The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-26
POLICE OF EUROPE FIND NO
TRACE OF PRINCESS.
SUICIDE IS SUGGESTED
Ponds in Vicinity of Castle Have Been
Dragged for Body-EIopement
Hinted At.

Dresden, Saxony, Dec. 23.-The
crown princess Of Saxony fed from
home on the night of December II or
IL, having suddenly, in a state Of
great excitement, deserted her family
and gone abroad. The Saxony court
functions for the winter have been
cancelled, including the New Years
reception.
The foregoing paragraph in today's
official journal, which was INSERTED
by order of the king and crown prince
of Saxony, has turned into truth that
which for several days past has been
regarded as an incredible tale. The
crown princess of Saxony, surrounded
by her ladies in waiting and numer-
GUS attendants and servants of the
roya1-household, has vanished so ut
terly that the police of every kingdom
of Europe have for 10 days been I'M
able to trace her.
The official announcement was
made in order to obtain the aid of
the general public in finding the
princess and because the court fiction
that she preferred to remain in re-
tirement at S%alzburg rather than to
return to her husband and children
at Dresden can no longer be maintain
ed. Accompanied by the crown
prince, the princess went to the castle
of Emperor Francis Joseph, near Salz-
burg, a month ago. A week after
their arrival at the castle the prince
broke his leg while hunting and was
brought back to Dresden. The
princess, 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 a little while this explanation
suficed. Then fragments If gossip
began to reach Dresden. 1t was said
that the princess surrendered herself
to periods of nervous excitment and
that her eccentricities of department
caused much concern to her suite and
to some of her Austrian kinfolk, who
were staying in the castle with her.
1t is now believed that she was
under surveillance, and if this is true
it makes her disappearance more ex-
traordinary.
The narrative of events at Salzburg
during the night of December 11-12,
as told in Dresden, is that the princess
who appeared to be in an
unusually tranquil mood, re-
tired before - o'clock. Three
hours later, when a maid looked into
the royal bed chamber, something in
the appearance of the bed prompted
her to 60 closer and examine it. In
stead of the princess, the maid per-
ceived a dummy figure. She awaken
ed a lady in waiting and the latter,
~ otAASl VI liz DIlIlCSSS
suite, searched all the neighboring
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 Salzburg were
Informed of the disappearance and in
quiries we're made throughout the
whole country, but with no tangible
result.
A number of what had seemed to
be traces of the princess were shown
to be without foundation on careful
examination by the police. Inquiry
by the end of that day had extended
to all parts of the kingdom of Saxony,
and, on authority from Dresden. bv
the end of the second day, to all of
Europe.
The theory of suicide was suggest
ed and a fruitless search for the
princess body has been made All
ponds and other pieces of water in
the vicinity of the castle have been
dragged without result.
The disappearance of the princess
countless will cause the circulation of
many stories. 1t is already related
thai she eloped, but inquiries made
here have brought out nothing to sub
stantiate this statement.