New-York tribune., 1910-12-28
Clew TO Historic Mystery.


Lord Bathurst has lust been Summoned
70 Germany IN order 10 inspect some hui
main remains which have been found at
some distance below the surface OF the
ground in q wood in the neishborhood OF
Perleburs. and which are believed 70 be
those OF Benjamin Bathurst. the British
envoy at the court of Vienna, who on his
journey to England in 1903 so mvsteri-
ousiy disappeared.
II was this BENJAMIN Bathurst who in
duced Austria 70 resume war with France
and. having accomplished his mission. he
left Vienna TO return 10 England Aware
OF the fierce aninlositv with which he was
viewed by Napoleon, he considered it more
prudent 10 travel under-an assumed name
-ti.at OF Koch He got as far on his way
70 Hamburg the little town OF Perle-
oorg, where, elsewhere the PrlIssian
authorities were SO convinced OF his being
IN danger al the hands of Nspoleon's ennis
sarles that they furnished him with a mil
ISaTy guard At 9 o'clock in the evening
MS carriage stood at the door Of the Swan
Inn at Perleburg, ready for departure
His luggage was being put on the top of
the vehicle. and while the courier was
standing at the carriage door talking with
the boniface Bathurst. for some reason or
other, strolled up TO the horses heads
where hostler was holding a lantern
and into the darkness beyond vanishing
into the gloom, the narrow street being un-
lighted. He was never seen again.
The English government offered at the
time the enormous reward of $50 600 for
the elucidation OF the mystery, and the
Earl Of Bathurst of the day as much more
the OILY result or these offers being the
recovery Of the fur coat and of the gray
trousers OF the missing envoy the former
in the cellar OF an empty house. the lat
ter in the river The trousers had two
holes in the waistbanos and in the pocket
a half finished note, written in pencil to
Mrs Bathurst. filed with forebodings of
the catastrophe
The London Times in its issue OF Jan
uary g. 1Slo, plainly declared that Nj
Bathurst had been made away with bv the
French Emperor. to which charge the I'm
pertal Moniteur'' responded a week later
at Paris, 10 the effect that Sir Bathurst
VINO. Ike all Engiishmen. was mad" had
shot. himself AT Perleburg in Z fit of in
sanity. Napoleon, moreover, through Cam
oace-es, the arch-chanceilor of the En-
peror, assured Mrs. Bathurst upon his word
OF honor that he knew nothing of Bath
ursts murder, although il must be reu1em-
bered that, il violation OF all International
usage he kidnapped and imprisoned Mr.
Run1bold, the English envoy at Hamburg
Gradually the quest was relincuished
Forty years passed On April IL 1852.
house on the Hamburg road Just outside of
Perleburg, was II course Of demolition
Under the stone threshold of the stable
was discovered a skeleton. lying face up
ward, covered with mortar and with stone
chips. The back of the skull was sma
in The house belonged 20 one hiesen-
welter, wLo had inherited i from hts
father, who had been the boots at the
Swan Inn When Bathurst vanished The
Lord Bathurst OF the day was summoned
10 PeTieburs. But he satisfied himself that
the skeleton could not under any circum-
stances be that OF his long missing kins-
man. the stature being entirely different,
and consequently he refused 10 carry it
back to England or 20 cause II 70 be in
TERED in his family vaults
Perhaps the journey which is now being
undertaken by the present Ear Bathurst.
owner Of THE London Morning Post TO
PeTleburg may prove more successful, and
the remains just discovered there may
prove 10 be those or the missing British
envoy, whose death may be said 10 have
brought about, indirectly, the exile and
death Of Napoleon 7 at ST Helena. for il
was the great grandfather Of the present
earl who, being Secretary Of State for War
and Minister OF the Colonies at the time
when Napoleon surrendered 70 the English
after the battle Of Waterloo. insisted that
the fallen Emperor should be deported 70
the damp and solitary island OF St Helena
MAPQUISE DE FONTE<oY.