New-York tribune., 1905-04-26
CRAZY KINGS BIRTHDAY.
BaCGria's Insane Monarch VIII
Be Fifty-seven To-morrosc.

Although bunting and haEs will be disnlavea -
'noifo" throughout the kingdom or Bavaria IN oh
serFanoe 81 CIe fifty-sevenfh birthday OF kim
Ohio. Yet there will be no popular reioicinVs -
even Official celebrations. They would be singular
~ inappropriate. since they would merely Eer,e ,o
can a~eh'lon TO The pitable condition Of ts mon
"Tet. who ever since MS accession TO Va throne
iieieen years ago. through the mysterios%A and
tragic death - has elGe- brother fn the waters oe
lake SiaTemberg. has been in such state OF na-
Fe-ic imoecility as % render IL necessary that he
should be sept not merely under restraint but IN
the stlcost soclusi0n IN fact he has been irnpris
cred an these years IN the Palace OF Furstenried
N.leh Is guarded by picked soldiers ard surrounded
~ lofty wall that prevents the public from Oh
tai.ing glimpse OF the grounds
'.y once since his accession have his subjects OBJ
taineo heeting glimpse OF him. II was shortly
after ne became King. Managing in some way 10 ef-
iect has escape from Furstenrled he fed To Munich
without being stopped anywhere and entering the
court 1hureh OF st. Michael. threw himself down
On is Ai'eeS before the high altar and in loud and
lhlpassloieo tones began 10 beseech the Almighty
20 restore reason 10 the afflicted King Otho in
oFoer thai ne might be enabled 10 fulfil his duties
ana ooHgations 10 his dear Bavarian people There
"as eohsloeTaole number OF people in the church
~ the time. and there IS no knowing what might
have happened had nor some Of the attendant
priests. one OF whom belonged 10 The adjoining
jesuit college. recognized identity OF the stall
wart stranger-he is considerably over six feet I'm
height-and gently led him into the saeristy where
communicated with.
had he been recognized by the public II is more
than probable that a riot would have ensued for
during the frst few years that followed the death
a King Louis the masses OF Bavaria especially
the s2easantry, were firrnly convinced that Louis
had been put out OF The way by Bismarck and
that Otho was perfectly sane. and merely kept
under restraint as maniac because Of his disin-
cl!nation 20 comply with PrUssia's demands So
hrniv convinced were the people that the good old
regent creature OF Bismarcks that during
the first ten years OF his administration Of the
kingdom his statues. bUsts. and even pictures were
constantly icing defaccd and mutilaJed. Now.
however the tide has turned IN his favor His
6eclin2tion Of the repeated offers Of the crown
which have been made TO him. and his refusal 10
touch one cert OF the royal civil list. which until
now has been devoted 10 The liquidation OF the
colossal debts left by King Louis. have endeared
Rim 10 bis coUntrymen and won for him respect
md esteem both az home and abroad.
There is no doubt, however. that in declining the
profrerod crown Of his incurably Gemented nephew
ne has acted En- conformity with the wishes Of the
masses of the Bavarian people. and Il speaks vol
umes Cor the strength OF the monarchical and le
sitimist sentiment among them that they should
prefer a lunatic their throne rather than any
interference with the line Of succession