The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-07-14
The Secrets Of, 3e ~HbhrnB0]emC
STARTLING EXPOSURE OF INNER LIFE OF KAISER AND CROWN. PRINCE AS
TOLD BY COUNT ERNST Won EELTZENDORFF TO WILLIAM IEQUEUX

Wallets return, 1 repaired to the en-
peror's study and secreted myself be-
meath a great damask-covered Settee
which runs along the wall opposite the
door. For nearly an hOur l remained
there, when the door was opened
stealthily, and there entered the. young
man whom l had seen in Hanover on
the previous day. He carried a book
in his hand. This he swiftly exchanged
for another similar book of the same
appearance, and q moment later crept
out again, closing the door noiselessly.
Quickly I came forth and took up
the classical dictionary, a copy of
which was usually upon the emperor's
table. 1t presented just the same ap-
pearance as the book that Brosch had
taken away, only it was considerably
| heavier.
A Narrow Escape.
Without delay, l dashed out, sought
the emperor's valet, and was admitted
to his majesty's presence.
Three minutes later we were both in
the study. l took up the book and held
I L L " iio Cul. just 40 L lluu ucdIu, bC
could detect the faint ticking of a
, watch within.
The book had been followed out and
a bomb inserted! 1t was, no doubt,
set to explode between eight and nine
o'clock, when the emperor would be
at his desk.
"Take it out quickly !" shrieked the
kaiser, in terror, when he realized the
true import of the plot.
In obedience, handling the book very
carefully, 1 rushed with it downstairs,
| out into the open. 1 placed it on the
| grass some distance away, while the
emperor followed me, utterly astound-
ed at the discovery.
Having deposited it, I dashed back
to where the emperor was standing
upon the steps, greatly to the surprise
of the sentries, when hardly had l
reached him than there showed a
blood-red flash, followed by a terrific
report and concussion-an explosion
which would have blown the emperor's
head off as he sat.
His majesty stood white and rigid,
instantly realizing what a narrow es-
| cape he had had, while the noise
caused the greatest alarm, and people
began rushing hither and thither to
ascertain the ause.
In a few seconds his majesty was
calm again.
"Say nothing of this, Heltzendorff,"
he said. Let it remain a mystery.
Come upstairs, and I will speak on the
telephone to the police"
"Your majesty gave the matter I'M
reservedly into my hands," I reminded
him.
"Ah, that is so; I forgot" he ex-
claimed, and after thanking me he
added: "Take what steps you like,
but have the offenders punished, and
also try to find out who sent me that
anonymous warming"
The young valet, who had been, no
doubt, heavily bribed by Minckwitz to
substitute the book, had already dis
appeared, and, as a matter of fact, has
never been seen since in Germany.
The man Minckwitz had also, 1t
! seemed, suddenly left Hanover on the
night of my departure, for Hartwieg,
following him, reported to me by wire
that he was in Paris.
What | Learned in Paris.
Without delay I travelled to the
French capital, saw my old friend,
Pinaud of the Surete, and told him
the whole story, explaining in conf
dence that for some mysterious rea-
son the crow prince feared that if
the man were arrested, he might reveal
something unpleasant.
81 quite understand" replied the
/ French detective, with a smile. 81
know that, six months ago, while the
crown prince was in Paris, he was one
night enticed into the gaming house
kept by the notorious MinckwitZ.
There a quarrel ensued, and the crown
prince, fearing attack, drew his re-
volver, which went off and shot one of
Minckwitz's confederates Stone-dead.
The crown prince has ever since been
paying big sums to hush up the af-
fair.
until recently Minckwitz conceived
the idea that if the emperor died and
the crown prince came to the throne,
1t would mean to him considerably
more money each year. Therefore he
conceived that diabo'ical plot. 1
warned the crown prince of it, and he
threatened to expose Minckwitz and
have him arrested. Minckwitz, in turn,
threatened that if his highness made
the slightest movement to thwart his
plans, he would expose to the world
that the German crown prince, during
his latest escapade in the Montmartre,
had killed a man. Finding this to IA
the case, I myself wrote that anony-
nous letter of warning, which l adj
dressed to the emperor"
"And which has had the effect of
saving his majesty's life" I remarked.
That night Minckwitz found himself
arrested upon a charge of Matchmaking