Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-09
A WANDERING QUEENS END.
First Authentic Account of Elix.
abeth's Murder.
Countess Sxtaray, I.ady.in.Waiting
Tells How the Austrinn Empress
Met Death % shore Of Lake
Geneva.

OF Hapaburg that famous family. whose
chronicle Is written In blood and tears
on the scroll Of European history, IL that
Of the Empress Elizabeth consort OF the
Emperor Francis Joseph writes the Berlin
correspondent Of the New York Evening
Post. The revolver shot which myster-
iously put m end to the wild life OF her
only son. the Crown Prince Rudolf, was
the signal FOR the termination OF her
lifes happiness and for tho beginning Of
restless pilgrimage through the beauty
spots OF Europe which only reached its
destination with the foul murder OF tho
Empress on the shores OF the Lake OF
Geneva. The Countess Sztaray, the faith
full companion Of the Empress's later
years. has lust published her reminis-
censcs. and her simply-written story
gives the first authentic account OF the
Empress Elizatcths murder by the an
nrchist Luccheni, at Geneva, on Septem-
Der 10. 1895
The Countess Sgtaray spent four years
with the Empress. four wears. as she
says. of aimless wandering through all
countries. The service as lady-in- waiting
was not easy. for the Empress seemed to
be filled with an unceasing restlessness,
and could not endure regular habits Of
life. She loved TO visit places and people
ncognito. to engage in conversation with
chance companions Of the journey. and
to ascertain their views or life and com
pare them with her own.
Above all. she delighted In the forces
of nature. and her chief Joy was to DO in
a storm ut sea Countess sztarAy's first
trip with the Empress on her yacht. the
n m xrtt iap to
Miramnre left Trieste IN the teeth OF a
fierce gale. but the Empress never left
the deck, ordering the crew to lash her
her overheard.
Finally, the weather compelled the
Miramare to put In at Pola. and the En1-
press was compelled to go by tho rail-
way. which she detested, to Marseilles
Her lady-in- waiting tells a characteristic
anecdote of visit the Empress and
she paid at the latter port TO a low sea
mems tavern, AT the Sign Of the Bloody
Beefsteak where the Imperial travel
Ter was overio, ed al the wondering looks
cast by the simple sailors gathered there
Mt the two distinguished ladies ordering
their lunch.
HER FAvOR1TE RESIDENCE.
The Achilleion. pearl Of a palace. built
on the island of Corfu, facing that magic
islet immortalized by Arnold Bocklin in
his Die Totennsel." was Eiizabeths
favorite residence. ut is my asylum"
she used to say. where belong to my
self alone. where no worldly considera-
tions need restrain me- For hours the
Empress would walk in solitude UP and
down the marble colonnahe and on these
occasions no one was suffered to dis
turb her. OF I'm evening she would give
orders for 'he house and grounds to he
illuminated, and she would then sit on
the terrace and contemplate in silence
the fairy-lke spectacle.
One night as the statue Of her favorite
poet Hene, which she had caused to bs
set up on a prominence overlooking the
Mediterranean, was bathed in q flood Of
electric light. the Empress said. Il love
this gloomy Jew. in whose soul there
dwells something Of the soul OF Alias
YER"
The Kaiser. on becoming proprietor of
the Achilleion had the statue removed
and sold: it now stands in the courtyard
of a Hamburg warehouse, the Hamburg
Senate having refused to accept It for
erection In public place.
Clizabeth's health was beginning to
fail and she was oppressed with a pre-
sentiment Of death as the hour Of the
tragedy crept nearer. She had been stay
ing at Nauhein for the cure, and the d.
rector of the baths warned the Imperial
visitor to dess. from her intention Of 60
Ing to Geneva because there was such
rough lot there.
What could they do to me-" asked
the Empress simply. Poor soul. she was
soon enough to know
1t was September 10 The Empress had
spent the morning shopping In Geneva
and proposed to cross the lake to Gaux
by the afternoon boat. The steamboat
had already given the signal for depar-
ture when the two women hurried across
the landing stage. Suddenly the Countess
Sztaray saw man spring from behind
a tree, pretend to stumble. leap forward.
and raise his hand against the Empress.
The Empress sank to the ground without
a sound. with the Countess bending over
her Let the Countess continue the tale:
DID NOT KNOW SHE WAS STABBED.
THE Empress rose TO her feet imme-
diately. Nothing has happened 10 me- she
stammered, ard walked upright and smtl-
Ing, with word Of thanks to those who
would assist her, on board the boat. She
ASKED me what that awful man had
wanted, and complained that her chest
panied her a little. she thought but she
was not sure But once on board the
boat she collapsed. A doctor! doctor!
Is there not doctor on board? cried
to the other passengers. and gentleman