The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-11-01
HISS T HRY'S
MYSS E:RIE:S
WHO KILLED RUDOLF OF
AUSTRIA?

THE proverblal "luck Of the Haps-
- burgs"-a synonym for i'll fortune
rather than contaminated Itself in
number of ways during the long
reign of Franz-Josef, late emperor OF
Austrla-Hungary, but none of the oc-
currences were more startling or mys-
terous than those connected with
the sudden death Of Rudolf, crown
prince Of the realm and favorlte son
OF Franz-Josef.
Married TO the Princess Stephanie,
daughter of Leopold II, king Of the
Belglans, Rudolf was far from happy
In his marital relations, and com
paratively short time had elapsed af
ter his MARRIAGE when he attempted
to induce his wife to secure divorce
In order that he might marry Maria
Vetsera, beautiful young baroness
with whom he was madly In love.
Franz-Joseph, however, sternly for.
babe all thought of divorce and, Ru-
dolf announced that he was prepared
to renounce all his title and marry the
Baroness Vetsera In spite of parental
objections. This was recalled wildly
when, only few months later, there
occurred the "MeyerlIng Tragedy"
Late In January, 1869, Rudolf
staged gay house party at the castle
Of Meyerllng, some twelve miles from
Vienna. Among the guests was the
Baroness Maria Vetsera and gossip
concerning her affair with the crown
prince ran high, finally breaking with
clash when, on the morning of Jan
uary 80, Rudolfs valet entered his mas
ter's bed chamber and found the crown
prince dead and, beside him, the body
Of the beautiful baroness.
The first official report stated that
the crown prince had died of apoplexy
but as his rugged physique and ex-
ceptional health Here well known
throughout the court circles OF Europe
this statement WAS received with a
smile and much struggling of Shout
ders. Following this there came a
flood Of rumors and supposedly "au-
thentic' accounts of the tragedy, some
OF which stated that the baroness had
killed herself in despair and that Ru-
dolf had committed suicide when he
found her body, others telling of an al.
legged suicide pact between the lovers
and still others limiting at completely
on the part Of certain court officials
who had been instructed to pnt stop
to the Intimacy between the baroness
and the crown prince "at any cost"
fourth story, which gained consid-
cradle credence on the continent, was
connected with a former fance OF the
baroness, whom she had discarded in
favor of Prince Rudolf. Tits person
age, whose name was freely mentioned,
was noYn to have been in the vicm-
ity OF Meyerling castle on the night OF
the tragedy, and the report was that
he Lad secured admlttance to the
apartments Of the prince by uribing
several of the servants and had shot
both Rudolf and the baroness, mailing
his escape before the double murder
was discovered
Still apother angle to the whole az
+ fair appeared several years later when
the former crown prince and tie baro
I ness were reported to have been seer
/ In the United States. and 1t was freely
/ limited that news of their deaths hat
been given to the world in order tc
cover q scandal which would have
shaken the throne Of Austria and i'm
periled the friendship then existing be
tween that country and Belgium. Thai
this version of the tragedy Is not Il.
wild as ii appears Is evident from tn,
/ fact that one Of the foremost oncy
clopedias states that the crown prime,
"is believed TO have died. probably by
his own hand, at the Castle Meyerling.
But the entire affalr-whether dou
BILE murder. suicide pact or an at
tempt to cover Scandals only on,
OF the many tragedies which mad,
their appearance during the reign o
FranzJoseph, tragedies which includ
ed his unhappy marriage with III,
Princess Elizabeth Of Bavaria; the ex
ecutlon of his brother, the Empero
Macmillan of Mexico; the mysterlou,
disappearance Of the Grand Duke Jo
ham Salvador; the murder of the En-
Z press Elizabeth at Geneva and the as
sassination of the heir to the throne
the Archduke Francis Ferdinand an,
his morganatlc wife, the final TRACED,
which led to the greatest of all-th,
World war and the subsequent par
tition OF the kingdom.