The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-24

sultan in a sort of glded captivity until
the day of his death.
1t is difficult 70 say Just who has been
the chief creditor of the Kings Of Servia.
past and present, unless is be the head
of the great paWnbrOklng establishment
at Vienna, where Milan has repeatedly
pledged his own Jewels and those of his
Wife in order to pay his gambling debts.
The "benefactor' of the grand dukes of
the reigning house of Russia was the late
Baron Fehleisen. The assistance, now
ever, which he rendered with an unspar-
ing hand to the princes Of the cars fam
lily eliminated in his ruin and death.
While he was attending The funeral Of the
Belgian envoy and standing on the brink
of the grave, he suddenly gave lurch
forward, and before any one could come
to his assistance, fell headlOng into IL.
When he was taken out 1T was found that
life was extinct. and that death had been
caused not by the fall but by a dose Of
poison, self-administered. In fact, he had
committed suicide in consequences Of his
inability to meet his engagements, the
principal portion of his nominaHy large
assets being in the shape OF promissOry
notes and bills of exchange bearing the
signatures Of the late grand duke, Mich
olas NicholaieYitch and other spendthrift
and impecunious relatives of the car.
As the Muscovite code such as it is, ex
pressly stipulates that notes ana bills
signed by members of the imperial fam
lily are not recoverable by any kind of le-
gal process, the entire paper in question
was absolutely without any value.
King Leopold, although he assembled his
throne as one Of the wealthiest sOvereigns
in Europe. has been from time 10 time in
VOlVed i'm financial embarrassments in con-
nection with his Congo enterprise, and on
such occasions has been fortunate enough
to find "benefactOrs" ready to tender assis-
lance. For many years il was the late Sir
William Mackiunon, the leading merchant
of the East Indian trade. He placed enOr-
nous sums at the disposal or the Belgian
monarch, and was his principal financial
support in the lamentabie Congo adVen-
ture The king showed his appreciation
; "a air .-
whenever he came to Brussels, by con-.
stantly running over TO England and even
UP to Scotland for the purpose of seeking
his advice and perhaps pecunlary advances
and made use Of his influence with the
English government to secure for his
''benefactor" the title of baronet.
After Sir Williams death his place was
taken by Colonel North, who was known
in London as the nitrate king, and who
was also the recipient of much the same
attention on the part Of the Belgian mon
arch that fell to the lot Of the great Scotch
merchant. Colonel" North was a self
made man, who did not include among his
sterling qualities either high breeding or
refinement. Indeed, even his best friends
were compelled to admit that he was APP
pallingly vulgar. II was difficult, there
fore, to find any other reasons than those
of a pecuniary character to account for the
close association that existed between the
Belgian ana the nitrate KING, the latter
being frequently entertained by Leopold
both at Ostend and at Brussels. In
fact, his Belgian majesty actually
went to the length Of placing his faVorite
palace in the Ardennes at the disposal of
the Colonel IN order TO enable the latter
to entertain there at the kings expense a
party Of his own city friends from London
to shoot over the royal reserves.
The times have changed indeed Now
adays IL is the emperOrs, the kings and
the princes of the blood who are com
PEELED TO run, metaphorically Speaking
hat in hand after the financial mag
mates; whereas the latter i'm former ages.
no matter how great their wealth Were
treated with the most profound contempt
in fact with much the same cOntumely AZ
people in these days regard the profess
sional usurer or the pawnbroker; that
is to say. when they do not stand III need
of their services. Few of the anolnted of
the Lord are in a position to show the
same spirit Of independence that was man
Tested by the late Prince Of Schaumberg-