Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-09
THE EMPEROR WILLIAM.
His Long and Busy Life and What He
Accomplished IN Ii.


The announcement of Emperor williams death
yesterday afternoon seems to have been due TO a
fainting spell which the emperor had between 8
and O'Clock, and which had every appearance OF
nnal collapse. Ali the Berlin paper, contained
the announcement OF the emperor's death late In
the afternoon After the faintfng SPELL which came
On between and O'Clock, the emperor fell into a
quiet sleep, which lasted until : O'Clock. Later
wine and other liquid nourishment were given him
anu MS condition improved Divine service was held
IN the palace at , O'Clock. AL the members OF the
Imperial family, the court dgnitaries, and the
members OF the household were present Hundreds
OF people stood bareheaded In the rain outside the
Paaee and joined in the prayers offered by Chap
Between and 10 p m the emperor greatly i'm
proven lie repeatedly partook of soup and
doctors, and expressed a desire to get up, but was
no. allowed TO rise, except partially, 50 that the
Uot might be rearranged. Prince Bismarck and
o'clock
The empress and the grand duchess Of Baden
renamed with the emperor throughout the night
At O'Clock In the morning the emperor's voice
was SO strong that IL could be heard outside his
room. The emperor during the morning was able
20 sign the order proroguing the reichstag other
wise the signing functions have been assumed by
Prince William. All the troops were kept In the
Ing new oath or allegiance.
During hts delrium the emperor imagined him
sell at the head OF his Guards again. AZ OF old and
actually went through the maneuverS Of drilling
a battalion OF the Imperial Guards.
sketch Of His Career.
Frederick William Louis was born on March 30,
1877, at moment when the French revolution
had begun TO triumph over its many enemies In
Guiding the king OF Prussia. The emperors grand
father, Frederick William H., nephew OF Frederick
the Great, was still upon the throne, but died
soon after, leaving his kingdom to the emperors
father, Frederick William ILL., The first nine
years Of Williams life were among his happies.
His mother, the beautiful and accomplished
Queen Louise, daughter Of the duke OF Mecklen-
burg StretZ, took personal charge OF the lads
education as well as that OF his elder brother the
Crown Prince Frederick william, his younger
brother Carl and his sister Charlotte, ana a hap
pier family circle than the kings could nowhere
be found.
The year 1906 destroyed this lovely idyl
Through his vacillating course in dealing with
Napoleon. King Frederick William found himself
suddenly Isolated from the rest OF Europe and q
prey to the conQueror. The battles OF Jena. Auer-
stadt, and SaalIeld decided the fate OF his king
dom, from which Napoleon sliced OF 200 square
miles with population Of 5000, 900 souls. ON no
one did this blow rail- more heavily than On the
queen. Her flight after the Prussian defeats was
her poignant sorrow failed not to awaken 4 re-
sponsive echo in her children's hearts.
Children" cried the patriotic woman, "upon
you Will fall the duty some day of retrieving this
terrible disaster TO our beloved country. Be men,
and let not the degeneracy OF the present day
make you its victims. Be the worthy successors
power TO re-eStabliSh the cOuntryS independence
die in defense OF her honor"
The few years following Jena were passed alter
nately in Konigsbury and Mcneil Finally in
1909 the king decided to return TO Berlin and his
Two young sons entered the capital as lieutenants
in the ranks OF regiment OF the guards. In the
next year his dearly-beloyed mother succumbed TO
q short but fatal illness.
FIRST ARMY ExPERIENcEs.
Less than two years after came the hour for
which the queen had SO often prayed the hour OF
Prussias deliverance. Napoleon's legions had
melted away, and the Germans arose TO complete
his ruin. Prince Williams health was so POOR at
The commencement OF the campaign that his
royal father forbade his Joining Butchers forces
ties OF Bautzen, Lutzen and Leipsic. A year later
however, saw him engaged In the front rank OF
the allied forces invading France. Although
Napoleon performed wonders OF strategy In that
campaign, repeatedly checking the INVADER the
latter's numerical superiority got the better OF
him at last, and Prince william experienced the
satisfaction OF entering Paris as a captain in the
PruSSian army.
