Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-15
SWISS PEOPLE EXPRESS GRIEF.
Popular Demonstration to Take Place
In Geneya-No Conspiracy Found.

In Goneva-No Conspiracy Found.
Bcrne, Switzerland Sept. 1.-THE fcder-
al council met this morning and sent the
following telegram to Emperor Francis
Joseph:
The Swiss federal council has the hon
or to express to your majesty it's pro
foundest grief and deepest Indignation at
the horrible crime to which her majesty
Empress Elizabeth has fallen victim. Our
pain and Indignation are all the greater
owing to the foul crime having been com
united on Swiss territory, where the de-
parted as she had often done before. was
seeking recovery from bodily sufrcrngs
which as on previous occasions, she had
every hope of finding.
The Coucil hastens to assure your ma
jcsty at the same time of its own warm
est sympathy and that of the whole SWISS
people in the irreparable loss your majes-
", the imperial house. and the peoples
of Austria and Hungary have suffered
through your exalted lady's death"
The nas Of the federal building Is ut
half mast The council reassembled this
afternoon to receive reports regarding the
crime and to consider the steps to be tn-
ken 1t is expected that the judicial au-
thoritlCs of the Canton of Naud will CON
duct the inquiry and the trial.
The Geneva Cantonal government met
to-day and decided to issue a proclamation
and people of Geneva and decree di-
recting popular demonstration to-mor-
row. All the civil officials will march past
the Hotel Beaurivage, followed by the
citizens. all Of whom are invited to par
ticipate.
During the procession the great bell of
the cathedral, associated with all Swiss
national demonstrations of grief or joy
will be tolcd
Emperor Francis Joseph tclcgraphcd the
Austrian minister. Count Won Kuefestcin,
to consent to Il post mortem examination
Dr. Revcrdin, DR.. Megevaus and NJ. Col
day. mayor of Geneva. were mtrustcd
with the examination of the wound on be
half of the judicial authorities and ac-
cord!ngly proceeded to the Hotel Beau
rivagc. where they carried out their in
struCtions. At the close of the eXamina-
ton they announced that death was caus-
ed by "internal hemorrhage from a tri-
angular inclsed wound" They decided
that the injury was of n character to
leave no grounds for the theory which had
been advanced that the Empress, who
suffered from weakness of the heart,
might have succumbed simply to the
shock of the blow.
The Geneva council will place upon the
coffin wrcaths intertwincd with the Aus
trian and Gencvan colors ana bearing the
inscription:
~ token Of sorrowful sympathy from
the people of Geneva"
Throughout yesterdays examination OF
the assassinator his demcanor was one of
revolving cyniclsm.
Empress Elizabeth was about returning
to CauX, France, when she was murder
cd. Her suite had preceded her by train.
leaving her only her maid of honor, Bar
oncss Won Rothschild, and Il man SER
want. The officials who visited the hotel
TO ailiX their seals upon the baggage, ac-
cording to the strict law in force, found
that the suites luggage had accompanied
the suite.
The last words of the Empress were adj
dressed to the attendants on the steam
err Recovering consciousness for the mo-
ment she feebly asked what had happen-
ed.
AZ yet the authorities have found no
confirmation of the report that the MUIR
der was IA part Of an anarchist conspr-
acy, but n dozen persons with whom the
assassin associated have been arrested
for examination.
THE ASSASSINATED EMPRESS.
The Empress Elizabeth of Austria, who
met her death from AN anarchists dagger
at Geneva, ON Saturday, was famous as
one of the most beautiful women of her
time. There was II romance in the fate
that made her the bride of Francis Jo-
seph. The mother of the latter had set
her mind upon his marrying the Princess
Helena, the oldest daughter of the Ba-
varian Duke Max. ON his way. however,
to visit the bride thus selected for him,
he encountered young girl whose beauty
so fascinated him that he decided then
and there to postpone his woo!ng.
His enchantrcss was "A younger sister of
the Princess Helena, and to her he trans
fcrred his affections, insisting that he
would marry her. The Duke. her father
of N IN n -
rangcment, but the Austrian aristocracy
was bitterly hostile to the future Empress,
being unwilling to accord precedence to
the portionless younger daughter of IL
pennless Duke, The Emperor, however,
was inhexible. and the Princess Elizabeth
became his wife in 1854, taking her place
at the head of one of the most brilliant
courts in Europe, and compelling univer-
sal admiration by the dignity of her car
rage and the wonderful grace and beauty
of her person.
1t was long time however before she
succeeded in overcoming the prejudices Of
her husbands family, and some of the
most exclusive and proudest of the Aus
trian nobility, and during the early years
of her marriage she was confronted by
social conditions which tried her sorely
II Is said that her greatest delights We're
found in long pedestrian excursions, in
which she tested severely the walking
powers not only of her ladies but of her
gentlemen in waiting, and in horseback
exercise. As an equestrienne she had
been famous from youth She was in the
habit of spending much of her time in a
sort of private circus, where difficult feats
were performed by herself and the select
ed circle of her ntmates.
Since the tragic death OF the Crown
Prince Rudolph she has led II most Sc
cluded life, and there have been many
stories of her failing bodily and mental
health. She had a passion for building
and decoration, and expended fabulous
sums upon the construction of villas at
lschl and elsewhere, and in the collection
of the rarest works of art.