Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-17
BLAME HAPsBURC CURSE
FOR DEATH OF WOMAN
Mystery Still Shrouds Tragedy ii
Which American Beauty Was
Central Figure.
BELIEVED CHILD OF PRINCE
Mothcr Is Said to Have Met
Similar Fate When Sent to
Trieste on Special Orders OF
Emperor.
ny l.. IL MIiRDnCK.

,he iiaPsburss" cause the suicide O.. OF
favo favor 'ee Of Londo oaae New YORK and
south American society?
In West End circles 1t was positively
stated today that her mother was
Baroness Mary Vetsera, morganatic wife
Of Prince Rudolf OF Austria. son and
heir Of the late Emperor Francis JOS
cph The prince. it will be recalled,
mystcriously disappeared in 1889 and
the body OF the baroness was found
alive.
II is further revealed that directly
mother. had either committed suicide
or been shot dead by her royal lover
Mfs 81 ssea the a na hs9 Sa1y boy
Trieste In the care of the boys ma
ternal grandmothe who. on the chiids
pcror. giving in return an undertaking
in writing that she would never make
any claim for the boy rs !, member OF
throne
Husband Tells Story.
Mrs. Steane's husband. Captain Cedric
Steane: whom she had married here
yesterday that his wife had told him:
B9th my parents committed suicide
ana ana b,, ieGi my mother is calling me at
Prince Rudolf owned hunting lodge
AZ Seyeri'ns. Few miles from BADEN
according to his Testimony. the prince
dead and also the bodL' of his beauti
~ moIEanaLic wife. both shot through
tho head. The Austrian people. how
ever. generally believe the prince is
really still alive and lives somewhere
Alma vetsera Steane Internationally
looked like the Baroness Mary Vetsera,
who was well known in the aristocratic
The Meyerl!ng tragedy always hns
been oo1si nt one OF the great mys-
the care with which such things are
usually concealed by Interested parties
tho most painstaking search has failed
disappearance
Secret Locked in Trunk.
;, One pet pet story IN connection with the
which 10 not to be opened until 1870
by order of the late Emperor Francis
daughter Of PRINCE Ludwig OF Bavaria,
and who was a great friend OF Baron
life with Princess Stephanie Of Bel
Eium was not happy one. The prince
s ins1 Mary He,neFa an unusually hand
But since there is no record Of a
Vetscra stenne's story does not, for
the present at least. ''ho,d water" Of
ticiaily though there, is plenty OF un
Official circumStantial evidence to bear
out her dramatic tale.
1t Is known Mrs. Steane was taken
TO America when she was six by
was Entrusted by people OF promi-
nencc." who pledged him Go have he.
well educated. She was placed. II is
said, in a convent in America. but
after some years returned either TO
Poland, her native country, or to Aus
tria.
Came Back to America.
When she was fourteen she went
we'll supplied with money. No trace
has been found of the priest. The girl
lived wit, friends in New York. and
when she arrived 10 young woman
Canadian. They lived together hap
PLY. but were finally divorced In New
Jersey. Mrs. S;eanc's son. whom she
loved passionately. Is now thirteen
After her divorce from Haynes. Mrs
Steane plunged into tho gay life of
Londons West End. where she soon
made host Of friends. She was fond
of gambling, but even more fond OF
dress In her iat in Duke Street,
where she ended her life. after an
unsuccessful suicide attempt some
years ago. she was a lavish enter
tainer. giving some artistically perfect
dinners and dances AT which army
and navy officers were particularly
wen represented.
She was a beautiful. vivacious wo-
man OF twenty nine, with curly hair
and remarkably pretty eyes of indis-
tinct color and dreamy depth.
Meets American and yYetlr
At gay party in New York dur
ing tie war she met an American
named Andrews, with whom she fell
in love at first sight. They were mar
ried. but the romance was short lived,
ending in divorce. Returning 10 Lon
don. she became the central figure Of
many of the gayest fashionable gath
eringS being noted for her gorgeous
dress and lavishness in spending.
For while tie eyes OF Scotland
Yard and of the American Secret Ser
vice were fixed upon her doings. but
nothing discriminating was ever
found against her
year or so ago she met a promi-
nent London society man, whose name
is still undivulged. Her engagement
with him was broken off, and she is
said to have attempted suicide at the
time.
Today it was learned that not lonr
ago she tried to return to the United
States. but was officially prevented
from so doing. However, S.le went to
Buenos, Aires; and from there at
York.
Much mystery still surrounds the
ne story OF the beautiful suicide.
British ofhcials apparently know more
than they are willing to tell about her
watched by the Foreign Office ard
nd Ward N'N