A Continental Romance.

Manawatu Herald, 3 June 1897, Page 2

A Continental Romance.

One of the most extraordinary love romances in high life has practically come to a close by a recent decision of the St. Gall (Switzerland) tribunal, the court having ordered a million of franci, which " John Orth " had deposited there, to be paid over to the relations of his wife, the depositor having left this amount to his spouse. " John Orth " was really the Archduke John Salva* tor of Tuscany, a nephew of the Emperor of Austria. He fell in love with an opera singer, whom he married, renouncing all his righto, privileges, and rank, and assuming the name of " Ortb," after one of bis castles. The marriage was celebrated in a perfectly legal manner by the Registrar of Islington, and countersigned by the Austrian Consul. " Johann Orth " next bought in Liverpool a fine ship, which he christened after his wife, Santa Margarita, and sailed with his consort for South America. The vessel was duly reported to have arrived and departed from Monte Video for an unknown destination. From that moment every trace is lost of the ship and all on board. The Emperor of Austria and the Hungarian Government have caused search to be made along the coast, bat not a scrap of any sort of news as to her fa?e has ever been recovered. The ex-Archduke had on board over a quarter of a million sterling in gold, and he had intended to settle in Chili. It is believed that the vessel foundered off Cape Horn daring a terrific storm wwhich raged on the coast shortly after the ship left. As some years have elapsed sinoe these occurrences, his and his wife's death have been accepted as facts by the Swiss Court, hence the above decision.