Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-06
The Deceased Wife Of Crown Prince
Rupprecht of Bavaria, Whose Prem
allure Death Is Said to Have Been
fastened by His Brutality.

TT HE cruel persecution of the pretty
young Grand Duchess Marie AIDE
laide. OF Luxembourg, by the Kaiser
and his agents is one OF the most heart.
rending tragedies OF the war--one of those
tragedies which make plain American
with red blood in his veins swear that he
Will put an end to the horrible system of
military autocracy forever
The maiden tribute OF ancient Athens
to the Cretan AIinotaur was not a more
dreadful sacrifice OF girlhood than the
treatment of the Grand Duchess and all
her five little sisters by tho Kaiser
After the Germans had virtually robbed
the Grand Duchess of her little country,
Kept her practically a prisoner, brow
beaten her and insulted her in many ways.
they committed the browning outrage Of
endeavoring to force a husband upon her
The Kaiser's plan was to have German
Prince marry the young Grand Duchess,
control the country in the interests of Ger
many and raise family who would con-
tinue that policy. The Grand Duchess had
fought all the other attempts to enslave her
with great spirit, and this one she rejected
with all the force OF her soul.
Now the Kaiser has given UP his plan of
bullying the little Duchess out Of her rights
and has resorted TO ruse and treac cherry.
The astonishing news has just been Of
fcially given to the world of the betrothal
of the Princess Antoinette of Luxembourg,
third sister Of the Grand Duchess and the
Crown Prince Rupprecht OF Bavaria.
This reveals the scheme by which the
KaiSer nd hc (,arnop ,i1Ito r;c Dropooo
to secure control OF the Grand Duchess and
her territory.
Even if there were no political intrigue
behind it this match would be an outrage
upon humanity, for the Crown Prince Is
brutal, selfindulgent man OF fifty, while
the Princess is an innocent little girl of
eighteen. But the match Is evidently part
Of deep.laid plot.
If the Grand Duchess does not marry, the
succession to her throne will pass to her
next sister and to her sisters children.
Between herself and the destined bride
there are two other sisters, the Princess
Charlotte, aged twenty-three, and the Prin-
cess Hilda aged twenty. When these two
sisters are eliminated the bride OF the
Bavarian Crown Prince becomes the heir
to the duchy. No one who is familiar with
Prussian imperialist methods doubts that
the Kaiser's agents are capable Of eliminat-
ing them. Indeed, there are thousands of
Bavarians who take that view Of Prussian
methods, for they believe that their ro-
mantle, II eccentric. King Louis was falsely
represented as insane in order that he
might be removed from the path Of Prus.
sian imperialist designs.
In the veil Of mystery which has hung
over Luxembourg since its seizure by the
Germans there is much uncertainty as to
what has happened to the Grand Duchess
and her sisters. The Princess Antoinette
is in Munich, and therefore under the con.
troll Of the Germans, and particularly of
the Bayaran royal family. to which she Is
to be announced. No doubt the doctrine of
Hohenzollern invincibility has been ham,
mered into her little head.
Reports have stated at various times
that the Grand Duchess and her two sis
tiers, Charlotte and Hilda, saddened by the
conditions that surrounded them, intend to
enter converts, but this has been denied on
behalf OF the girl ruler
It is certain, however, that unless the
United States and tho Allies take the settle.
ment Of all such questions entirely into
their own hands, a gloomy fate awaits the
Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide, her sister
and her people,.
We have evidence that the German I'm