Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-11-24

n MNNNWa NINN SUI VI N aa.'N
family. a baron by right Of birth
lived and died in life Of retirement
at Mt. Angel, less than is miles from
this CITY. Only at his death did the
secret Of his birth become known TO
the neighbors, who knew him as
sturdy old German, gentlemanly, to be
sure. but who thought him too com
monplace 20 have a history In any
way out Of the ordinary. And not
even when dying did this uncommuni'
cative baron In disguise betray the
secret Of his life. Ho carried 10 with
him TO tho grave.
Money. which spoils 70 many 70.
manccs but which buys the food even
romantic people must have, resulted
In tho disclosure Of the most oxtraord'
mary story Of tho disguised German
baron. A mass Of documents, com
piled for the purpose Of securing TO
tho relatives who rcnounced him che
property OF tho oxiicd nobleman ar
rived 90 tho courthouse yesterday
from tho baron's birthplace. They
told this story
Otto Won Bocsclager came Of the
baronial house Of Bocsclagcr, whose
estates iie IN Aachen, In tho empire
Of Germany. His father, Julius Otto,
heir Of tho noble house, was shot on
his premises by a poaehcr In tho year
1894. His young son was therefore
educated 20 become the head of tho
family, tho future Baron Won Boesc-
lager.
But hot.hcaded and rash, Otto, while
student az Heidelberg. unfortunate
liy bestowed hls affections on young
woman whom lds family considered
beneath him. Remouslranee and dis
suasion from his relatives reused tho
siubbornness Of tho youth, and tho per-
sisted In bis love, contracted tho mar
rlago. and then too late realized that
no had disgraeed tho noble name Of
Rooselager
Tho family was a Catholic one, and
an annulment Of tho union might have
been obtained from Rome, but Otto,
whose perverse stubbornness always
matio him do tho wrong thing, deteFm'
ined 10 renounee bis right 20 tho sue
cession and leave the country, lie re-
LEASED an claims on tho family 80
tate and equipped plentifully with
money came 20 America.
With him came the young girl, d
possess whom no had sacrificed %
much. After various wandeTings the
couple In tho year 1859 settled In Mt
Angel, Oregon, and there lived under
the simple name Of BoeselageF The
wife pined for tho land Of her birth
and soon died. The baron lived on
souFed and broken man, 10 finally
die in 1897.
II was the settlement Of his estate
that has caused the story 10 become
public Some 10000 in property
which the exiled baron possessed, h
bequeathed 10 his German relatives
and with the pFObating Of his vii
his identity became known. That wa
eight years ago, but even then the Fea
son for his living In a small Oregol
town could only be guessed at by th'
neighbOrs who had known him, as thel
supposed, intimately, for many years.
Il was yesterday that document
from Germany disclosed the true tale
when they were opened and placed ol
, record az the court house. The baron
uncle, who, as next Of kin, succeeded hiu
10 the broad acres Of the Boeselager' =
: died uWo years after his nephew, an
20 prove heirship and title TO his ca
lied relatives property il was neee'
sary for the will 10 be put on reeor
in the Marion county courts
The win intself gives an insight int
noble German family life rarely affors
ed. The great baron was survived b
i've children, three sons and two daugl
ters According 10 the feudal law Z
entail, the estate was 70 devolye inta,
to the eldest son but this person, Ma
for some reason, has renowned b
claim 10 become the head Of the famil
and the possessOr Of its lands
So instead, Dietrich, the brothe
next In age, becomes heir. He is nams
BY his father on condition that /
maintain the family tradition ana Il
On its statutory duties embodied
the family statutes, compiled IN Il
year 1874 II he fan the succession