The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-19

10 the Hungarian nobility and her mother
was q member Of q Greek family name0
Baltazzi. that had acquired great wealth
In Constantinople.
The Vetseras were known at court. and
the Crown Princes attention was first at
tracted to the little Baroness Marie at q
fashionable race meeting. He sent mes
sages to her and arranged a secret meet
ing. The poor little girl was completely
fascinated by her imperial lover and fell
deeply in love with him. There we're many
secret rendezvous.
Tho affair became known at court and
caused more excitement than any OF the
Crown Princes numerous intrigues. The
girl was unmarried. very young and Of
high position. Her family demanded that
the Emperor Francis Joseph should inter
vene and call his son to account. On the
other hand. there was ground for suspect
ing that Rudolph intended to obtain d.
vorce from his wife and marry the Baron
'ess Marie Vetsera.
Ny informants told me that Rudolph,
who was a reckless man and on bad terms
with his father, intended to accept the
throne OF Hung, ~, which was eager to
separate from Austria Such a project
sSgss, Of course, treason to the Emperor Of
Austria and might have been punished by
Aeath. even though the offender were
Crown Prince.
tive days before the tragedy of Meyer
Mr. TIE Grown Prince had a long inter
view che Emperor. What passed was
kept secret, but 1t is certain that the old
monarch absolutely commanded his son to
cease his affair with the Baroness Marie
Vetsera. There was a dreadful rumor in
Vienna that the Baroness was really the
old Emperors daughter and that he used
this fact to make sure that his son would
obey his command. but am informed that
there was no basis for the rumor.
The Crown Prince planned another meet
ing with his sweetheart. Did he intend to
say goodlby to her forever or did he in
tend to defy his father and live With her?
No one will ever know for the answer was
buried in the grave with the couple.
On that fatal January day Rudolph asked
an accomrlice, a countess, to help the
Baroness Marie to get away from the Vet
sera palace. This woman asked Marie.
with the permission OF her mother. to go
out for a drive. In the presence Of the
servants this woman told the coachman to
drive to a certain jewelry store in Vienna
The obliging countess went into the store
When she came out the Baroness Marie
vetsera had left-to enter the imperial
palace by the secret door. g..
On the same afternoon Crown Prince
Rudolph. with his sweetheart, set out In
great landau. loaded with all sorts of COM
forts, for his luxurious hunting estate at
Meyerling.
He had invited a party OF gay friends
and bon vivants to Join him. There were
archdukes and princes OF his family and
several lively members Of the nobility.
Prince Philip Of Coburg, I was told, had
just ,sen commissioned by his father-in-
law, ~ King Leopold Of Belgium. to p.
suade Rudolph to separate from the Bar
oness and cease to humiliate the Kings
daughter. On the other hand, the Bal.
tazxis, cousins Of the Baroness Marie, act
ing on behalf OF the Vetsera family, wished
Rudolph to make some arrangement less
degrading TO their family.
The evening, was spent In feasting and
copious drinking. Rudolph became wildly
excited and offensive. The Baroness re-
tired to her room. The quarrellinS was
renewed among the men and a violent
scufYle took place.
Suddenly q full champagne bottle was
hurled across the room and struck the
Crown Prince in the side Of the head He
fell to 'thes floor with his head completely
beaten in, great fragments OF glass stick
ing deep into his brain,
At that m oment the door opened and the
Baroness Marie entered. All the men In
the room were bound together for they
mad, nil been more or less concerned In the
deed. But here was a love-crazed woman