The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-30
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Mystery Of Death of Crown Prince
Rudolph Of Austria Still Involved.
For q quarter OF a century the fhir-
tieth of January has recalled bitter
memories to the Austrian royal family
and the loyal subj ects OF Franz Josef.
for It marks the anniversary of ths
mysterious. tragic death Of Crown
Prince Rurolph, the Emperors only
son who supposed III committed suicide
in his hunting box at aeyerling. Sup
tposedly,' for the circumstances Of his
death are known only TO the Inner
circle OF Austrian royalty All that
the world at large knows Is that the
heir to the throne of the dual mon
Iarchy and his beautiful mistress, Ma
Irle fetsera, with whom he was des-
Iperately infatuated !, Were found dead
together in room OF the hunting
lodge. 1t is known that the room was
spattered with blood. Beyond that the
world can only guess as 10 the do,
tails of this imperial scandal and
tragedy.
Only three persons, It has been al.
legged, were acquainted with the act
Iual facts connected with the end Of
Rudolph and his sweethart. These
were the Emperor, dinal Rampolla,
and Count Hoyos. It was the latter
WHO told Franz Josef the details OF
the tragedy and after the grisly reclt-
al had been finished the count was
dismissed, and was never again per-
Imitted to come within sight Of the en-
Iperor. o.
Prince Rudolph was the son OIL mis-.
mated parents, and shortly after his
birth the Empress Elizabeth left her
husband. Until her tragic death at
the hands of an anarchist at Geneva,
the empress spent little Of her time
in Austria. Rudolph's mother was
eccentric to the point OF madness. and
the crown prince, although possessed
of marked artistic and intellectual
gifts. was also wild and peculiar by
nature. He married Princess Ste.
iphanie OF Belgium, but Il was purely
a union of convenience. In 1887 the
prince met and fell wildly In love with
the Baroness Marie vtsera, q vlen-
nese girl Just out Of O convent, and
all the tongues Of Vienna were soon
wagging about this royal scandal.
Their relations continued for about i
year and a half, when the world WAS
startled by the tragedy Of Meyerling.
1t was officially ann unced that the
latest victim OF the Course Of the
|Hapsburgsr3 had died of Sapoplexy. but
this was a barefaced invention. and
did not account for the presence of
the dead body Of the prince's sweet
heart. The court soon abandoned the
apoplexy version, but refrsed any
other explanation, except that the
prince had committed suicide.
Hundreds of Srumors about the trag-
edy had gained circulation. The yers-
Ion most generally accepted Is that
Rudolph was told by the emperor that
he must give up his sweetheart, and.
rather than do that, had killed tho
girl and himself Another story that
is accepted as authentic by many Aus,
TRANS Is that. an un Gle Of the Baroness
killed both the girl and her royal
lover, in order to Rayenge his niece's
honor.
R. These are the most commonplacs
Iof 'the5yarfous versions Of the TRAGEDY.
one account, given wide publication
In the European press. alleged that
the prince had invited q company OF
gay men and women 10 the hunting
lodge. and that the prince, in- o at n
drunken rage, shot the baroness,
whereupon the guests beat him to
death with wine bottles. Still another
rumors said that the couple were shot
Iby a forester whose daughter Ind been
ruined by the prince.
After the death OF Rudolph the
hunting lodge was torn down and tho
trees In the park were felled. Maria
Ivetsera'sl body was buried secretly
at midnight In the cemetery OF a
monastery. The girls mother was
instantly ordered TO leave Austria
and fed to Italy. The emperor has
always refused 70 see or even hear the
name Of anybody connected with tho
tragedy, but all his efforts to crush
ont the memory Of 1t have been in
vain, and Il Is said that every nnni-
yersary is spent BY him in silent. Bit
ter brooding.
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