The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-21
AMETTNMAI NAV
HIV LILNlvAL UHI
BREAKS FOR LEO
The Pulselsss Body Lies in the Vatican, The
Guards Keeping Sad and Lonely Vigil
Over the Dead.

those about him by the sound of their
voices, as his sight was almost entirely
lost. Still he made a marvellous display
of his energy and even his death was
really grand. 1t was resigned, calm and
serene. Very few examples can be given
of a man of such advanced age after so
exhaustive an illness showing supreme
courage in dying The Pontiff's last
breath was taken exactly at four min
utes past four. / approached a lighted
candle to his mouth three times, according
to the traditional ceremonial and after
ward declared the Pope to be no more.
/ then to inform Cardinal Oregia the
dean of the Sacred College, who imme-
Giately assumed full power and gave or
ders that the Vatican be cleared of all
curious persons having no right to be
therein. Contemporaneousiy, the cardinal
instructed Mgr Righi, master of cere-
monies, to send the Swiss Guards from the
Clementine Hall to close all the entrances
to the Vatican and dismiss all persons
from the death chamber. the body being
entrusted to the Franciscan peniten-
tlaries."
Meantime, events of momentous impor-
tance to Catholics christendom were oc-
curing. The death of Pope Leo meant
the passing of the supreme power into the
hands of the Sacred College of Cardinals
as its temporary custodian during the in
terregnum.
The perfect administrative machinery
Of the church provided against the slight
est interruption of the governing author
is. AS the senior member of the Sacred
College Cardinal Oreglia, to whom the
Pope today solmnly confided the inter
ests of the church. haw now become he
exponent of the cardinals until Pope Leos
successor has been elected. This has
brought forth Cardinal Oreglia as the
striking personality of the hour
The cardinal is the exact antithesis of
Ppe Leo, having none of the late Pom
tiff's sympathetic and benevolent charac
tcristics comes from a noble pedmon-
tese stock and his nobility is shown by
his naughty and austere bearing. He Il
not popular among his colleagues or the
Romans, and his bruspe manner has earned
him the title of ''the iedmont bear" He
Is tall ana robust and his IA years are
shown by the whieness of his hair. His
face has he awny hue of old parchment
and is deeply lined. espite his austerity,
the cardinals learning and piety are uni
versally recognized.
This is the man who, for the time be-
ing, is practically Pope. 1t was he who
issued the orders to clear the Vatican
from intruders and brought tranquility
out of the confusion Immediately following
Pope Leos death.
The death of the Pontiff at time when
all was singularly calm throughout the
Vatican as people had been so long ex
pecting the final summons that their ser
sibihties were well nigh numbered.
Scarcely soul passed up the marble
staircase and the court yard of San
Damaso was deserted, except for the heavy
black carriages of the cardinals and their
coaclmen, who were waiting their mast
ers. 1t was the hour of the siesta. Moth
ing could have been more peaceful.
At twenty minutes past four a man
dashed madly across St. Peters Square,
then quite empty. second later another
followed on bicycle. Within few Sec
onds as if by magic, newspaper men men
darmes and messengers, running, driving
and gesticulating, dashed to and from the
portals of the Vatican.
Like wireless message there flashed
around the words: "He is dead" Rub
bing the afternoon sleep from their eyes,
bareheaded men and women, many car
rying babies emerged from the darkened
houses and cafes and beseiged the door
OF the Vatican Transformation was COM
plete. The quick movement and tense
feeling of the rapidly gathering crowd now
permeated, where a few minutes before
there had been no sign of life.
The French Ambassadors carriage drove
furiously from the Vatican and drew up
at nearby telegraph office. Without
waiting for the horses to stop the Am