Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1921-01-27

the emperor himself, who had set his mind on
healing the breach between Rudolph and his wlle'
When Rudolph announced his intention Sof u
vorcing his wife and marrying the baroness, even
though that involved remuneration of his rights 10
succession and even his archducal rank, the EN-
peror red.
Two days before the tragedy at Meyerling the
emperor and the crown prince had a long inter
view. What said is not known, but II Is
believed that the old emperor commanded lhe
crown prince to drop the affair with the baroness
Anyway, Rudolph planned another meeting WIN
Marie What he intended to do at that meeuhs
nobody will ever know; the secret is buried with
him.
Rudolph, using a go-between countess got
Marie away from the Vetsera palace that fatal
January 80 and the same afternoon the youhs
couple left for Meyerling. Rudolph had lnVlteu
a party of gay friends to join him at the huhtins
lodge Among others were the Baltazzl brothers'
Here, in brief, is Leopold Wof1ngs story Vi 'ne
tragedy:
The baroness, though in the lodge, was not
present at the dinner After dinner the men
drank deeplv Rudolph could never carry his
liouor and early lost self-control. discussion
between him and the two Baltazzis degenerateu
into a violent quarrel champagne bottle was
flung across the table and the prince dropped
dead his head terribly crushed. moment later
the alarmed baroness entered the room. One OF
lover. amid a scene of blood broken glass and
smoke The ex-archduke's story states that when
the nrince's body was taken to Vienna fragments
of the broken bottle still were sticking In MS SKULL
AZ to the effect of the affair the Emperor
Francis Joseph and the Empress Elizabeth, the
authOr tells of the first family dinner after the
tragedy.
AT the table sat the emperor and the empress,
q brother of the emperors, the old Archduke
A,brecht the Hungarian Archduke Joseph and
tho author himself. Neither the emperor nor the
empress spoke word. They did not touch
single dish The empress was dressed In the
doenest mourning and wept softly. We VOTED
braathessly while this depressing ceremony should
no over and the emperor dismiss u.s."
The ex-archduke says that he learned the true
storv of the Meyerling affair from his father, the
Grand Duke OF 1use"lS' WI" nav ~ $500 ~ 80
peror himself.
Nor.. of the persons connected with the tragedy
uos ever punished. The two Baltazzi brothers
aisonneared for several years from society, nut
later re-emerged. similar exile was inflicted
MON Count Hoyos, adjutant to the crown prince,
and today probably nobody with nrst-hahd
ksowedge Of what happened at the Meyeriing
bunting lodge is among the living.
Tho story of the burial of Baroness Marie Is
,nown in all its gruesome details; 1t is properly
q mart of the tragedy. Count Stockau ana Alex
opder Baltazzi unces of Marie, were taken TO
Meyerling in the evening In large closed car
r,oge The chief of the secret police sat beside
Tho coachman The uncles were taken into the
linen room, where Marie's body had been hidden
n q basket. They were Informed that the corpse
,os 70 he fully dressed and then her body was to
w. token TO the carriage. you are to support
.ho body" they were told, "in such way as to
bo ~ onnear that the baroness still lives"
The uncles were forced to take part In dressing
the dead, Her hat and veil were placed on her
nod and then the body was set In chair while