South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-22

4 life. In 1867 MS brother. the ATcn-
duke Macmillan. after three years
experiment as emperor OF Mexico,
was captured By the army of the
/ patriots and condemned 10 death by
a court martial whose sentence was
executed Notwithstanding interces-
sion in his behalf by the govern
ments of the United States England
and Prussia.
There followed the burning TO
death OF niece in Vienna; a sister
met similar fate in Paris, and
cousin drowned himself in Stahren-
berg lake. Yet these were but minor
tragedies in comparison with that
I which befeu the ancient house OF
the Hapsburgs in 1889 when Rudolf
the imperial prince upon whom the
Austrians pinned their hopes. met
death in a mystery which 70 this day
is not cleared.
Graves hold the secret Of that
fateful night at a hunting lodge in
/ Meyerling. There have been dozen
! versions of what occurred. one
true story" relates that the crown
prince was struck dead by Baltazzi,
a Hungarian chevalier who loved
the Baroness Marie Netsera and who
was frenzied by finding the girl and
Prince Rudolf together in the castle
/ of Meyerling after the crown prince
had given his pledge not TO see the
girl again Another that the crown
prince killed the uncle of the young
/ baroness when he came TO rescue
her and that both OF the young
lovers afterward committed suicide
The truth is not known.
Nephew Disappears.
CIouded in still deeper mystery, if
possible, was the disappearance that
same year Of Francis Joseph's fav-
orite nephew, the Archduke Johann
Salvador. Heir to the throne at the
death of Rudolf. ne renOunced all
his imperial dignities and fled the
country as John Orth, captain of a
merchant ship, never to be heard of
again. The next of kin, the Arch
duke Francis Ferdinand. who be-
came heir presumptive, added
further burden to his uncle's heart
by morganatic marriage 10 Sophie,
the countess Of Chotek. IL was he
at Saraievo in June. 1914.
But il is doubtful if any or all
of these reverses weighed more
heavily upon the emperor's heart
than the tragedy at Geneva, when
the Empress Elizabeth. who had
been called the most beautiful wom-
an in Europe. was stabbed 10 death
by man Italian anarchist in 1898.
True. she long had been estranged
from the emperor, but he had never
ceased TO respect and adore her.
| When a courier brought him the
news Of the crime he exclaimed
Alas. nothing can be spared me,
nothing"
After each blow he renewed his
devotion TO the state, his only So
lace being in harder work. He lab
ored prodigiously He was beloved
for his kindness, his modesty, and
recitude, and his high moral cour-
age made it possible for him TO hold
in leash the Czechs, the Poles, the
Serbs. the Ruthenians. and the Bull
gars. who made up the mosaic Of
nationalities in his dual empire.
| Gossip dealt plentifully with has
private life, filled with romance and
misfortune. 1t is related that his
mother intended him TO marry Prin-
cess Helena, eldest daughter of Duke
| Max of Bavaria. With passive indif-
ference the young emperor agreed
TO his mothers wishes, and set out
10 pay court TO his intended bride
He got no further than the park
surrounding the dukes castle,
where he spied a little girl whose
extraordinary beauty attracted him.
He learned that she was Princess
Elizabeth. younger sister of his in
tended. He resolved that Elizabeth
should be his bride and so she be-
came in 1854
F1ees to Bavaria.
In addition TO her beauty Eliza
beth was highly endowed with tai
ents, but she found no welcome at
court. The emperor's mother would
hardly countenance the match, and
all Of the Viennese aristOcracy held
aloof from ner. Elizabeth returned
scorn for scorn. Her enemies bore
her every tale that could wound her
pride and estrange her love At last
they succeeded. In a burst of pique
she fed TO her native Bavaria. She
came back, but the Viennese never
forgave her They charged her with
loving fox-hunting in Ireland better
than her duty and preferred 10 re-
member her always as the absent
wife.
The estrangement widened. The
emperor was fond OF pretty women
and Vienna did not lack them. Tho
empress grew more and more to
consider herself "a dutiful sovereign
lady" and less and less a wife. The
tragic death OF her only son drew
her nearer to her husband for a
while. but there came a succeeding
period Of stronger repulsion. and
thereafter she almost disappeared
from the Hofburg.
Then appeared Katharine Schratt,
formerly OF the imperial theater. BY
her tact and wit she succeeded in
creating for herself a place below
but beside the throne. never &C
corded before her time SO openly and
so permanently 10 any woman.