Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1888-11-17 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

HESSE AT SEA.  A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. [Pions the Singapore Free Press of Oat 16th, 11308.] We regret to learn of the disappearancr cf his Royal Highness the Landgrave of Hesse during the voyage of the steamship Volga, which was conveying the triune and his suite to Singapore under eircumstances that leave no room f r dnbc whatever as to the death of his Royal Highness, His Royal Highness, who had been for a long time travelling in the tropic!, had in the course of his wauderiuga reached Jaya. While in Batavia be had suffered very much from the intense heat that has lately prevailed there. On this socount it wee thought best that he should leave Batavia, and it was propo.ed Is ga to Mugapore and thence either to Beam, in continuation of the pan of his travels, or, should he not feel better, ou ellen to Europe. However, about the 11th and tills of October His Royal Highness felt very , much better while still in Batavia. Still :Baron von Hugo advised consulting a doctor, but His Royal Highness th.ught it quite uoneceseary, as he felt so great improvement in his health. It was then determined that the Landgrave and suite should proceed to Singapore, and accordingly they left in the Menageries Melanin steamer Volga upon the lath inst., His Royal Highness and his party being the only passengers on board. After dinner that evening his Royal Highness was particularly bright and lively. He weut on deck sin his friends and engaged in cheerful conversation with them and also with the officers of the ship. At 9 p.m, he said good night remarking, " I shall sleep well. " This referred to the dieturbed nights he had previouely had when not so well, and his belief that he would that night be able to make up his lest sleep. A cool and airy cabin had been selected for him an that side of the vessel that would receive the refreshing breeze of the north-east monsoon. His Royal Highness accordingly retired after having given his servant directions to waken him at 6 a.m. t'unctually at that hour the servant came and found the Landgrave still asleep. The servant returued at a quarter to seven, but his Royal Highness merely made a sign that he did not want I torn dietuned. This was reported to Baron ,on lingo who said that was all right, and the sleep ' would do him good. Al 9 I.la. the eteward heard him cough, and later, at a quarter to eleven, the servaut who is always on guard at the door of the cabin heard his Royal Highness again coughing. Raton von Hugo directed the servant to slay there till his Royal Highness called him at ball-past one o'clock. Banc you Huge aeked the servant if his Royal Higleuese was still asleep. The latter replied chat he an not know, but that his Royal Highness _ .  had not yet ogled him. The Baron ihen directed him to enter the cabin quietly and see if his Royal Highness was etill asleep. It was not singular that he should skip so long, as that was his frequent habit, eepecially if there was a pleasant breeze paining over him. When the servant entered the cabin he immediately exclaimed, "The bed is empty I" Baron eon Hugo at once entered and found that this was true. Although the servant had not left his poet a search was at once inetrineed through the ship, but without finding she least trace of the Landgrave. The only possible conclusion that could be come to was that overcome by some sudden mental disturbance, to which bid previous illness may have made him susceptible, his Royal Highness had, quite uncoilflolollli of what he was doing, gone through the port of as cabin, and had dropped into the sea. He could not merely have fallen through as the window was so narrow that a person could only pass through by dint of some exertion. The idea of premeditated suicide is entirely without foaudation• till his Royal Highness's plans of travel were laid, and he talked of these in pleasant anticipation. It may be mentioned that owing toithe extreme vagueness as to the time and place when his Royal Highness disappeared, and the strong currents crossiug the ship's coarse, it was deemed hopeless to reiuin in search, especially as darkness would have come on before any proper search wall be made over the many miles of sea traversed between the time his Royal Highness was last heard in his cabin and the lime when sear,h for him showed that he was no longer in the ship.