The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-03
DEAD DUKE
WR0TETT,
WOMAN
SAYS
More Mystery Added to Death
Of Johann" Austrian Em- }
peror's Cousin, at N. Y.
Rz Cosmopolitan new. service.

= NEW YORK, April 3.-TheI
real facts of the Myerling mystery,
when the Austrian Archduke Ru-
dolph and his paramour were slain
in 1887, are contained in a letter
In the Vatican, to be opened fifty
years after the event, as a mat
ter of historical record.
This letter was written by Arch
duke Johann Salvador, who died
here under the name Of DIR. o. N.
Orlow."'
Revealed by Benefactress.
This statement was made today
by Mrs. Fairchild, photographer
and 5benefactress tof the gentleman
ly old scholar who died here under
circumstances which have led many
to believe he was the long missing
Archduke Johann Salvador, who
fled from Austria thirty-five years
ago, following the Myerling mys-
terry, which many claim involved
the late Emperor Franz Joseph.
"Dr. Orlow never traded on his
royal lineage" said Mrs. Fairchild,
although he repeatedly was urged
to make himself known. In all
ways found him to be more like
a modern Sir Galahad than pre-
tender. am not. gullible wom-
an, and certain facts that I have
been able to check up on lead me
to believe his story, which follows:
Opposed to Emperor.
'"The Archduke Johann Salvador
received official permission to as
sumo the name of John Orth in
1889, and thereupon left the father
land. From the time he was a
small boy he was bitterly opposed
10 his royal cousin, Franz Joseph.
HE was present when Crown
Prince Rudolph was killed in 1897,
and also was present when the
murder was discussed between the
Emperor and Empress. He knew
facts the Austrian court wished to
hush.
sit was when Franz Joseph
made in insulting remark about
Archduke Johann's aged mother,
the Dowager Grandduchess Of Tus.
cany. that he was unable to control
himelf and tore off his decorations,
Emperor's eye.
"The immediate trouble between
the archduke and the emperor was
to a morganatic marriage con.
tracted between Johann and a
Viennese actress. DIR. Orlow said
he did this, to save a woman's
honor and to oblige a friend, but
that he never lived with the &C.
tresS. This woman died some
years ago.
Ran His Yacht Ashore.
"Archduke Johann Or. Orlow)
sailed from London on his own
yacht, Santa Margerita. Just be.
low Rio de Janeiro he ran his
vessel aground, after pledging the
crew to silence, which they kept.
About that time the papers re.
ported a hurricane in that vicinity
and It was assumed that the Mar
gerita had gone down with all
hands.
For many years. DIR. Orlow lived
in San. Francisco, Seattle and other
western cities. He left a tin box
with friends at Rio de Janeiro
which he told me contained def.
finite proof of his identity. A few
weeks before his death he told me
he meant to go there and bring
back the box, because he wished
to- prove his ancestry so as to re.
claim tapestries taken from Aus
trian estates to which he was heir,
these tapestries having been sold
in America.
"He came here from Seattle
about four years ago. bringing q
collection of Japanese art treasures
valued at $4,000. Until the world
war he received an income from
his Austrian and Russian estates,
] understood. He opened a room.
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