The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-02-19


IN a.rs rs a mystery these deaths OF the her
70 . great empire and his lovely inamorata nave
ranked high among the great mysteries OIL hiStoi.
But murder will out" as the old saying hath
it-and the truth of the killing OF kuooiph Is ,ou
az last Who tells it, None other man oiaen
sheep of the Hapsburgs-the Archduke Leopoiu
Ferdinand. son of the last reigning Grand Duke OF
Tuscany nenbew of Emperor Francis Joseph and
q cousin of the murdered crown prince To De
sure this black sheep now bears the name oi
Ieonold Wolnng He ended his archducai ca
reer long before the Great War strippeu ue
Hapsburgs of place and power by deneuhcmg MS
great rank to wed commoners uaush..'
whom he later divorced. And, straheest Ok an'
this civilian Hapsburg tells the story OF the XIII
tn. ~ ppaolnb In a newspaper, the Berlin Morgen-
post.
At the time Of the tragedy all the power OF tne
emperor was used to suppress the factA ine
newspapers were allowed to state oniy uas
Rudolph had died Of natural causes No refef-
ence to the death Of the baroness was Pefmtteu
Nobody was prosecuted. but several men nlgn III
court circles disappeared from public lie. Every
body Of inferior rank who could possibly haNs luu
knowledge of the facts vanished from the race
Of the earth
NJ course the world talked. Half dozen YER
e,ons Of the tragedy became current. One was
that the fance Of the baroness broke In ana killed
both the urince and the young woman Anothe1
was that the prince, forced by his father 10 give
IN the baroness, killed her and himself. tntu
was that the prince and the baroness were Kilea
because they would not give Up each other. out
OF the mass Of conjecture legend was nhai'y
evolved to the effect that Rudolph, preferring
death to separation. killed his companion with
her consent and then followed her into the I'M
known Romance and pathos, you see, as wen
as tragedy
First word as to Rudolph. whom legend now
presents as q liberal likable, democratic sort OF
young fellow, Probably the correct picture Is
that of tie most dissipated OF the Hapsourgs-
All the hereditary evils had set their mark ON him.
or fraiI nbysioue. neurotic his eyes bliDked and
his hands trembled constantly. Drinking and
other excuses had increased his natural defects
Rudolph was married to Stephanie daughter
OF Leopold king of the Belgians Apparently
they never knew q moments happiness. ne ue-
ceiyed her shamefully and she did al IN net
power to infuriate him. Rudolph mace no secret
| az his dislike and her failure to produce male
heir TO the throne intensified the situation From
his youth Rudolph had been noted in Vienna for
| his shameless pursuit of virtue. He employed
many creatures of all ranks to minister TO ms
6esiree--from go-between countess to private
cab driver, whose duty 1t was 70 eonSaE SGsaao
i 70 the secret entrance in the lane back Of the
| Hofburg which led TO the princes apartments
| Rudolph met Marie just about year before
/ The date of the tragedy. It was case OF love
at first sight with both at any rate the beautiful
/ Young girl was completely infatuated with her
princely admirer. And the baroness vas young.
/ beautiful and good The vetseras were OF Greek
/ blood: the father of the baroness was state
i oficial The family was not rich. but its social
/ standing was GOOD Rudolph and Marie met fire.
ouentiy and scandal soon got busy with their
names.
| The affair became known at court and there
| vns much ado Princess Stephanie ragged The
| Tetseras demanded TINT the emperor should call
/ his SON TO account. Hektor Won Baitazzi, Maries
6ance was furious. He was Vienna ciubman
/ md horsernan 81 Afaced0Greek origin very rich,
| and although, no member OF the nobility proper.
& favorife In the highest society IS was his
! erofher Aristide. The BaltazzIs arse distaniiy