New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-17

count George Waldstein was coarse sunen and
nrutal Ie4ioW. notorious drunl1ard who vas SO
ignorant that he vas scarcely able 10 read or
"riie- his immense wealth and vast territorial
possessions however. rendered him a prominent
g11e IN the Old World aristocracy and in the eyes
81 some mothers most desirable matrimonial
prize
2 ne young countess's married life was much akin
% a raartyrooEn. and one evening when there was
& grand dinner party about 70 be given at Dux in
honor OF the late Count Vgurnbrandt then Minister
o. Commerce. the young hostess failed 70 put in an
appearance. On her husband going upstairs TO
curse Ter tor being 50 late, all the guests being
sefncIed, he found her fully dressed arrayed in
al her Jewels and seated in front OF her dressing
table. stark dead. her eyes wide open and her
pretty face distorted h. the effects OF the poison
which she had swallowed. the empty bottle which
had contained IL living beside her on the floor. II
Vienna the story went that she had committed sui
c-ae, owing 10 an unfortunate ''afaire de coeur''
win handsome young cavalry officer of noble
birth forced by the loss of his fortune quit the
army and whom Count Waldstesn. realizing his
own inconpetency and ignorance. engaged 20 sll-
peTTlse and manage his extensive estates.
The young officer IS understood TO have been sub
seGuentIy killed By the count in the duel in which
as stated above, he (the count received the wound
70 which he eventually succuubed. And It IS said
thai the time which had interviewed between the
suicide OF the countess and the death Of her hus-
band had been spent by the latter partly in a
state az demeatia. due TO alcoholic excuses and
parity II deFlslns means Of venting his bitter ha
tred Tor his own relatives and those OF his wife.
When his VIII was opened il was found that this
degenerate descendant Of the great WalIensten had
LEFT his estates. his piebeian born mother nor
70 his relatives but in equal shares 70 the city OF
Vienna and u certain subordinate gamekeepers
and o-erseers who had been his boon companions
ID his drinking bouts. OF course his kinsfok i'm
neaately took STEPS have the viii aside, ana
u their efforts 10 shor- that he had beea ire
spons.7e' through drni, ana prohigacy. and there
fore incompetent u mako q valid viii no one
manifested greater deEsee of viruenc@ against
min or drew more terrible picture Of his savagery
and vice than his mother She
of hu1fe'7 bi-th, the daughter % gamekeeper and
had lived witc her sons father for a number OF
years bette becoming his wife.
The lawsuit In connection with the VIII became
IN ever sense OF the word cause celehre, cardi-
nails. prices and mobiles OF every degree being
called upon 10 testify Indeed the public treat
ed 70 an unprecedented view Of the skeletons that
occupy the cupboards OF so many Of the houses Of
the old aristocracy % Europe The proceedings
resulted IN the annuluent Of the viii
The old cour- who has just died was a knight
Of the Order Of the Golden Fleece. and married
the Princess Leopold Schwarzenberg He is sue
ceeded by his son. who likewise bears the name OF
Ernest, and who inherits his Office OF Grand Carver
OF Bohemia, the craftsmanship OF the Waldstein
family, all the great estates ard the Chateau OF
DuT where the famous but frivolous Casanova
wrote his extraordinary memoirs while employed
as AoTarian MARQUISE DE FONTENOY.