Strange Putsch

In the cafes of Pest, where even the waiters wear monocles, race-proud Magyars have hatched many a dark plot to put young Archduke Otto on the vacant throne in Buda across the Danube. But Archduke Otto is no Magyar; he is a Habsburg. To find a more appropriate ruler for his people was the self-appointed mission of a young Magyar fencing-master named Toth. Like the Finns, Esthonians, Turks and Tartars, the Magyars are part Asiatic, are believed by some to be re- lated to the Japanese. Fencing-Master Toth chose for his king the brother of Emperor Hirohito of Japan, the smiling, near-sighted Prince Chichibu. Fencing-Master Toth neglected to notify Prince Chichibu of his appointment, but someone did notify the Budapest police. A squadron of them pounced upon the conspirators' Pest house, dragged 19 plotters off to jail, nipped the putsch while yet it was green. In the Court of Interrogation convened last week one of the conspirators mentioned the name of General Franz Schill. The Court was aghast. Respected General Schill but recently retired from the gendarmerie after 35 years of faithful service. His son is a lieutenant in the army. Nevertheless the Court ordered him arrested, held. Last week he sat in a cell, his head bowed in shame. The door rattled open; two of his former officers entered, stood stiffly. General Schill rose to greet them. One of them laid something on the table. Then stiffly they filed out, leaving the door open. The general looked at the open door, then at the thing on the table--a revolver. He well knew the military code. Proudly he shot himself.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.