Was King Ludwig Killed?

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 202, 28 August 1886, Page 5

Was King Ludwig Killed?

Speculation on tbe Problem Tbat Is

Puzzling Bavaria.

It is idle to deny that tho circumstances

surrounding King Lunwig's tragic death have given rise to the strongest suspicions of foul play. The impression ia steadily gaining ground that hia death waa prearranged. A deposed King, ovon if insane may at any moment be a eourco of troublo to the ruling powers. He was obviously de trop. It is well known that at tho moment of his death, both at Linderhof and at Berg, everything was prepared among the surrounding country people to set the King at liberty and to drive away the commission of doctors and officials intruated with the duty of looking after him. Moreover, there ia a pecuniary side to the question which has been hitherto overlooked. A former Prince of the House of Bavaria founded a fund some 200 years back, the accumulated interests of which are paid over at the boginning of each reign to the member of tho royal house who stands nearest to the throne. When Ludwig became King in 1884 an enormoua sum was paid to Prince Otho in this manner, and since that dote tho interests have gono on accumulating until at the present moment thoy amount to a sum of about §10,000,000. By Ludwig- death Otho succeeded to tho crown, and Prince Luitpold, as nearest relative, receives the sum in question. Without hinting anything against Prince Luitpold, who is notoriously avaricious and money-grasping, it should be remembered that in most monarchical countries courtiers are sometimes over-zealoua. It ia hard to believe that the King went to hia death of his own free will. The autopsy showed that he was suffering from a form .of mental derangement brought on by excessive drinking, and precisely similar in its causes and effects to that of the ex-Sultan Murad. This kind of madness is not incurable, and permits its victim to enjoy various lucid moments. It is, however, absolutely necessary that ho should not be contradicted, but soothed and humoured in every poasible manner.

In Turkey the Koran does not admit of a regency, and moreover, there was no princely fund, hence Murad was simply deposed, and still lives in comfort in a beautiful palace on the Bosphorus, cared for by a most devoted mother.

Count Holstein, who appears to have been the chief actor in all these closing scenes, is a coarse, rough, brutal-looking man, whose manner and appearance are reported to have created a most unfavourable impression on the Parliamentary Commission. How different the attentions of such a man to those of a devoted parent like Marad'a mother !

Evidence of what took place on the evening of Ludwig's death, every detail thereof, fits only too well with the theory that he was murdered, or at any rate purposely allowed to kill himself. Why, if so mad, was ho allowed to go out into the woods at night with only an elderly attendant ? Why wero four hours allowed to elapse before any searah was made? Who dispensed with the presence of the guards? Was it the King or did other persons do so ! Even if, contrary to thi widotpreod suspicion, no crime has been perpetrated, at any rate there wss criminal negligenco on the part of the attendants, and if the Regent is not afraid of their revelations they will bo sorerely punished. A sensational rumour is being spread about, with what foundation I know not, that Ki-g Otho has never been seen alive sinco, in 1878, tbo troopers of one of tbe light drogoon regiments saw him at the window of the Castle of Schleissheim etruggling with his attendants and shrieking te the soldiers for help nnd thot he wns being aesossinated. It is noteworthy that neither the Prime Minister, Baron de Lutz, nor the President of the National Assembly, Baron Frankstein, made the slightest mention of his name in their recent speeches in Parliament. It may be said that Otho served with great distinction in the wars of 1866 and 1870, his bravery during this campaign being so conspicuous that he received the iron cross on the field of battle.— Berlin Correspondence "Now York World."