The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-23 00:00:00

IN THE CHAMBER OF DEATH.

The sobbing in the room immediately after the
Kaiser's decease was heartrending. The widowed
Kaiserin was completely broken down with grief, and
Kaiser Wilhelm (the new Emperor), Kaiserin Augusta-
Victoria, and the other illustrious children of the late
monarch wept bitterly. His Majesty died in a re-
cumbent position on his simple iron bedstead in his
bed-room, which is full of pictures and souvenirs of
Frederick the Great and his times. He passed away
quietly and without any pain.
Immediately after the death the imperial widow
folded a silk handkerchief round her husband's neck
The Emperor William, who sobbed audibly, placed
his father's Iron Cross and Order Pour le
Merit° on the chest of the dead, together with a
small gold chain to which are attached a number of
lockets and charms, and laid his father's sword on the
bed by his side. Prince Henry fetched a dry laurel
wreath of a former date, and laid it over his father's
breast. In this position his Majesty reclined, changed
by weakness, but yet wearing his well-known manly
expression. When the Empress Victoria and the other
members of the Royal family had reverentially kissed
the august remains—they kissed his face and his feet
—Prince Henry gave his arm to his mother and con-
ducted her from the chamber. The imperial widow
then withdrew to her own apartments. The aides-
de-camp and members of the household were after-
wards admitted to take a farewell view of the de-
ceased Monarch, and later on the soldiers quartered
in the neighbourhood of the schloss passed through
the chamber of death in small detachments.

Just over the bed hangs a picture of Frederick the
Great as a young man, and in the study adjoining the
bedroom are two excellent likenesses of the same
monarch, one taken when he was about 40 years of
age and the other a little later. There are also other
family portraits, including those of King Frederick
William I. and Queen Sophie Dorothea; but what
gave
.his Majesty extreme pleasure during his last
hours was a picture hung here quite recently. It is
a portrait of Frederick the Great when five years old,
an extremely good copy of the one in Buckinghan)
Palace, in the possession of Queen Victoria. The
original was given by Queen Sophie Dorothea to
George I. of England. Last summer Kaiser Frede•
rick saw it, when in London, and asked the Queen
for a copy.

Anton Von Werner, the celebrated painter, who
sketched Kaiser Wilhelm after death, took a likeness
also of the late Emperor on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, these outside mourners were roused
from their sorrowful reverie by the clatter of horses'
hoofs, and on looking up they beheld a squadron of
the Hussars of the Guard, in their scarlet jackets,
rapidly dispersing, like the leaves of a fan, to take
possession of all the points of access to the huge
palace area. The troopers, dismounted, had been
waiting at the back of a colonnade front-
ing the schloss, and the Imperial standard
had not long been lowered when, at the
sharp word of• command, they vaulted into their
saddles and clattered over the courtyard in the
twinkling of an eye. Nor had half an hour elapsed
from the death of the Emperor before a splendid
company of infantry, pouring with perspiration, came
up at the double all the way from I'otsdam, the
ground almost shaking beneath the swift but
measured tramp of their feet. This company had
been ordered up to reinforce another one already in
charge of the Palace, and thus with the Hussars tc
seal it up hermetically, as well against ingress as
egress, for some time after the Emperor's death.
The following further particulars concerning the
Emperor's last hours have transpired. At midnight
his Majesty passed half an hour in an arm-chair and
took some nourishment. At three o'clock the weak-
ness increased alarmingly, and those members of the
Imperial family who had left the Castle were sum-
moned by telegram to return. Whenever conscious-
ness returned his hand sought that of
,the Empress,
pressed it softly, and held it fast. He did not quit
his hold until sleep overcame him. His every look
showed that he was fully aware of what was passing
around him. Indeed, his eyes had such an eloquent
expression that his very thoughts seemed to be
revealed.

"I was privileged (says a correspondent, writing
on Saturday night), early this afternoon to witness
the remains of the late Emperor. At present the body
of the Kaiser lies in a small room adjoining that in
which he died. It rests upon a small iron bedstead
with brass knobs, such as might be seen in any
middle-class English house. His head lies much
lower than did that of the Emperor William when he
lay in state, and it is inclined slightly to the right.
The hair is brushed upwards off the temples, and the
beard, which is quite grey, is more pointed than his
late majesty usually wore it. The face is very pale,
but wears a serene expression, although now that the
Emperor lies in the stillness of death the emaciation
of the body, hands, and face is terribly apparent.
I noticed also that the left corner of the mouth
was slightly curved upwards, giving the face the
appearance of a gentle smile. A white coverlet is
spread over the body up to the middle of the
chest, and over this is a covering of red silk. The
hands are folded on the breast, and clasp the hilt of
the dead monarch's cavalry sabre. Flowers are
placed all about the room, and at the side of the
illustrious dead is the cedar wreath, tied with a red
ribbon, given to the dead monarch by the Emperor
William, in memory of the great victory of Worth.
During the day the remains have been visited by a
very limited number of privileged persons, chiefly
members of the Court and State officials, among them
being Count von Moltke, who is said to have been
deeply MOM] as he gazed upon the features of the
Sovereign who nad, as a young man, been at one titre
his constant companion."