Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-07-02
AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN
ROYAL HEIR AND
WIFE SHOT DEAD
Servian Student Kills Archduke Francis Ferdl-
nand and the Duchess of Hohenberg-Another
Tragedy Added to Sorrows Of Aged En-
peror Francis Joseph.

30 Olttn dS'llbth W IoN ~ ithNo' pNN ~
is said that many of the criminal
pranks related about him were really
those of his wilder brother, Otto. The
story was once widely printed that In
a. drunken freak he stopped peasant
funeral near Prague and amused him
self by leaping his horse half dozen
times over the bier. This and many
such instances were officially inves-
tigated by Parliament and declared to
be mendacious Islander.
Francis Ferdinand, according to his
admirers had an altogether different
personality than such stories indicate
He had a very thorough military train
ing, extending over 20 years and in
1891 he was made a general He re-
organized the general staff of the Aus
Hungarian army with such success
Las to excite the admiration Of all Eu
rope As a hobby he took up lomomo- I
tive engineering, and received a diplo-
ma as ll-hedEcd railroad engineer.
He was said to enjoy nothing so much
as running an engine. He also became
recognized as one of the best shots in
his country, and the walls of his great
chateau at Konopischt were hung with
tho antlers of some 1000 stays and
chamois. as well as the heads of tigers
killed in India, tho tusks Of elephants
slain in Ceylon, and the pelts of bears
shot in the Rocky Mountains.
VISITED AMERICA
| His visit to the United States was
made in 1892, at the time of the
Worlds Fair in Chicago. He made
diary Of the trip. which continued
around the world, and which is an in
| pecially contribute to his education as
a future monarch.
| He also wrote two volumes Of Anime
poetry, and put on paper for the first
time many of the old melodies of his
native Syria.
| His admirers insist that his life was
singularly free from scandal, with the
exception Of his infatuation for the former
! Bohemian countess and thereby hangs
the interest in the present situation
While she belonged to one of the most
ancient noble families in Bohemia, her
birth rank was far below that of the
imperial house Of the Austrian Hans
| bures. Under the Hapsburg law no mem
| Der of the imperial family can be mar
ried without the consent of the sovereign.
AS the Emperor's nephew and heir ap-
parent, Francis Ferdinand's love affairs
| had been closely watched. BY arrange
ment of the Austrian cabinet he was to
become hetrothed to a princess of SAX
ony, but so uncompromising was his e
fusa that the matter was dropped. he
had fallen in love with the former Bo-
hemian countess. then maid of honor to
the widowed Crown Princess Stephanie
For nine years this attachment was
subject of gossip in Vienna When his
uncle, the Emperor protested against
plans for marriage, the Archduke re-
minded him of his previous advice.
II heard You say once" he repeated.
that in choosing a wife an Emperor
should pay no attention to politics and
should follow the impulse of his own
heart" This was chapter out OF Fra
els Joseph's own life.
VOW OF MARRIAGE.
Francis Ferdinand stubbornly resisted
the nine years Of opposition on the part
Of the Emperor When he married he
answered all arguments with the reply:
"The Austrlans would not like to see
an unhappy man on the throne" There
was no question but that the two were
deeply in love. and have ever since con-
'i'''''' ''' IIdH'IS JOStpl, however, was
never pleased with his nephew's conduct
Rut he gave his imperial consent to the
marriage upon condition that the Arch
duke strictly observe the Hapsburg laws
: and never attempt to place his morgan
attic wife on the throne or establish the
right of succession for his children. He
also elevated the wife to the title of
: Princess of HohenberG
The terms of the Archdulle's oath were
explicit and binding. They set forth tina,
" the marriage was not "ehenbuertge." OF
to one highly born.
The oath concluded as follows:
We pledge Our word that We recor.
nize for all time the present declara~->-
> OF whose Significance and scope We ar,
fully conscious, both for Us and Gu,
wife, and for Our children by this mar
. riage and that We never will attemp
u to revoke this, Our present declaration
= nor undertake anything calculated to en-
feeble or to abrogate the binding fore,
y thereof"
> The precise meaning of this solemn
u renunciation is viewed somewhat differ
- entity in Austria and in Hungary In Aus
trla its force Is thought to depend large
ly upon the provisions of the mysterious
y fiapsburg family law, hitherto most zeal
ously kept secret, 1t Is known. however
that the Emperor as sovereign head o
tho family has very far reaching author
. ity, but whether he himself is bounc
by the family law or is superior to It
and whether he can alter the law alon
9 or with the consent of the family n
u council assembled. are all question
l. which nobody outside the members of tn
. family can answer, Then again how ia