In the second campaign against Napoleon. after
the return from Eliza, Williams part consisted in
a second and blOOdless march TO Paris. AFTER 1915
the young prince gave all hts attention to the pur-
suit OF the military sciences. Being a second son.
the study OF all social economic and legislative
questions to be entirely out OF his sphere His
arbitrary actions In later years are no doubt to be
accounted Tor by this fact. Only bitter expert
ence taught him in the course OF time that the
soldier should ever be subordinated to the states
man: HIS rise In grade was as rapid as IL was de-
served for there Is no doubt that already at that
early period he was laying the foundations to
Prussia's extraordinary military organization
Prince William On June II, 1893, became the hus-
band OF Princess Augusta Of Saxe-Weimar, who
In 1881, bore him his first and only son. Frederick
William, and In 1888 his only daughter, Louise
the present grand duchess OF Baden. The marriage
was celebrated amid pastoral fetes and rural mer-
rymaktng, and a large sum OF money was ex-
King Frederick William iii breathed his last on
June 3, 1870, and was succeeded by his eldest son
Frederick William ". This prince was a thorough
conservative In his political views a curious mix
ture OF the pietist and debauchee. He had been
In perfect sympathy with his father In the Iatters
6ogged opposition 10, 70 the young German liberal
ened by the growing relations between the
Prtlssian and Russian courts. When he accepted
me roy al crown and sceptre 1t was with the firm
resolve 70 withstand the constitutional agitation
by all means in his power.
THE TROUBLES OF AZ.
Toward the year 1S4S matters approached a
crisis. The outbreak OF the revolution In Paris re-
echoed far and wide over Continental Europe. In
Prussia the volcano had been smouidering since
the February OF the preceding year, when, in re-
Spouse 10 the nations appeal for a constitution
the king had granted the So-called "patentr-a
hollow concession that could deceive no one. The
lowed by Metternichs flight, led to bloody trOu
bles In the streets OF Berlin. IL at this June
ture that Prince William OF Prussia (such was his
title since his fathers death) appeared upon the
scene. King Frederick Williams advisers were
divided into TWO parties On the side was
the Princess OF Weinar and her friends. who over
awed by the clamoring masses advocated an iln-
mediate surrender 10 the peOple; OnIhe other side
was Prince William and the conservative courtiers
who insisted upon suppression Of the outbreak
by the military. The princes autOcratic nature
revolted at the thought that there should be any
pafieyfDg with rebels and hts sentiments pre-
vailed. The bloody days OF the 18th and 18th OF
March, 1S4S, are not even yet forgotten In Berlin
and for his ruthless slaughter OF its citizens the
emperor was long called the h0r.aetsckenD riaz
(the Cartridge Prince}. But, although many u bar
the princes troops were unable to quell the revolt
and had not the King acquieSced In the popular
demands on the morning OF the GOTH he would
probably have shared the fate OF his French royaI
brother
The kings appearance In the streets with the
and his promise OF a constitution restored him 10
general favor Not so his brother. The feeling
against William was 50 intense that he deemed II
best 10 leave the Kingdom for a while. He went TO
OF Few months In the British capital he found he
storm 10 have partially blown over at home and
consequently returned. Finding a constituency
willing ready TO elect him. he entered the new
PruSSlan parliament as a member on June ~
ls4s. and declared himself ready TO support the
constitutional monarchy.
SURPRISING REVOLUTION.
In the meanwhile the revolutionary fever had
spread TO the south OF Germany. The radical Sec
ton OF the Frankfort parliament had seeded and
opened Its sessions In Stuttgart. Armed bodies of
revolutfonistS had secured some OF the larger
towns In SaNony, Baden and the Palatln tie and
tive grand duke OF Baden the King OF Prussia re-
solved TO interfere, and an army OF Intervention
was sent against the Insurgents under Prtnce
Williams orders on June IL, IS49, the prince