The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-16
eccentric Character With Ro-
mantle Past, Ends Life
This Morning at Board
ing House.
WAS FOUND DEAD IN BED !!

to Have Been 0eSPOll,tetiI
Over Death of His
Relatives.
because OF failure to obtain EN-.
,,cvment and grief over the death OF
sseveral OF his relatives In fighting with
~ German army in the European
/ -sr ernest Ruespert turned on the
-. In hfs room at ZOE High street,
\ soma time this morning and ended
ma mortal existence.
Mr.. Kuespert was widely known
N.re as an eccentric character and
/ "a Tor many years valuable cutter
~ the Huiskamp shoe factory. Al
|, ssnuob he has no blood relatives In
Tsokuk. he is related by marriages
& the family to the Findeisses OF 706
High street.
1 K,,espert had been out Of employ
mani for some time, 1t is stated, and
-. also respondent over his physi-
- condition, which is said to have
heen caused BY an excessive use Of
h intoxicants.
nor the past two months he had
heen boarding at 702 High street with
I Anna and Lizzie Bernhart, sisters.
They state that he was called at 8
+ o'clock this morning, as usual. but
/ made no reply, although he was not
| Sead at that time for his steady
| hreathinr could be heard. Both sis
I'M work out and during the morn
M he was left to himself.
"a ~ y ! i % b.
Break Down Door.
Lizzie Bernhard was the first to re-
return. After she got dinner ready
~ called Kuespert but received no
answer. The smell OF gas through the
house was also apparent. Becoming
aIarmed she broke down the door to
"a room which is on the first floor.
~ found him lying In bed, dead. She
Su1,ed the gas of and called her SIS
~. Drs. Brown and Dorsey were
sext summoned, but It. was found on
= examination that the last spark OF
| NE had flown and that efforts toward
revival would be futile.
This afternoon the body was taken
Is a undertaking shop where 1t Will
\ remain until It is decided what ms
position to make of it.
ResIdent since 1892.
Kuespert had been a resident OF
Keoluk since the year 1892, He came
/ More to join his brother, Well-known
heal musician who died arfew years
sack. He obtained employment at the
shoe factory and continued there I'M
/ III about year and half ago. Since
that time he had been working al
odd Jobs and recently had, been en-
Dicyed as laborer at the park.
Kuespert during his residence here
/ told romantic story Of his early lire.
although II IL not known whether his
4 tale is true. or the result of a crea-
tive ina ination. there seems to be
h no real reason to believe that 1t Is
rot SO, as he told It many times WITH
| ont varying In details.
According to his story, he was born
Of royalty, was associated with royal
NY for many years OF his life. and
was a page to the ill-fated Ludwig II
o. Bavaria. the king who drowned
himself In 1886. He was one OF the
sixteen pages who accompanied the
heart Of Ludwig to its final resting
place with the hearts OF all the kings
Of Bavaria az AID Oeding, and who
was decorated for bravery for leading
! victorious charge in the German
Chinese war In 18S9-1890.
here L. His story.
His name while he lived in his
parental castle in Bavaria. was Err
nest Gottliel Vladimir Erick Won
Keuspert. baron OF Loosburg, but IN
Keokuk he was known as plain Er-
nest Kuespert.
Mr.. Kuespert had romantic career
n the fifty-one years. OF his life with
his share Of adventures. He was
born at Wunsiedel, Bavaria, In the
year 1864 in grand old castle. This
castle Is one Of the most historic in
Bavaria and contains over 200 rooms.
Although born q baron he did not
inherit this castle which went to an
older member Of the family At the
present time It is In the hands OF the
dead mans granddaughter.
Goes to Court.
!. When he was fifteen years OF age,
me boy was chosen as one of sixteen
rom among all the royalty of Bavaria
Z 70 be a mage to Ludwig II, king of the
principality Eat that time. Ludwig
was holding his court lin Munich at
tais time and here went young kues-
pert to take uD his duties The six
seen pages OF the king had nothing to
complain OF at the court as they were
splendidly dressed and treated. Young
nsuespert was dressed in suit OF
ane silk with a blue silk hat with long
.rlch plumes curving over the head
ess His duties at this time was
~ wait upon the king, to hand the
ng MS food when 1t was brought IN
~ the servants, in other ways make
mseif handy around the royal house
.o'd as we'll as ornamental.
Death Of the King.
,uespert had been in King Lud-
service about one and one-half
when the world was shocked
- me terrible news of the suicide of