The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-12-24
GROWN PRINCESS DISAPPEARS.
A Tremendous Sensation in the
Kingdom of Saxony.

Dresden, sazony, December 22.
The Crown Princess Of Saxony fed
from her home on the night of Decem-
bre II. The Dresden Journal Of today
says; ym,. D ,4o.o = ;.+o,,.a
mental excitement, suddenly deserted
her family at Salzburg and went
abroad. The Saxon Court functions
for the winter, including the New
Years reception, have been cancelled. -
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 what
for several days past has been regard
ed as an incredible tale. The Crown
Princess of Saxony, surrounded by her
ladies in waiting and numerous atten
dants and servants of the royal house
hold, las vanished so utterly that the
police of every kingdom of Europe
have for ten days been unable 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 retire
W0uG 4G 4o0AOA ehoh W iC-
turn to her husband and children at
Dresden can no longer be maintained.
Accompanied by the Crown Prince
the Princess went to the castle of En-
peror Francis Jose, near Salzburg,
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, re-
mained 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
suaiced, then fragments of gossip began
to reach Dresden. It was said that
the Princess bad surrendered herself
to periods 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 ir the castle with her. 1t
is now believed that she was under
surveillance, and if this is true it
makes her disappearance the more ex-
traordinary.
The narrative of the events at
Salzburg,S during the night Of Decem-
Der lip, as told in Dresden, is that
the Princess, who appeared to De IN
an unusually tranquil mood, retired be-
fore 12 O'Clock. Three hours later,
when a maid looked into the royal
bed chamber, something in the ap-
pearance of the bed prompted her to
90 closer and examine it. Instead OF
the Princess the maid perceived a
dummy figure. She awakened the
lady-in waiting, and the latter, with
other members of the Princess's 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 mis-
sing woman was found At dawn the
police of Salzburg were Informed of
| the disappearance, and inquiries were
made throughout the whole country
side, but with no tangible result. A
| number of what had seemed to be,traces
of the Princess were shown to be with
out foundationu pom careful examina-
tion by the police. The inquiry 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 Europe.
The theory of suicide was suggested
and fruitless search for the
Princess's body was made. All the
ponds and other pieces of water in the
vicinity of the castle have been
dragged without result.
The disappearance Of the Princess will
doubtless 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.
Mexico City, December 2l.-The
superior board of health, with Offices
in this city, has sent a commission to
study mysterious disease which has