The Washington times., 1921-12-04
Astonishing Confessions of
a Bogus Nobleman Who
Preyed Upon Fashionable
NelU York Society

ried farewell to Baroness Marie
and several young women of Prae-
gers. With me l took the thou
sand pounds o. the Colonel and
some i've thousand forms of my
own.
My readers will want to know. l
am sure. what was the Colonels
fate. With me out of the way
there was none to verify Prince
Kinsky's charge that a messenger
had carried communications be-
tween his wife and Colonel Win
,disch Graets. The Princess denied
the accusations vehemently. The
Colonel asked the Emperor to spare
him from even defending the name
Of such charming woman. Bruen.
ner. the money lender, fully in
formed of the charges against the
Colonel. collected the full repay
ment with heavy interest Of all he
had loaned mo in the Colonies
name-collected from Princess LII
herself, who dared not refuse to
pay.
Franz Josef was not easily i'm
posed upon. He acquitted the
Colonel of the charge and repri.
manded Prince Kinsky for dis.
trusting his devoted young Wife
but at the same time he transferred
Prince Windisch. Graetx TO q post
In the Balkans, which was little
more than a mountain prison.
Prince Joseph Windisch @ saetz
married the dancer. Marie Taglioni,
and lived happily with her for
many years.
II was his cousin. Prince Otto
WindischG raetz. who was . prom
inent character In Vienna before
the war and married the pretty
little Archduchess Elizabeth. the
only granddaughter Of the old EN-
peror Franz Josef.
A year after her marriage the
Archduchess surprised her hus-
band. Prince Windisch-Graetz, in
his villa at Prague with a Bohe-
milan actress. Louise Ziegler.
The Archdnchess forced her way
to the room where her husband
was. When his valet attempted to
stop her she fired. wounding him
slightly. Then she entered the
room, discovered Louise Ziegler
and shot her dead.
II was this Prince Windisch.
Graetz who just lately was interned
with ex-Emperor Karl after the
latter's last Inflated attempt to
regain the throne.
As for myself. I landed in London
with more than a thousand pounds
In my pocket. went direct to the
old Claridge's Hotel. then one OF
the most fashionable in London.
and in signing the register ] wrote
not "Ex-Corporal Gruenebaum-
peasant. servant and scoundrel,"
but Baron Gruenebaum."
In nearby fashionable shops
purchased q cane and a monocle.
q pair Of spats for my shoe tops
and a swagger coat. From the
florist in the hotel lobby I pur,
chased . boutonniere. for the Aus.
TRAN nobleman of those days never
left his apartments without flower
in his buttonhole. From that day
to this my lapel has never been
without its daily flower. except, Of
course. on those days spent in
prison-where boutonnieres are
not de rigueur. have missed my
breakfast many a time rather than
spend my last penny for food and
forego my fresh buttonhole flower.
This habit became a mark Of dis
tinction. Surely" many a friend
has said when some doubt Of my
claims to the title I assumed were
expressed. "he must be the count
he claims to be-see, every day he
purchases q fresh flower"
Then began my career in London
as Baron Gruenebaum." I shall
tell next week how I became an in
innate of the Prince Of Wales.
later King Edward, and how the
Marquis Of Queensbury put me up
at the most exclusive London clubs,
and how Lord. Desborough made
me his house guest, and how the
Duke Of Sutherland presented me,
for my exclusive use for the whole
season, his beautiful hunting lodge
in Scotland.
Also I shall tell how / again
crossed the path of my early bene-
factor, Prince Albert of Thurn and
Taxis, and how I observed the ef-
forts Of a New York chorus girl to
appropriate for herself the title of
his cousin, Prince Victor. now the
husband of the Princess Ida of
Thurn and Taxis, who came so
near running my career in New
York by exposing my humble origin
to my fashionable friends, as l de-
scribed last week.