The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-11
TWENTY-FIVE PAGES
SUNDAY, SEPT II. 1898.
Austria's Murdered Empress.

~ GAIN the ~assassin's dagger has
n struck at a point where its
havoc had been least antici-
psted. The sudden and violent taking
OF of any one of a dozen ~personages
in royalty would have been surprising;
the iding of the murder Of the m
press OF Austria are astounding.
Had the news for this morning been
that Queen Victoria had breathed her
last. or that decrepit Eugene, former
empress OF France, is dead. or that
Spain's distracted queen regent had
succumbed. the item would not be
deemed startling. But there was no
though of risks run by Empress Eliza
beth. She had been much in the public
eve OF late, because this year is the
golden anniversary Of the accession Of
mper Francis Joseph. but no suspi-
cion OF violence was in any mans
dream.
Indeed. the event proves hat the
crime was not to have been antici-
pated. The emperor of Austria has
lately passed through distracting days
in the effort to bring out Of chaos the
confusing elements OF which his realm
is composed and the political stress
throughout the Austrian empire has
been Intense. But II is impossible TO
associate the recent excitement with
the assassination Of the empress-that
is simply the brutal act Of a devil, the
deed of a bloodthlrsty villain who is not
an Austrian subject; an insane crime
of which, doubtless. its author is proud
q causeIess. deplorable murder.
or Empress Elizabeth the world at
large knew little: II cared compare
lively little for her. In her social
world che was verify an empress. She
was arrogant, yet admired and, withal,
held in esteem by all Austrian sub
tects. She was peculiar: she came Of
Bavaria's royal stock, and that, I'm the
male line. is usually insane. She
has shared the good fortune as well as
the large measure OF distressing afiic-
ton. which. since ler marriage to
Francis Joseph. have fallen to the lot OF
the house Of Hapsburg. Married to the
emperor Of Austria forty-four years
ago. she had 20 endure at first the
frowns Of royalty at Vienna, which dis
approved the young emperor's choice
of a wife. During her reign Austria,
outwitted by Napoleon the Third, was
compelled 10 yield Venetia. A few
years later the empire suffered humili-
atlng defeat at the hands Of Bis-
marck's Prussians. in the war Of 1866
Nine years ago. suicide or assassina-
tion-the world will never know which
ended the Wild career Of Archduk,
Rudolph, the only son Of Empress Ellz.
abeth. and thu the succession 10 tn,
throne passed 20 her husbands brother
The parliamentary strifes Of the pas
twelvemonth have kept the empire Il
uproar.
Everywhere humane sentiment WI
depiore the atrocious murder OF n.
empress; everywhere there will be ex
p~erienced a feeling Of egret that. I'm
der the laws IN the anton where II
crime occurred, swift punishment 81
the form Of death cannot be visIteu
upon the fend who dea1' the fatal blow
and everywhere the prediction viii %
hat this latest calamity 10 fan upo
his iIl-starred house will undouhtedI
hasten 10 It's finish the career. melan
ehoiy In so many OF it's phases. Of ~
venerable emperor who, a few DAY
hence. at the age OF sixty-nine, va
to have put poTnp and merriment INT
the formal celebration OF the fftlet
anniversary CT his %crowning.