The Washington times., 1920-01-10
EXILE RAVES
4 LIKE MANIAC
Wilhelm Virtually a Prisoner OF
His Own Household at
x Amerongen.


be signed at Paris. word reached
here that the Kaiser had gone crazy
in exile at Amerongen, Holland
The condition OF the former Ger
man emperor has been kept secret
by members OF his entourage for
weeks. but the news OF his mental
breakdown is now known to diplo-
matte representatives at The Hague,
according to cable dispatches reach
ing Washington today.
Raves Like Maniac.
The New York Sun. in a copyright
ed article from Amerongen. today
says:
For more than a year. confined to
a solitary existence, the former Kali
ser's mind has been constantly per-
turbed and agitated by the menacing
attitude of public opinion among tho
allies. Uncertainty as to thS future
has had the natural effect of unbal-
ancing him further. A visit to Cha
teau Amerongen, now isolated COM
pietely and standing like some sin
lister image of st. Helena, surrounded
by the waters of the Rhine, which
have inundated the region, corrobo-
rated, although in vague way, the
story told by Germans in The Hague.
''It is a sort OF unconfirmed sus-
picion among the people of the little
village that the occupant of the Sc
oluded castle is demented, and those
who serve the chateau's daily needs
talk in whispers OF the lunatic whose
moods vary periodically from those
OF an actual idiot to the rawlings OF a
maniac. interspersed at intervals by
religious fanaticism.
wilhelm today is a virtual pris-
oner of his own household, which has
taken alarm over his condition and
reinforced the vigilant guard over his
person. Representatives of the Ger
man press who received last week
from an authoritative source an inti-
nation that the former Emperor was
In a critical state were informed that
he is merely feeble and greatly aged;
the trembling of his right arm and
foot is increasing daily; he is physi-
cally and morally very low and his
internal illness is bringing on corpu-
lency.'
News Kept from Public.
Considerable OF this is true, except
that the former kaiser's illness is i'm
becilty or lunacy. News of his actual
state had to be kept from the German
people and the world generally which
explains the recent yelled medical
bulletins from Berlin. The former
kaiser Is no stouter than he was three
years ago. When he passed yesterday
in an automobile over the draw
bridge, leaving the chateau on his
way to the neighboring village of
Doom, where he was being taken by
Count Bentinck. his friend and host.
he appeared to have aged considera-
bly,. His Vandyke beard was almost
completely white.
Except for an occasional ride, he
never leaves the chateau. He no
longer is left alone, and whenever he
goes riding he is accompanied in the
limousine by members of his family
or OF that of Count Bentinck. His
condition has changed so much lately
and his moods vary so greatly that
his family has become alarmed, and
Prince Joachim, who is reported to be
suing for divorce in Berlin, has been
summoned here. He is due to arrive
in few days.
"On Tuesday DR.. Kiger, of Berlin,
was received at the chateau and
lodged there. Several other special
lists are said to be coming to examine
the patient. The former crown prince,
who paid his last visit here at New
Years, is reported to be returning
from Wierngen. Several authentic
proofs of the former kaiser's dement,
ed condition are at hand, and coming
from the sources they do, are worth
serious consideration.
Writes Incoherent Letter.
"The first is an autograph letter by
Wilhelm to one of his former minis
tiers, and is in possession of a prom! i
nent German publicist at The Hague.
ut is dated in November and is an at
tempt to set forth the former En-
peror's views" on the political situa-
1ion in Germany. written in the most
incoherent language. The possessor
of the letter declares 1t could not
have been written by anyone but a
lunatic.
"Other evidence is still more strik-
ing. Diplomatic and military pereons
OF prominence who have come from
Berlin to see the oneAtime war lord
have left Amerongen disgusted and
painfully disappointed over their for