New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-22
ESTERHAzY SCANDAL
STIRS UP VIENNA
Diary of Countess Vera
Stolen and Baron and
Woman Arrested.
OLD FAMILIES FEAR
UNKIND REVELATIONS
SuitOr Was Able to Tell Girl
About Her Utmost Life
and Thoughts.

nv Gable TO The Tribune
Vienna, March IA remarkable scan
dial. in which the Esterhazy family one
Of the noblest Of the pudI Monarchy. is
involved, is putting Vienna in ferment
The heroine and victim of the scandal is
the young and beautiful Countess Vera
EsterhaZy, while her much cherished
diary. containing the whole intimate story
OF her life. her thoughts, and even the
copies Of the letters she had written and
received, has been stolen.
Accused of the theft is Baron Strahlen-
dorf. young and good looking Pole. who
came near being the countess's husband.
and Frau Beothy, the countess's COM
panion. Both are already in Jail await
ing trial.
The Countess Vera was always ro-
mantle and unconventional. and when
her father died she found herself, at the
age OF twenty-five years. free TO squander
a fortune Of $4,000 and the owner Of a
magnificent historical castle at Tslos.
But Vera always had little inclination to
lead the life OF her friends and attend a
court dance twice I'm the winter at the
royal ducal palaces IN Vienna and BIda-
pest, in hopes some day OF capturing
a husband. She practised what she
preached, too, for as soon as she obtained
possession OF her money she left her ter
rifiNd mother and sister, went to Vienna
and hired an expensive apartment in the
Hotel Imperial, engaging as her COM
panion Frau Beothy. a former noble
woman, who had married a bourgeose
and had been widow many years
Many Suitors Warned Away.
In Vienna the countess led charming
but also the freest sort OF life, going
everywhere alone, even to theatres. res
taurants and cabarets. Her name and
beauty made her very conspicuous and
her fortune brought many Adventures
to her feet All wanted TO marry her.
but she cleverly turned them off. Her
mother, hearing of her daughters life,
tried TO have her locked in an asylum,
but this was impossible, as the countess
was brilliant and intellectual and showed
absolutely no signs OF mental weakness.
AlilDUS lIt DuilltIOiS 81 M
court" was Baron Strahlendorf, who
made desperate and passionate love.
seemingly so successfully that it was
whispered in Vienna right UP to the mo-
ment of the present scandal that the
countess intended to marry him. Present
revelations prove that she assured him
tina, he had found keynote TO her SYM
pathy and touched particular heart
string which none other had ever found.
She believed he read her innermost soul,
for he appeared to know her life and its
mysteries just as well as she did, even
down 10 the tiniest episodes. and. of
course, this made him nearer and dearer
every day
Case Given to Lawyer.
But the morning after the countess dis
covered that. her diary was stolen she
spoke about the loss TO the baron, VINO
astonished her by answering: Il haven't
got your diary, but | can get it for you
IL you will give me $1,000" With wom-
ans instant intuition Vera kept control
of herself, making an evasive answer but
as soon as Baron Strahlendorf was gone
she consulted a lawyer, who TOOK tile
matter in hand and discovered that
Strahlendorf was a close friend Of Frau
Beothy
BY pre-arrangement the baron was ar
rested while at tea I'm a hotel with Vera.
The lawyer then had Frau Beothy taken
by the police. At first she swore she
knew nothing about the matter. but later
she confessed she had read part OF the
stolen diary to Baron Strahlendorf, who
paid her so every time she did 80, thus
obtaining his wonderful inner knowl-
edge" OF Vera's life.
In spite OF everything, however, the
mysterious diary has not yet been I'M
covered. The whole of Vienna now won
ders where It is and as rumors spread
that it consists of illusions Of most
character regarding several
highly connected families a covert excite
ment will continue.