Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-23
PRINCESS VANISHES 1
VAIN SEARCH FOR WIFE OF HEIR
TO SAXON THRONE.
COURT FUNCTIONS CANCELLED
Theory of Suicide Suggested, and
All Pieces Of Water in Vicinity of
Castle Dragged, without Result
Has the Lady Elopcd:

DRESREN. S1AXONY. Dec. 22.-Ihe
Crown Prince OF SaNony fled from her
home on the night OF December IL.
The Dresdener Journal to-day says:
The princess. in state of intense
mental excitement. suddenly deserted
her family at salzburs and went abroad
The Saxon court functions for the winter.
including the New Years reception, have
been cancelled.
The. following paragraph in to-day s Of
fetal journal. which was inserted by
order of the King and Crown Prince OF
Saxony. has turned into truth what has
for several days past been regarded as an
incredible tale. The Crown Princess of
Saxony. surrounded by her ladies in wait
ing. and numerous attendants and SER
wants of the royal household, has vanish
ed SO utterly that the police of every
kingdom OF Europe have for ten days
been unable to trace her. The official
announcement was made i'll order to OBJ
tain the aid of the general public in find
ing the Princess. and because the court
fiction that she preferred to remain in
retirement at Salzburg rather than to
return to her husband and children at
Dresden cannot longer be maintained.
FITS OF NERVOUSNESS.
Accompanied by the Crown Prince. the
Princess went to the castle of Emperor
Francis Joseph, near Salzburs. month
ago A week after their arrival at the
castle the Prince broke his leg while
hunting. and was brought back to Ores
den. The Princess. however. remained
at the castle Why she did so the peo-
| pie of the court did not know. except
| that. with gloomy tenacity. the Princess
| usually does what she pleases. For u
| little while this explanation sufflced. then
| fra gments of gossip began to reach Dres-
| den 1t was said that the Princess mad
| surrendered herself to periods OF nervous
! excitement and that her eccentrlclties
! of deuortment caused much concern 10
/ her suite and to her Austrian kinsfoik.
/ who were staying in the castle with her-
! Il is now believed that she was unoer
| surveilence- and II this IS true !. hidhea
| her disappearance more extraordinary
! THE DISAPPEARANCE
| The narrative of events at SaizburS du-
| ring the night of December 11-12- as re-
! ported IN Dresden. is that the Princess
! who appeared to be in a more than tram
| Gull mood retired before l. o'clock Three
! hours later. when maid looksd into the
! royal bed-cfla mber something in the APP
pearance of the bed prompted ner to go
/! closer and examine it. Instead of the
Princess. the maid preceived a dummy
| figure. She Weakened the lady in waiting.
| and the latter. with other members of
| the PrinceSSS suite. searched all the
| ueighborin= apartments, then the entire
! castle and finally the grounds of the
| castle for the Princess, but no trace OF
| the missing woman was found.
At dawn the police of Salzburs were in
formed of the disappearance, and in
! Gures were made throughout the whole
| countryside, but with no tangible result.
| A number Of what had seemed to be
| traces OF the Princess were shown to De
| without founda ton upon careful ex-
| animation by the police. The enquiry
! by the end of that day had extended to
all parts OF the Kingdom of Saxony,
and on authority from Dresden. by the
end of the second day to all of Europe.
THEORY OF SUICIDE
| The theory of suicide was suggested.
and a fruitless search for the Princess
body was made. All the ponds and other
/ places Of water in the vicinity OF the
castle have been dragged without result
The disappearance OF the Princess
i doubtless viii! cause the circulation OF
many stories. 1t Is already related that
she eloped. but inquiries have brought out
! nothing to substantiate or support this
statement
Prince Friedrich August, Crown Prince
of Saxony. married November Il 1891. the
Princess Louise. of Tuscany. The couple
have five children.