Show Wi- Wi r- r The Se re of he Hoher S 0 eQ Js I 4 STARTLING ST EXPOSURE OF INNER LIFE OF KAISER AND CROWN PRINCE AS J TOLD BY COUNT ERNST VON TO WILLIAM LEQUEUX j I ETHE THE TRAGEDY OF THE TaE t 1 the Kaiser and His Heir Conspired sPi ed for the Undoing of the Beautiful English Wife of a aJ aJ J Member of f the German Nobility I J BETTER lETTER FROM THE CROWN PRINCES PRINCE'S S PERSONAL ADJUTANT TO WILLIAM LEQUEUX UX POSSESSOR OF THE SECRETS OF EUROPE N Nation don par pal cur sur 4 i et Marne J February 1017 1011 dear I mi I have Just finished rending reading the proofs proof of your articles article describing f Ufe as ns an nn official at nt the Imperial court at nt Potsdam and the two or free ree small mall errors error you OU made I have duly dulT corrected The The gross scandals and wily wilT Intrigues which I have related to you youre ere ere re many of them known to yourself for as ar the Intimate friend of taiga also the ex crown princess of Saxony you OU were before the war associated with many manT of tho those e at court whose names appear In Mere Sese se articles R rt The revelation which I have hae made made and Which you yon OU have recorded Jere ere are but a tithe of the disclosures which I could make and If the rid to-rid desires more I shall han be pleased to furnish you ou with other nail and anden en n more startling details which yon TOU on may also put Into print J 1 IK My service as personal adjutant to the German crown prince is hap hap- with the treachery of Germany GermanT against civil civil- lilT illy Uy y a at an en end and now i Atlon glaringly revealed I feel In la my retirement no compunction In Ino posing o all aU I know concerning the secrets of the kaiser kalBer and his hlll son on With most moat cordial cordia greetings from Your sincere friend I i s Signed e ERNST YON VON O i onIAL NOTE William lUlam Lel Le- Le l who here bere chronicles for his bill Id t Ja dt Count Ernst von patters hatters revelations of the Inner if f the Imperial German court has bas 11 been been recognized throughout EuI Eu- Eu jas I rill os the possessor of Its Ihl Innermost its e English ho Who bo says of t lie He has Intimate knowledge of ret service of Continental coun- coun t und and Is I. considered by bT the govern- govern of an nn authority on oa matters Another authority sayer r people have been beca more closely asted asted as- as ted With or know more of the finding Inner machinery of Gerr Ger- Ger f r tuan thau he hel pue Queux probably has bas more sources cret Information at his hili command nn any contemporary In to life Ufe and andIe ande he Ie e last lat six years the British h Covent Gov- Gov lent cut ent has made valuable use of his hili store of secret Information through loUT organized department With ih jh h LeQueux works n as a n voluntary cant lint ant von Ton became an Ine Inte In- In te e of LeQueux several 3 years cars carll prior le ic of the war he has bas been g gt In retirement In France since pet list 1014 and It was there that Lei LeiX Leix Le- Le ix i received from the crown princes prince's personal adjutant permission slon to toe e ef public the these e revelations of the ther r r J life Ufe of the that that democracies of the world might Ito Elto know the real but heretofore en personalities of the two Vo domi- domi 1 of the autocracy It Is Is' arrayed 7 d against jU 5 N AUGUST 5 1914 1314 I 1 shook m the dust of Berlin from my ray ms feet crossed the French 2 frontier and have since sincere rethe re- re tt the comfortable old-fashioned old try itry house bouse which you assisted me chase on the border of the love- love Dr brest st of Fontainebleau bd d now you ou have asked me to tol l to you some of the secrets of secrets dam secrets known to me by reamy rea- rea of my official position before the theare theu u are persuading me to disclose e facts acts concerning the public and rte e life Ufe of the emperor of my Ial master the crown prince n n In his Intimate circles as asHie Mute Hie and of the handsome but long- long ring Cecil duchess of g who married him ten years ago IL became known as Cull Phew 1 J r ite woman I She has experienced y years ears of misery domestic ss s by which she has become pre pre- rely pre I ely aged eyed deep-eyed her counce coun- coun ince ce at times tunes when we talked wearn wearon wear- wear r on l n almost tragic look A tf Strange Inexplicable Affair early days of 1912 I 1 found self jelf as the personal adjutant of his his his' erial ml Ial highness the crown prince Ind ined In- In red ed d In a very strange even en Inex- Inex ble able affair lie ie e drama opened In the tile emperors emperor's ce ice In Berlin on on New Years Year's night t when as usual a grand court re- re tion n was held famous White salon with Its sags gaudily emblazoned with the theof ids of the as burLes burs bur- bur s Les Ves electors kings emperors and andr not pt-not not Its walls of colored marble r U bronze and Its fine statues flie lie Prussian rulers we had all asbed as- as bled as-bled bed and were waiting the entrance e the emperor fia sudden the tap of the chambers chamber- chamber rs white gold s stick was heard thrice the gold gold- old old- doors Instantly fell tell open the the emperor his decorations ming beneath the myriad lights sort entered with his waddling