The San Francisco call., 1906-05-07
DUKE FREDERICK
AND DUCHESS MARIE
PUBLIC BANKRUPTS
Have Piled Up Debts Amounting t.
$1,125,ooo and Can Borrow
No More.
Income of $4,000 a Year Not Suffi-
oient for the Luxury Loving
Couple.
Lose Control of Estate and Will Have
to Settle Down to the
Simple Life.
Special Dispatch to The Can.


BERLIN, May Love Of luxurious
travel-private cars, palatial yachts,
hlSh-poWer motOr-carS, princely hotel
accommodations-have made it neces-
sary for the royal authorities of the
Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Sc g-Schwerin
TO declare Duke Frederick and his
wife, the Duchess Marie, public bank
rupts and appoint a conservator for
the future handling Of their money
matters. Announcement of this fact,
while not surprise in German aristo-
cratic circles, where the Duke and
Duchess highef1ying propensities have
long been common gossip, has caused
painful impression. in imperial and
royal circles, for nothing is so well
calculated to diminish the prestige of
majesty" and the monarchical idea as
such shortcomings upon the part OF
blue, bloods to whom loyal subjects of
the Kaiser are compelled 10 look I'D
in reverential awe.
These royal spendthrifts-uncle and
aunt of the German Crown Prince and
Crown Princess, the future Kaiser and
kalserin of Germany-have been sort
of black sheep in the Teuton monarch
lal list. owing to the scandal their
marriage provoked in 1881. When he
decided to marry the Duchess Marie,
who was then a Princess of the Aus
trian house of Windisch-Graetz, it be-
came necessary for the Duke to re-
nounce Lutheranism and become a
Catholic. He did so, but thereby not
only forfeited his right to the success
sion of the Mecklenburg- -Schwerin
throne, but was put out of the Prussian
army by command of old Emperor
William l., who was an unbending re-
ligious as well as military martinez.
His court and military career thus
checked, Duke Frederick Paul chose
to travel, but his allowance of $40, 900
a year proved penuriouS in the ex-
treme, for he and his wife developed
millionaire tastes for which that
stipend proved utterly inadequate.
Frequent trips to Monte Carlo, Paris,
st. Petersburg, Vienna and London, in
which big suites of servants always
participated, cut gaping holes in the
couples income, which even frequent
borrowings from fellow-royalties and
private bankers were not able to make
good. Things came to such a pass
early this year that the reigning Grand
Duke of Mecklenburg-Schw the
spendthrift couples nepheW, found it
necessary to call halt and the compt-
roller of the Schwerin royal house
hold was officially named to manage
the Dukes future spendings. His
debts amounted to $1,125.0 .000
In taking the drastic step of depriv-
ing his uncle of the control of his own
property the Grand Duke is acting
within his rights. German sovereigns,
by their family statutes, have extraor-
binary powers over their relations
Not only can they regulate their ex-
penditures, but they can divorce them
without recourse to the tireSome ma
chinery of the law, The stern and
virtuous nephew is thirty years
younger than his scapegrace uncle.
Duke Frederick Paul is fifty-four years
cid and the Duchess fifty. Their un-
married daughter of twenty-five, the
Duchess Marie Antoinette, was Ger
many's candidate for the hand and
heart Of King Alfonso of Spain. An