The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-29

BERLIN, March is-A plain brass plate
inscribed "Hohenau. Dentist outside
fiat in the Nuremberger Piatz conceals
a strange story OF feminine political In
trigue In ustria-Hungary.
The dentist Is Countess Claire Won and
Lu Hohenau. who was married In Lon
don by license year or two ago TO Count
Wenzel S;ernau zu Hohenau. His mother
was a Princess Hohenlohe and therefore
a relative OF tho Princes OF Hanau and
Waldsck-Pyrmont and also OF the Inn
perial family
That distant relative by marriage
OF the Hohenzollerns should be doing dem
tai work In Berlin Is perhaps not sur
prising nowadays: but the "Hohenau. Dem
list" of the brass plate is none other than
Claire Won Wallensten. some time Baron
ess Won Schoe nberg. the famous "coali-
ton" beauty, protegee OF Austrian arch
dukes. and especially of Prince Rudolf
Llechtenstein. Court Marshal OF the En-
peror Franz Josef. whose sudden death
on the steps of the royal palace will be
remembered by students OF contemporary
Austrian history. Here Is the story OF
Claire Won Wallenstein.
Had DOwry Of 100000.
Claire Won wallenstein was the daugh-
ter OF Hungarian whose marriage with
n handsome Jewess caused him to lose
his standing. She grew up into one OF
the most beautiful girls In the Hapsburg
Empire and married at the age OF is
Baron Won Schoenberg. a great Hungarian
landowner and a keen politician Her
dowry was 100000. Youth. beauty and
wealth soon made the Baroness Won
SchoenberE one OF the best known
hostesses in the empire.
Among those who marked her social
progress was n lawyer named Polonyi,
who had drawn up Claire's wedding set
figfnenf hat u'h IN aIcp Sof
tician OF Franz Kossuth the well known
son OF the Revolution hero Of Werksrle.
and others of the Hungarian group. The
object OF the Hungarian group at the
time 'about 1860 was to bring about a
reconciliation of their leading members
with tho Emperor. so tina: IN return for a
guarantee OF peace in tho everlasting
struggle the Hungarian party nigh; gain
concessions specially dear TO them
Baroness Won Srhocnberg was selected
by Polonyi to make the peace OF the con-
sp!rators with Franz Josef. II seem.
fairly clear from her own account that
she was fully aware OF the role she had
TO play. She said the two men whom she
set out 10 captivate We're the handsomes,
Archduke who ever lived" and the En-
peror's Court Marshal Prince Rudolf ~
Lechtenstein.
Got O6er OF Marriage.
In letter which sha says abe stu has
the Baroness received an Offer OF mar
riage from the Prince II she would divorce
her husband, and Il appears that the
Court Marshal was willing to carry out
her slightest wishes. Obedient to he,
| prompt!ngs. the Prince. aided by the
handsome Archduke." succeeded In effect.
ing reconciliation between the Emperor
and Kossuth. Apponyi. Andrassy and thu
| rest The opponents OF the Coalition
/ m ~ nut nat hnid M A. nv.u MI.
tor!c meeting at the Hotel Bristol ir
| Vienna on April 8. 1906. the "nrst Coali
| ton Cabinet" which included Kossuth
Werkerle and Geza Polonyi, was duly
| formed.
Baroness Claire received the news o.
| the triumph at her house IN Budapes.
But the triumph was short lived. Tn,
| faithless lackey stole from his papers Ger
| tain compromising documents, which h,
! sold TO the leaders OF the opposition, who
in turn took them to the Emperor. Tn,
| Emperor was indignant when he Learned
| Of the intrigue He sent for his Cour
| Marshal and demanded his resignation
| Next day the Niennese papers contained
a note stating that the Court Marshal
whose health had long given cause fo
anxiety. had a stroke shortly after leav
| ing the Cabinet meeting and died In few
hours. Actually. according to tho
Countess, he took poison as soon M tn
door closed behind him and died on thu
steps Of the palace.
The opponents OF the coalition were
now masters OF the situation but they
were anxious to obtain possession OF thu
compromising papers which they knew
must be in possession OF the Baroness
At midnight a friend of the latter, thu
manager OF the bank In Budapest where
her papers were deposited. brought then
TO her and warned her that Mt day
break the house would be searched by
the political police. The Baroness con
cealed her papers In mattresses ant
among the springs OF Chesterfield sofa
When the police arrived with search
warrant they found no papers, but a tear
full woman who was already apprsed o.
the sentence Of Punishment against her
At her pitiful request she was allowed
to take some furniture with her int
exile. and tho police themselves arrange
for the safe despatch 70 Paris Of tn
Chesterneid sofa and the mattresses
She 10 Divorced.
Baron Won Schoenberg got . divorce
while Claire tried to restore her shattere,
| nerves n Paris and later In the Palat
du soleil at Monaco.
After various adventures Claire wen