Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-10
SWEARS HE IS THE
SON OF AN EMPEROR
Remarkable Claim Made by a
Man in Chicago.
AFFIDAVIT TO THE CONSUL
AFFIDAVIT TO THE CONSUL
Consented to Exile in Order That
Scandal Might Be Avoided.
MOTHER WAS LADY IN WAITING
For Twenty Years Carl Coler Has
Lived in the Windy City Spend
ing Stipend Sent Him.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special dispatch to The Star.
CHICAGO ILL.,, November 1O.-Claims of
man now a resident of Chicago, who
makes the amazing assertion that he is the
disinherited son of Emperor William l of
the German empire. grandfather of the
present kaiser, were laid before Herr Won
Viewer, the imperial German consul, yes
terday in the form of an affidavit. Consul
Won Viewer will forward today to his i'm
perial master the report of the mans rep
reservations.
The ''pretender'' is Carl Coler who lives
at 613 North Clark street He declares that
Emperor William must recognize him and
provide for him BELTS royalty.
Coler is 1fty-eight years old, of dis
tinguished appearance and polished man.
ners In setting forth his claims he points
10 his remarkable resemblance in features
and mannerisms to the entire Hohenzollern
family.
He says that he has been cast off after
he had consented to exile himself in order
that the scandal which he alleges is linked
with his parentage might be shrouded and
the name of king be shielded
Here Is the remarkable story which he
tells
Il was born in Berlin, September 30, 1S4S.
My mother was Julia Coler wife of Carl
Coler. imperial ambassador at large in the
matter of making international postal
treaties
Coler, in his negotiations with foreign
powers. was often absent for many months
At time. 1t was during one of these alb
senees that Kaiser Wilhelm I became en-
amored of my mother and induced her to
become lady in waiting at the imperial
court. .s.--
Mother Lady in Waiting.
''Coler died when l was but three years
old. have no recollection of him. After
his death my mother moved to an estate in
Meiningen near Berlin, where We lived in
luxury until 1 was twenty-five years old
Though Coier left no considerable estate
having been man of lavish habits my
mother and l lived second only to royalty
in style and expense.
Shortly after my mothers death sew
eral persons who had known her intimately
told me, to my great surprise, that the
money We had been living on had come
from the imperial purse. and they then I'M
folded TO me the-secret of my parentage.
Il had three brothers-rather half
brothers. One is now a professor in the
University of Berlin; another is a lieuten-
ant colonel in the imperial army, and is in
charge of all the railway equipment for
troops on the French frontier the other
Cross. a Berlin banker.
AS soon l heard the story of NV i'm
perial lineage asked my brothers whether
they were true. They at once flew into an
ungovernable rage. They told me that I
He'd, and that my mothers friends lied
Finally. Heinrich told me that must leave
the country at once and never come back
Chicago was fixed upon as my destina-
ton. and in 1885 l bade farewell to my
native land
Stranger With a Secret
Il came to Chicago stranger with q
secret that l dared not reveal, yet with the
instinct of royalty and the outward marks
of gentility which singled me out wherever
i went.
Every month / received my allowance.
IL came in cash sent by my brother Hem
rich, with terse letters telling me that he
was well, He never sent postal order
He always secured American bank notes
so for twenty years / lived in Chicago.
spending my stipend as became the tastes
of gentleman and prince. The imperial
blood would not stay hidden. EVERYWHERE
Il was nlcknamed Prince Carl by my as
sociates. and often l was embarrassed
with discussion of my remarkable likeness
to my nephew. Kaiser Wilhelm and nv
half brother, his father, Emperor Freid
erich.
when my royal father died in 1855 l
heard of ii only through the newspapers I
mourned him son should / wore
crepe for year. and was forced to delude
my friends that my grandmother had
passed away in explanation
'Of a sudden j received word of nv
brother Henrich's death. 1t came in the
form of a funeral announcement issued by
the directors of the bank in which he was
connected.
The following month my allowance for
the first time in twenty-five years did not
come. j waited two weeks and then ad-
dressed letter to one of my brothers
Then l realized my predicament 1 was
thoroughly incapable of earning a dollar
had never done an hours work.
1T was with these realizations that
decided to make public my parentage in
order that proof be laid before Emperor
Wilhelm, on which shall base a demand
that the imperial family provide for me as
BELTS one of them.
Kaiser Wilhelm must recognize my
claims. / have shielded the Hohenzollerns
long enough They cannot leave me-a son
al,