from Moscow in the same wear
when, II should be noted, the cheyalier |
was travelling in Poland: II believe il
Sould have been very easy matter 10
prevail upon this Court TO catch the young
Knight and TO send him To Siberia where |
ne had never been heard Of" But the
Russian troops had been withdrawn from
Poland. so that opportunity was lost
through the weakness of the Government
1t home. His iordship assures himself
hat the Court Of Dresden would have
entered into the scheme.
But kidnapping is fair game In it's way.
{ one party can play at it, so can another.
Sir Horace Mann reports upon "undoubt-
ID information" that company of twelve
nen who meet at the Nag's Head public
ay violent hands on the Duke of Cumbsr-
and and convey him away greater
)ersonage even than a royal duke might
10 threatened Horace Walpole asserts
hat Queen Caroline, searching among the
ate Kings papers, found a proposal fron, |