New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-22

OF the house OF Fraser OF which Lord Saltoun IS
the chief was William. second son Of Sir Alexander
Fraser, who fell in the battle of Durham in 1896
Sir Alexander Fraser. owner Of PilOrth, accom-
panied James Earl Douglas to the great jubilee
az Rome in 1s5O. Sir Alexander. ninth Of his line.
Fought for King Charles l at Worcester, and on
the death Of his cousin, Lord SaItoun. without
Issue was acknowledged his heir, and his descend
ants hold that title to this day, the present Lord
saltoun being the nineteenth Lord saltoun since
the creation Of the peerage IN 14f4.
FATE OF COUNTESS MARIE LARIsCH.
Countess Marie Valerie LaEisch who has Just
succumbed in the Hospital for Contagious Diseases
at Metz 20 an attack of black smallpox. was a
granddaughter Of Duke Louis Of Bavaria and
grendniece OF the late Empress Of Austria, Of the
late Duchesse d'Aleneon and Of the eX-Queen OF
Naples The countess had also some American rel
atives, with whom she had quite recently been
staying over here for several months, for her elder
brother. Count George Larisch is married TO Miss
Marie SatterheId OF Buffalo. The fact that the
countess should have died at Metz is duo 10 her
having decided to throw in her lot with her mother
who lives there. rather than with her father, after
the latter had divorced his wife She was Of age
when the divorce occurred, and therefore at liberty
to make her choice. whereas the younger children
were awarded by the courts to the father. For her
name Of Valerie she was indebted TO the circum-
stance that she was q godchild Of Archduchess
Valerie. the youngest and favorite daughter Of
Emperor Francis Joseph
Her mothers career is one OF the most romantic
which II is possible to conceive. She was the only
child Of morganatio marriage between Duke
Louis of Bavaria and the Munich actress, Henri
eta Mendel, who created by the late King Of
Bavaria Baroness Wallersee. Empress Elizabeth
took a great fancy TO her niece when the latter
quite little girl, induced the chid's parents
TO conhde IL 20 her and brought it up almost II
It had been her own offspring. Unfortunately all
the splendOr with which she surrounded, and
the profound difference with which she was treated
at the court Of Austria the favorite niece OF the
Empress. served TO turn her head. That she
dreamed at one moment OF marrying her cousin.
Crown Prince Rudolf, and of sharing with him
the thrones OF Austria and Hungary. IS notorious.
She had how the Empress had suspended in
her favor the strict rules and regulations requiring
generations Of exclusively noble ancestry on the
fathers and mothers side for membership Of the
Order Of the Star Cross and for the office of lady
OF the palace. and she led to believe that the
laws demanding that the sOvereign's consort should
be a royal or imperial princess would be likewise
modified for her sake. It cruel disappoint-
ment when the fact was brought home 10 her that
this out of the question. Both the Emperor
and the Empress did all they could to soften the
blow, and when marriage was arranged for her
with Count George Larisch she was overwhelmed
with gifts OF every kind by her imperial uncle and
aunt. and she married from under their roof.
az Godollo the Empress herself giving her away at
the altar
Even as Countess Larisch she remained an ex-
tremely important parsonage IN Vienna, ana might
have continued 10 be to this day had 1t not
been for her extravaganza, which before two years
passed became the talk of the Austrian capital.
She did not confine her frequent appeals for none
tary help TO the Empress and 20 the Emperor, but
likewise addressed them 10 Crown Prince Rudolf,
and was led IN connection Herewith TO play most
disereditable part in chaperoning his romance with
Baroness Marie Vetzera. The fact that she eX
acted and received payment from the crown prince
for her services IN the matter was brought 10
light by a letter addressed by her 90 her cousin.
the crown prince, and which after hts death was
found in the pocket of OF his uniforms ard
handed 10 the Emperor. II was this that led 10
her being exiIed from Austria and Invested of her
Austrian Order OF the Star Cross. as well as OF
all her honors and dignites which she had en-
jOyed az the court OF Vienna She took up her
residence with her husband IN Germany, where, In
spite of what had occurred, her husband still
chvalrousy remained by her side, and shielded her
with his name and his honor as far as possible.
But in 1s95-that is. nearly seven years after the
tragedy Of Msyerling. he was compelled to divorce
her and thereupon she married the Bayarian actor
and former operatic barytone. Otto Brucks, who
for two years past has been the impresariO and
director Of the leading theatre at Metz
His wife lives there with him as Frau" Brucks.
and inasmuch the role which she played in con-
nection with the tragedy OF Meyerling is a matter
OF worldwide notoriety, the OstTacsm to which she
has since then been subjected by the Austrian and
German courts and aristocracy. has. OF course,
tended 70 society at Metz, where she is restricted
10 the cOmpanionship of the people of the stage
who are dependent upon her husband for their en-
ployment.
Her former husband. Count George Larisch.
found that his position I'm Austria had been rem
dered so painful by his former wife that he has
several his connection with the Austrian army
abandoned Austrian citizenship and secured nat
uralization as a Prussian. He has got rid OF all
his Austrian property and now lives entirely upon
his estates IN Prussian Silesia
Meanwhile the house of Herr and Frau Otto
Brucks al Metz is subjected to the strictest kind
OF quarantine. owing to the fact that the late
Countess Marie Valerie Larisch contracted the
malady 10 which she succumbed beneath their roof.
They are under the closest kind of observation and
at the very first Indications OF tho disease Frau
Bruc4 viii be transferred TO the hospital where
her daughter died. It would be tragic close to an
extraordinarily romantic career, OF which the ear
lier stages were passed in imperial palaces. were
IL to wind I'd amid the horrors of a smallpox hos
pital. MARQUISE DE FONTENoY.