rt the crown prince and their giant suite Cause of the Kaisers Kaiser's Annoyance ill W of us bowed low In homage bulf but bul tee s did so BO I saw the shrewd eyes ol of Jall ill highest one which nothing es- es f B fixed upon a woman who stood to my elbow As he lie fixed his hise e e g gaze ze upon her I saw knowing glance glanco as I 1 did that It spoke vol vol- s. s Hitherto I had not noticed the for she was probably one of those Is tl J unimportant persons who nr are commanded commanded commanded com com- to a n grand court wives and daughters of military nobodies of whom we at nt the palace never neer took the trouble rouble to Inquire so long as their gilt command-cards command Issued by the grand chamberlain were in proper order That slight contraction of the emperors emperor's emperors emperor's emperors emperor's em em- eyebrows caused me to ponder deep for knowing him so Intimately I 1 saw that he was yas intensely annoyed For what reason I was much fied fled Naturally I 1 turned to glance at the woman whose presence had so Irritated ed eel him She was haired fair-haired blue eyed petite and pretty Her age was about twenty five and she was extremely good Beside her stood a big haired fair giant in the uniform of a n captain of the First regiment of the Hussars of the Guard of bf which the crown prince was colonel in chief Within a n quarter of an hour I discovered discovered discovered dis dis- dis- dis covered that the officer was Count George von Leutenberg and that his pretty wife whom he had married two years before was the eldest daughter of an English financier who had been created a n baron by Great thumb rule-of-thumb politicians An Interview With the Crown Prince Next day Just before noon on enterIng entering entering enter enter- ing the crown princes prince's private cabinet I found Willie In the uniform of the Second Grenadiers apparently awaiting await awalt- lag ing me in that cozy apartment which Is crammed with with effigies statuettes and relics of the great Napoleon whom he worships just as the war l lord rd reveres reveres reveres re re- re- re veres his famous ancestor Frederick the Great Sit down said his elegant highness waving his white well-manicured well hand to a chair near nearby nearby nearby by and puffing at his cigarette It is really pleasant to have an hours hour's rest i I he laughed for he be seemed In merry mood that day Look here I 1 Do you happen to know Count Georg von Leutenberg Leutenberg Leutenberg Leu Leu- tenberg of the Hussars of the Guard i By sight only was my reply I He uHe Is a n very good fellow I 1 under under- stand Do you know his wife a wife a pretty pretty pretty pret pret- ty little Englishwoman Unfortunately I have not that pleasure Neither have I r But ButI I soon shall know her ber I ei expect In that direction I want your our assistance I am ain yours for your highness to command I replied puzzled to know what was in progress After a few seconds of silence the crown prince suddenly exclaimed S So good Is the tho report of Von Leutenberg Leutenberg Leu tenberg rg that has bas reached the emperor that though that though he Is as yet in ignorance of ot the fact fact he he has been promoted to the rank of major and ordered upon a foreign mission mission mission-as as military In London He will leave Berlin tonight to take rake up his new v post And the countess By a a secret secret report I 1 happen to have here it is shown that they are a n most devoted pair he lie said glancing at nt a sheet of ot buff butt paper upon which was wast t typed Jed a report report one one which I 1 recognized as ns emanating from the secret bureau of the he In Alexander Alexander Alexander Alexan Alexan- der Platz Plats They live In the Lenne Lenne- strasse No 4 1 facing the Tiergarten Note Noto the address A Sudden Promotion to London Then his highness paused and risIng rising rising ris ris- ing crossed to the big writing table selIn set sel setIn setIn In the window and there examined examinee another report Afterward glancing a the pretty buhl clock opposite he suddenly lo said The count should call hero here now I have sent informing him of the emperors emperor's emperors emperor's emperors emperor's em em- good will and ordering him to report here to take leave of ot me as his colonel In chief Scarcely had he be spoken when Count von I Leutenberg was announced by a n flunkey In pink silk stockings and a n moment later the tall officer clicked his heels together and saluted smartly on the threshold I thought you would be pleased at your well-merited well promotion said his Ills highness In quite a n genial tone The emperor wishes you to leave for London London London Lon Lon- don by the ten o'clock express for Flushing tonight so as to report to his excellency the ambassador before he departs on leave Hence the urgency The countess of course will remain in Berlin You will naturally wish for time to make your arrangements in London and dispose of your house here And with those words the major was dismissed A charming man l I remarked tho the prince after the door had closed he exclaimed a n few moments later after he be had reflected deeply between the whiffs of his ciga ciga- rette l' l I 1 wish you to become become become be be- come acquainted with the then Countess Countess von