A PRINCESS'S MEMOIRS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 74, 18 September 1911, Page 5

A PRINCESS'S MEMOIRS

PUBLISHED IN MANY LANGUAGES. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, September 15. Princess Louise's book is being published in English, French, German, Russian, Italian, Dutch and Flemish. There has been a phenomenal demand for copies in Italy, and ten thousand orders are being given in Berlin. THE STRUGGLE FOR A ROYAL CHILD. JOHANN ORTII AND HIS FATE. In November, 1891, the Crown Prince of Saxony—now King Frederick August 111. of Saxony—married the Archduche* Louise Antoinette Marie of the Tuscan branch of the House of Hapsburg. The Prince was then twenty-six years of age, and his bride twenty-one. The Princess eloped from the Saxon Court with a tutor, and was divorced by her husband in 1003. A week previously a decree by the Austrian Emperor interdicted her right to the title of Archduchess and to the use of the Austrian Royal Arms The Princess, therefore, became known as the Counters Montignoso.

The ex-Princess had borne her husband five children, and a sixth child, the Princess Pia Monica was born in May, 1903, a few months after the divorce. In September, 1007, the divorced wife was secretly married in London to Signor Toselli, described as a professor of languages. The King of Saxony elaimea custody of the Princess Pia Monica. Then a struggle began. After the marriage, an official from the Saxon Court arrived post haste in London, and consulted the novelist Mr. William Le Quex, who was in the confidence of the Princess Montignoso and her new husband, and refused W betray it. As, prior to the divorce, the novelist was persona grata at the Saxon Court, he was placed in a difficult position. Tht King of Saxony's agent scoured the Continent after the Princess Montignoso and the child.

As a result of the interview with the Court official, Mr. Le Queux sent a cipher message to the ex-Princess, and received from a town in France the following reply:—"State that my husband and myself have fully made up our minds not to give up our darling Monica to the King, no matter what pressure or what inducements may bo offered. I repeat all I told you yesterday in Londoa." "Our little Monica is in my possession," said Signor Toselli to Mr. Le Queux before leaving London. "I will defy the King. He shall never have the child! German law does not hold good in Italy, and any of the King's agents will have a rough time if they attmept to steal her. So they had better take my warning." HIDING IN SWITZERLAND. A subsequent Geneva message stated: "The King of Saxony'B detectives and spies have arrived. The child is protected by a faithful nurse and two armed men. The Countess left Vienna for the special purpose of hiding her child in Swiss territory, where she would be safer than in Italy. It is reported that the Countess and her husband are planning to take the Princess Monica soon to America, while the King of Saxony is emploving every means to regain the child."

The chase, however, was not destined to last long. The determination of the Countess Montignoso and her husband broke down, and the Princess Monica was surrendered to Count Mattarli, the representative of the Kinj; of Saxony, nt Modena, on the Italian frontier, li is said that the scene was a pathetic one.

According to a Vienna message, Court circles in that city regard the marriage of the Countess of Slontignoso as invalid in Austria, where a Hapsburg family law requires the consent of the head of the Countess's family, the Emperor Francis Joseph; in Saxony, owing to a similar house law; and in Ttaly, where the Roman Catholic faith disallows the remarriage of a divorced person during the lifetime of the person from whom lie or she is divorced.

Kerr Wolfind, ex-Archduke of Austria, who renounced his right, to the throne, j and married an actress, not, it would seem, with the. best results, expressed surprise and delight, when he heard of the mfrriagc of the Countess 1 Slontignoso "1 am proud of my sister's pluck," he said, "in throwing conventionalism to the winds, while searching for the happiness and love denied to Royalty nowadays. I am in complete sympathy with her, and hope she may have a happy future." A RUNAWAY ARCHDUKE. "Johann Orth" is the name taken bv the Archduke .lohanu Xepomucene Salvator, son of Leopold 11., Grand Duke of Tuscany and the two Sicilies, after he disappeared from the Austrian Court in IW9I. Some have said that the name was given to a corpse, but a letter dated from Chatham. .'March 20, 1891, shows that a human being owned to it, and that this human being wits then sailing for South America. The Archduke quarrelled with the Emperor Francis Joseph and with his family in 1880. renounced his rank, his claim to the Austrian throne, and all his military titles, and moiginatieally married the Kraulein Mizzi 'Stuebel, a well-known operatic performer. ' **'*

With a cargo of cement he sailed from London to Buenos Aires in a steamer called the Santa Marjjherita. which he had purchased, lie left Buenos Aires in the vessel in Julv, 1800, with the intention of rounding Cape Horn. The ship and all on board have never been heard of since. Tales of Jobann Ovth's ippeavancc with Chilian insurgents, with the Japanese in Manchuria, and in Paraguay have followed since, but have all been discredited in Vienna A police officer at Uvucuay speaks of havinjr met him in 1000. and on June 12. ]!U)7. an ex-sena-tor of Uruguay stated that he met the quondam Archduke in Paris on the previous Saturday. Under the name of "Juan Xcpomuz" he sailed on board the Araguaya from Rio de la Plata to Cherbourg. From Cherbourg he took train to Paris mid at once werit to London, where he was then understood to be. On Slay 10. 1010. the Semite of the Supreme Court, at Vienna published a decree declaring the death of Johann Orth on July 21. ISOO, sulTicienth' proved. The estate amounted to about £1.10,000.