The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-09-28
SORRY PLIGHT OF THE INSANE
PRINCESS LOUISE OF CoBURG.

IpuDllChslon oI MS DOOk, WnE1 the Aus
trian government did not think It WORT
while TO suppress, Is asserted TO hav
entered Into relations with the numer
Gus creditors Of the princess in Franc,
and In Austria. and II would seem tina
It is they who furnished him with tn.
money by means OF which he secured
her escape the other day. For IN,
creditors Of the princess hope to b.
able. now that she has become to al
intents and purposes their instrument
to obtain the face amount OF her liabil.
tiles, instead OF being compelled to ac.
cept the very meagre compromise
which had been offered to them by hel
father and husband, who have in theil
possession her fortune, part Of which
she received at the time Of her mar.
riage, while the remainder should have
come to her on the death OF hei
mother.
Some OF the creditors are tradespeo-
pie. But the majority of them are
usurers and professional money lend
ers. and they expect to accomplish their
ends. IL not through the verdict OF the
courts, at any rate through the menace
Of scandal.
Were the princess an ordinary citi-
gen. there is no doubt that the French
authorities would. as soon as ever she
arrived in Paris. have compiled with
the request of her relatives and her
guardians to place her under restraint
and TO restore her to her keepers. This
would be In strict accordance with the
law; and IL the French government has
until now refralned from acting thus,
II is merely because either she is not
really In Paris or else because II is
afraid OF the agitation In her behalf
on the part OF the press, notably OF
The Journal Of Paris.
!. for one. would not, however. be as
tonished to see her once more placed
under restraint as insane, perhaps In a
chateau in Belgium. with special keep
ers. possibly In French sanitorium,
while 1t Is also on the cards that she
may be returned to Lindenhof, near
Dresden. But II she is left at liberty
she will remain the prey of the gang
who have been speculating on reap
ing large sum OF money from her rel.
atlves by her escape; and should she
appeal to the courts. as she threatens
to do. and secure a judgment In her
behalf, It is doubtful whether she would
get any OF her money. Indeed, she is
at the mercy OF her so-cailed "llber-
ators," who are determined to exploit
her for all she is worth. 1t may be
added that the woman Stoeger, who
took part In her abduction, and who was
among the companions of her flight,
was the former wife of one Of the
jailers OF the penitentiary where Mat
tachich had undergone his term Of
penal servitude, and was divorced by
her husband shortly after the ex-cap-
tain's liberation. Mattachich being
named as the correspondent. This win
go to show into what hands the un-
fortunate princess has fallen.
One thing at any rate is certain; all
OF the reigning houses of Europe will
combine to do everything in their
power to prevent another lawsuit such
as that which ex-Crown Princess Ste
phanie brought against her father,
King Leopold, at Brussels last winter,
the disgraceful features OF which con-
tributed so much to damage the pres
tige of monarchy in the eyes Of the
public. 1t Is on this well known anxi-
ETY. of the reigning houses to avert
another such "cause celebre" that the
creditors OF the princess depend. In
deed, 1t is reported at Vienna that En-
peror Francis Joseph has given Prince
Philip to understand that II the French
authorities decline to surrender the
princess to the Austrian government
he must at all cost manage to effect
some compromise with her, by means
Of which legal proceedings Of a scan
dalous character, involving preposter'
ous charges against great personages al
the courts of Vienna and Of Berlin
would be avoided. Indeed. it 10 al
legged that Prince Philip has been in
formed that the question Of his con-
tinued residence In Austria. and his
recognition there as a prince Of the
blood, will depend upon the extent to
which he is successful In averting all
further public scandal In connection
with his domestic affairs.
.ss b l.. 81. s. 4