Leutenberg and you must afterward afterward afterward after after- ward Introduce me I have a fixed and distinct reason I 1 could obtain the assistance assistance assistance as as- of others but I trust you only But I do not know the lady I 1 protested protested protested pro pro- tested for I had no desire whatsoever t to become Implicated in any double- double dealing Hohenstein knows her well I 1 will see that he lie Introduces you replied the katser's son uncommonly pretty pretty pretty pret pret- ty so mind you dont don't fall in love with her I Ive I've heard too that Count George is a highly jealous person b but t fortunately fortunately fortunately for for- he will be very busy writing secret reports at Carlton House Ter Ter- race So go and see Hohenstein at once and get him to Introduce you to the pretty little Englishwoman But remember not a word of this conversation conversation conversation conver conver- is to be bo breathed to a n single soul His Majesty Only Gives Reward When It Is Is' Is Due What did It all mean Why had the emperor singled out for advancement advancement advancement advance advance- ment the husband of the thc woman the sight of whom had so greatly annoyed him I 1 confess that I 1 became more than ever puzzled over the curious af af- af- af fair Within a week however thanks to the introduction of Hohenstein I had dined at Count von Leutenberg's pretty pretty pretty pret pret- ty house In the in a n fine room the long of windows which commanded commanded commanded com com- a delightful view over the Tiergarten and the The countess extremely charming and refined having the misfortune of being English had not been taken up warmly by Berlin society She was I 1 found a n most delightful hostess The party Included Laroque the elegant first secretary of the French embassy and his Parisian wife together with Baron Hoffmann the burly round round- faced minister of the interior and Doctor Doctor Doctor Doc Doc- tor under-secretary under at the colonial office Hohenstein was however however however how how- ever not here bere as he had been suddenly dispatched by the emperor upon a miss mis slon sion to Corfu At the table the talk ran upon Leutenberg's Leutenberg's Leu Leu- tenberg's sudden promotion whereupon whereupon whereupon where where- upon the Minister Hoffmann declared His majesty only gives reward when it Is due When he discerns talent talent talent tal tal- ent he is never mistaken A week later the crown prince had returned from a n surprise visit the kaiser had made to Stettin The emperor emperor em em- had played his old game of rousing rousIng rousIng rous rous- Ing the garrison in the middle of the night and then laughing at the ludicrous ludicrous ludicrous ludi ludi- crous figures cut by his pompous pompous pompous' generals generals generals gen gen- and colonels rushing about in their night attire eager to greet their sovereign I was in the princes prince's private room arranging the details of a n military program program pro pro- gram at Potsdam on the following day when he suddenly entered and exclaimed exclaimed exclaimed ex ex- claimed Well Well and how are you ou proceeding In the eh and he looked at me with those crafty eyes of his I hear you were at atthe atthe atthe the house last ast night I started Was Vas I being watched It was quite true that I 1 had called on the previous evening c and finding the countess alone had hind sat in her pretty room drawing-room e enjoying a long and delightful de de- de chat with her Yes I call called d th there re I admitted The count is returning from London next week to take his wife back with him A Visit From Count Zeppelin The crown prince smiled mysteriously mysterious mysterious- ly and critically examined d the curious snake ring which he always wears upon the little finger linger of his left hand We need not anticipate that I 1 think KIderlen will not grant him leave loave He is far tar better in Carlton House Terrace than in the Lenne- Lenne strasse I hardly follow your highness 1 I remark remarked Hm Probably not my dear count he ho laughed I do not intend l that you should And with that mysterious remark he heI turned to meet Count Von Ivon von Zeppelin the I round-faced round snow-haired snow somewhat florid inventor who was wo-s one floe of ot his 0 J highness highness' most Intimate friends and who had at that moment entered unannounced unan unan- Zeppelin was a character in Berlin He lIe sought no friends no advertisement advertisement advertisement ad ad- and shunned notoriety Ha lIa my dear Ferdinand I l cried the prince shaking the hand of the man who so suddenly bec became me world-famous world at nt the age of seventy You have traveled traveled traveled trav trav- from Stuttgart to see m me unwell me-unwell unwell as you are i It is an honor But the matter Is one of greatest urgency as I have already written to you I 1 want to show you the tho correspondence and seek your our advice and the prince Invited Invited Invited In In- his white haired friend to the big carye carved chair arm beside his writ writ- ing Then turning to me he said Will you see Von Von Glasenapp for forme forme forme me and hand him those orders for Posen He must leave tonight The general martial court-martial at Stendal I have fixed for the I shall be with the |