Evening star., 1923-07-15
TRUE STORY OF ROYAL
SUICIDE NOW REVEALED
Memoirs of Diplomat Give Inside Facts
and Friends Recall the
Hapsburg Tragedy.

There is one point omitted from the
remarkable and convincing story pub
lished the other day in the Paris Temps
about the tragedy of Meyerling. in 1889.
by Maurice Paleologue, one Of the most
respected, reliable and level-headed
members of the diplomatic service OF
France. Knight grand cross Of the
Legion Of Honor, he spent many years
in the great state department on the
Quai dOrsay as it's political director
and as chief of its permanent staff, and
also represented his country with much
distinction in various European capitals.
being indeed ambassador at Petrograd
in the years Immediately preceding the
great war. and throughout its duration
until the overthrow of the cars mon
archy. in February, 1917. He has en-
joyed the confidence of many person
ages of international note, and Edward
VII in particular held him in high re-
gard, and greatly favored his appoint
culated to further the interests of the
triple entente.
1t is, therefore, not surprising that
the late Empress Eugene should have
spoken to him freely in an intimate con-
versation which he had with her in
1906, and in which she related to him
the story of the death of Crown Prince
Rudolph just as she had received 1t
from the Austrian empress, when they
were together in the south of France. at
Cape Martin. in the early spring of
1898, a few months only before Eliza
beth was assassinated by the Italian
anarchist, Luccheni. at Geneva. Am
bassador Paleologue regarded the tale
g. ~, of Mo
poleon III as being Of such Importance
that within twenty -four hours he made
a complete record In his diary. II he has
now given 1t to the public in the col
umns of the Paris Temps. 1t is for the
purpose Of refuting another Of the many
fanciful stories which have been pub
lished during the last quarter of a GEN.
tury about the tragedy. some of them
even emanating from persons more or
less remotely connected with the court
at Vienna.
The only account which gave any
real insight into the mystery was that
which appeared anonymously within
a few weeks after the murder of En-
press Elizabeth as a tribute to her
memory by one who was attached to
her by ties of the most devoted
friendship and who has never re-
vealed her identity. 1t was in the
form of a book, issued on both sides
of the Atlantic and entitled The
Martyr0Om OF al Empress. Inc
declaration of Ambassador Paleo-
logue, as received through Empress
Eugene from Empress Elizabeth,
bears out in every particular and alb
solutely confirms the version of
Meyerling as printed twenty five
years ago in The Martyrdom of an
EMPRESS book which even con-
tanned copies of the last letters writ
ten by the crown prince to intimate
friends-one especially to his par
ticular confidant, and the executor of
his testamentary wishes, Count
Szcegyeny- Marich, afterward Austrian
ambassador at Berlin.
In each of these letters the crown
prince emphasized the fact II must
die. In honor / can do nothing else. "
There was also a letter to his mother,
the contents of which remain sacred.
These letters lay on the table of the
room in the shooting lodge at Meyer
ling, where he took his life. There
was likewise letter there addressed
by Marie Vetzera to her mother, in
/, which she intimated that she was
about to take poison, and in which
she declared that There are circum-
stances which prevent our union. cir
cumstances which I cannot discuss,
least of, all with you.''