Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1889-02-06 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

TRUTH AT LAST.  CARELESSNESS. OF AN ATTENDANT.  THE IMPERIAL SUCCESSION SECURED. It is now officially state], beyond all doubt, that the Crown Prince Rudolph committed suicide while in an unsound state of mind. A telegram from Vienna, on Satuiday, say,: —lf what is reported here tosday turns out to be true, his Majesty the Emperor of Austria has given a remarkable proof of sound judgment, and solicitude for the welfare of his subjects. It is stated that on Thursday he gave a long audier ce to Archduke Franz Ferdinand D'Este, eldest son of his Majesty's brother, Arehdulto ! Karl Ludwig, and that it is his intentton to ! adopt the young prince who would thus become heir to the throne. The Arc:rank° Franz Ferdinand is 23 years of age. It is added that the Archduke Carl Ludwig is disposed to abdieate his rights in favour of his eon. A Times telegram front Vienna, on Saturday, says the public voice is not dealing very tenderly with Count Hoyoe. This gentleman does not appear to have had wits enough about him to perceive that on Tuesday the Crown Prince was in such a condition that he rtqaired the closest watching. The mere fact that the prince talked incessantly about his approaching end, and exhibited a revolver, ought to have warned a man of sense that there was something wrong. A travelled writer, who knew the late Crown Prince says :—lt is sheer exaggeration to say that the Crown Prince always "trembled at the sound of Bismarck's name.' I had occasion to sneak with His Imperial Highness upon a subject in which the Iron Chancellor was frequently referred to, and not ones did he , tremble at the sound of his name. I don't for one moment suppose thet the Crown Prince had any great love for Bismarck, but his antipathy to the Chancellor was feeble as compared with his positive dislike to the young Emperor , Wilhelm, who, curiously enough, was once of his greatest friends. All the tell about what the Crown Prince would have done, and what 'L he w 'raid not have done, had he come to the ' , throne, is more conjecture. The truth is, His . Imperial Highness interested himself but little , in politics; and I question very much whether , he ever expressed a wish that Austria should wrthdraw from its alliance with Germany in favour of a fresh al:law:re with Russia. He was , far too shrewd a man to say anything that might irritate the "loyal Hungariaus," who, .• however much they may dislike the Germane, , heartily detest the Russians, and would rather die fighting against them than live fighting by their side.  The Crown Prince was very loyal to hie friends—both male and female. In his bachelor days he went the pace in a moos remarkable manner, moat of the indiseretions of his youth are laid at the door of his Court Marshal, Graf Bombelles, who was his boon companion in the various mad freaks which scandalised Vienna Count Bombelles has anything but a Mephistophelean look, and it seems incredible that the bland, staid-looking old courtier could have been the instigator of so many queer escapades. But it is generally said in Vi/ tans that the Crown Prince would have been a much better man (in a moral sense) if he had had a more scrupulaus mentor. Graf Bombelles was never a persona grata with the Crown Princees, and she and the Crown Pi ince frequently quarrelled about him. But, as I have said, the Imperial Gighneem was true to his Mende, and the Count remained at his poet. The Archduke Frani Ferdinand, the Archduke Karl Ludwig's eldeat son, who will now be called to rule over the Dual-Kingdom, is an intelligent young man. His features are those of a Hapaburg, but he does not possess his father's fine physique. He is quiet in manner, and has a thoughtful and intellectual face. His hands and feet ar,. small and somewhat womanish. He is a soldier, and is major of the Infantry Regiment, No 102 1" Baron de Catty "), and takes a deep interest in military matters. It appears that the Crown Prince had entertained thoughts of committing suicide for many years, at least since June, 1586. At that time, when returning from the funeral of King Ludwig 11. of Bavaria,he said to some intimate friends " I fear that my end will be as his." The Pall Mall Gazelle publishes the following private information. received from Vienna : "The real reason why the Crown Prince shot himself WWI because fie had no option but to ' take his own life or to fight a gaol with the / brother of a Princess he had seduced. The Prinoese, who belongs to one of the highest / famines in Austria, fell a victim to the Crown /Prince's lawless love. When her condition rendered further concealment impossible she confessed the secret of her shame. Her broth or thereupon went to the Crown Prince, and gave him the alternative of killing himself or of accepting a challenge to a duel with the brother of his victim. The Crown Prince accepted the former alternative, and shot himself through the haul.  eaoapadee.