The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-10
WORST RAKE IN EUROPE
KING or THE BELGIANs MAY VISIT
THE UNITED STATES. :.
He Is said to He the Most Disso1ute
Man of the Day, Though Sixty
Two Years Old.

New York Letter in st. Louis Republic.
Leopold II, King of the Belgians. the
worst rake in Europe, announces his inten-
ton of visiting the United States. He is to
come Of his own motion, It's said, no one
having taken the trouble to invite him.
The reasons for this seeming lack of hos
pitality are plain. No person of prom
inence in American society, even in New
York society," would care TO risk his or her
reputation by appearing to favor the Bel
gian King.
Here are some facts in his career: At six
ty-two he is the most dissolute man in Eu-
rope; he launched Cora Pearl, the noto-
rious beauty; he is snubbed by Queen Vic
toria; he is too bad for the Prince of
Wales; he helped to make Cleo De Merode
famous; he was devoted to the Princess of
Chimay; he gave diamond necklaces to ten
chorus girls; he has squandered his sis
ter's and many other fortunes amounting
to about s45, 600 francs in all, as follows:
Forty years salary, s2t. 900, 900; the Empress
Carlotta's fortune, S10O0O.OO0; inherited for
tune, Sc, 900 900; from Congo Free State, ST.
100000; various speculations (estimated),
$1,500,0O0; revenue from gambling tables,
$4,000
Leopold is a man whose life has been
sensually reduced to a science. His name
has been intimately associated with every
demi-mondaine who has enjoyed an Euro
pean reputation during the last forty years,
that Is to say, ever since he has reached
mans estate. He helped to make the fame
of the notorious American woman, Cora
Pearl, who was the most conspicuous of
her class during the Second Empire. One
little fact gives the clew most eloquently
TO Leopold's character. His cousin, Queen
Victoria, feels worried to death when her
son, the Prince of Wales, is in his COM
pany The truth is that King Leopold is
so utterly shameless and so inordinateiy
extravagant that if the Prince of Wales
were to copy him he would be condemned
for an exaggeration Of those vices which
the British public now hypocritically ad-
mireS In him.
MAN OF HIGH INTELLIGENCE.
At once a satyr and a spendthrift Leo
pold is perfect type of a depraved modern
King. He deserves a place as typical
royal degenerate in Lombroso's collection as
richly as do any of the unhappy criminals
already there. Queen Victoria, greatly to
her credit, will have nothing to do with
King Leopold. When he goes to England his
presence there is pointedly ignored. 1t
should be added that the Kings visits to
England, which are frequent, are in no way
inspired by love for his royal cousins or
yearnfng for reconciliation with them.
Perhaps the most striking fact about this
royal satyr is that at the age of sixty-two,
with a considerable number of legitimate
grandchildren at home, lie is pursuing his
shameless career with as much eagernesS as
in the heyday of his youth. The King is of
medium stature, with a large face and
conspicuously long nose and beard. To those
who are willing to condone the vices for
which he is notorious he is not an unat-
traCrlVG conversation
esting and his intelligence is high. The lat
ter fact he has proven by the way in which
he has backed various financial and other
enterprises, including the Congo Free State.
For a King he Is democratic in his manners
and unusually accessible To men of talent
though less SO than to women of beauty.
His life is pretty evenly distributed be-
tween the gambling houses and the green
room. lie Is most assiduous trst-nighter
at all the important theatrical productions
in Brussels and Paris. To him largely be-
longs the honor of making famous Mile.
An unequaled connoisseur he was one of
the first to remark her extraordinary
box at the opera every evening for some
time. He was wanted in BRUSSELS at the
time to attend the opening of the National
Legislature, but trifle Of that kind was
not to be considered when business of mo-
ment was in view.
after good dinner. well sprinkled as
the French say, with Burgundy and cham
payne When his favorite appeared he
would lean his rubicund, long-bearded face
out Of his box and shout all kinds of COM
piments and encouragements. This con-
occupants of the theater. They began with
low mutterings and looks of protest. to
which he paid no attention. Finally they
Kissed him into silence.
Leopold's generosity to his favorites is as
boundless as his indecency. Castles, yachts,
carriages horses, diamonds he has scat
tered with both hands to all who ministered
to his pleasure. A girl in the chorus at the
Opera Comique caught his eye. He made
L4e4 -
he was admitted on the mere presentation
of his face He was in an unusually ex-
pansive mood that evening. When he was
comfortably installed in an armchair in
side. not one, but ten. girls captivated him.
He took them all to supper that night at
the Cafe Americana. A few nights later
he gave them second supper The enter
tainment progressed to point when every
body was regardless of what was going to
happen next. Suddenly the lights went out
When the coryphees finally made their way
home, each had received, among other
things, a magnificent diamond necklace
placed about her neck presumably by her
royal benefactor.
saw MUCH OF.THE CHIMAY WOMAN
1t is but a few years since Clara Ward
Princess of Chimay, first met her sovereign
King Leopold. She had not then lost so
much of her youthful beauty The first time
he met her was at a garden party, where
he neglected royal princesses, ambassadors
and other high and mighty personages in
order to devote himself to the perverted
woman.
Il have often heard of you," said his
Majesty. ut is curious that we have not
met before
If 1t is your Majestys pleasure, you will
see great deal of me in the future" said
the Princess, modestly.
The next meeting was at the palace Of
Leaken. 1t was witnessed by several cour-
tiers, but 1t was too ardent to be fitting
subject for detailed description A reliable
witness states that the King approached
her as the sultan would an adoIiSque SUBJ
sequent events showed that the Chimay had
his MaJesty's coat of arms-the royal arms
of Belgilm-ta ttooed upon her shoulder
Her photographs exhibiting this conspicu-
GUS mark OF royal regard were suppressed
by the Paris police.
When the Chimay offended against nublio
4. decorum in Buda Pesth the police made
descent upon her lodgings and among
other things seized a batch OF letters writ
ten TO her by the royal reprobate of Bel
GUM
Leopold has been very daring IN HE y,s
its to England. He goes to London music
halls absolutely unattended, and In most IN
stances unrecognized There he strolls about
the promenade, which is open to All women
who care 10 pay admission, and at one OF
the little tables In the rear offers cbar3
payne to everybody whose appearanna
pleases him. He experienced Consider HE
embarrassment at the Alhambra last vear
when a great crowd learned of his presence
and came around to inspect him
Paris is gay and fascinating CITY >, tho
King Is reported TO have said s.buf for .