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Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1924, Page 1

Princess Louise of Belgium, whose elopement with an Austrian count made a .sensation in 1597, has died, says the Wiesbaden correspondent of the “Weekly Dispatch.” of March 2nd. On a fine mroniiig in the spring ol 1897, Count' Mattaehich, an officer of the Austrian Imperial Guard, stopped in the Vienna Prater, a riinnnwny carriage and pair, in which was Princess Louise, eldest daughter of the late King Leopold of Belgium. and wife of Prince Phillip of Saxe-Cohurg-Gotha. They fell in love, and two years later eloped during the royal ball given in Vienna. The courts of Vienna, Brussels, and Berlin tried to hush the mattor up. The couple were hunted down, and th< Princess was declared to he insane. She was placed in an asylum and constantly moved from place to place. Count Mnttnehieli was charged with forgery and imprisoned. After four years he was released, and his first thought was to save the Princess. For years he failed in his attenip.-', hut in 1901 he traced her to a German watering place and daringly carried, her off under the eyes of her guardians. They fled to France, and after years of poverty the Count died in Paris. His wife remained with, him till the end. and declared that she had nothing more to live for. “He was all my life,” she said recently when Co years old. flo-day I am without friends or money.”