Monday, September 8, 2014

Spurned, Hungarian countess kills herself

September 8, 1924

After a "violent altercation" with Archduke Eugen of Austria,  Countess Gabrielle Szechenyi "shot herself," and was taken to the a local hospital in Basel, Switzerland, with a "wound in her head."  She died a short time later.

Archduke Eugen has been a resident of Basel for several years.  His close relationship with Countess Gabrielle, a member of a Hungarian noble family, was not known to his family or friends.

Recently, the 61 year old Archduke had "formed a project to marry a rich widow belonging to a patrician family in Basel."  When the countess learned of the archduke's plans to marry another woman,  she had a row with the archduke and made a "violent scene."   When she was unable to persuade Archduke Eugen to "renounce his marriage plans,"  Countess Gabrielle "shot herself in despair."

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