The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-12-27
A SENSATIONAL ESCAPADE.
The Crown Princess of saxony said
to Have Deserted Her Family
and Gone Abroad.

crown princess Of 'saNonN nel from
her home on the night of December
II. The Dresdener journal says:
"The princess. in a state of intense
mental excitement, suddenly deserted
her family at Salzburg and went
abroad. The Saxon court functions
of the winter, including the New
Years reception, have been Cancelled"
The foregoing paragraph in Mon
days official journal, which was in
serted by order of the king and
crown prince of SaXony, has turned
into truth what for several days past
has been regarded as an incredible
tale. The crown princess 81 SaSony
surrounded by her ladies in ". iting
and numerous attendants and sery-
ants, has vanished so utterly that the
police OF every kingdom IN Europe
have for ten days been unable TO
trace her. The official announcement
was made in order TO obtain the aid
of the general pablic in finding her,
and because the court fiction that she
preferred TO remain in retirement al
Salzburg rather than to return to her
husband and children al Dresden can
not longer be maintained.
Had n VIII of Her own.
Accompanied by the crown prince,
the princess went to the castle OF
Emperor Francis Joseph, near Salz-
burg, a month ago. \ week after
their arrival al the castle, the prince
broke his leg while hunting, and was
brought back to Dresden. The prin-
cess. however, remained at the castle.
Why she did so, the people of the
court did not know, except that with
gloomy tenacity the princess usually
does what she pleases. For little
while this explanation sufiiced; then
fragments of gossip began TO reach
Dresden. 1t was said that the prin-
cess had surrendered herself To pc
RODS of nervous excitement, and that
her eccentricities of department
caused much concern TO her suite and
to some Of her Austrian kinsfolk who
were staying in the castle with her.
| II is now believed that she was under
surveillance, and that if this is true,
it makes her disappearance the more
extraordinary.
when She Disappeared.
The narrative Of the events at Salz-
burg during the night Of December
11-12, as told in Dresden, is that the
princess, who appeared to be in an
unusually tranquil mood, retired be-
fore 70 O'Clock. Three hours later,
when a maid looked into the royal
bedchamber, something in the APP
pearance Of the bed prompted her 10
90 closer and examine IT, instead OF
the princess, the maid perceived a
dummy figure. She awakened n lady
in waiting and the latter, with other
members of the princess suite
searched all the neighboring apart.
ments, then the entire castle, and
finally the grounds of the castle, for
the princess, but no trace Of the
missing woman was found.
Rumors OF EIopcment.
At dawn the police of SaIzburC
were informed Of the disappearance
and inquiries were made throughout
the whole countryside, but with nc
tangible result. 4 number Of what
had seemed TO be traces OF the prin.
cess were shown TO be without
foundation upon careful examination
by the police. The inquiry by the
end OF that day had extended 10 all
parts Of the Kingdom Of SaXony, and
on authority from Dresden, by the
end Of the second day, TO all Of Eu'
rope. The theory Of suicide was sug
gcsted, and a fruitlcss search for the
princess body has been made, Al
the ponds and other pieces of water
in the vicinity Of the castle have been
dragged. without result
The disappearance Of the princess
doubtless will cause the circulation
Of many stories It is already related
that she eloped, but inquiries made
here have brought out nothing 70
substantiate or support this state
ment,