Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-07-30
A CHASTITY SIGHT.
The Pope's Body Tilted Up to Show
His Shrunken Face.
DECOMPOSITION IS NOW SETTING In.
The VIII Of the bend Pope Opened ct .
Meeting Of Csrdinais- Evidence Of Bet
ter Relations Between Italian Au-
thorities and the Vatican.

| Yer BSleu0ns between 1tn&tsn AuS
thoritiss and the Vatican.
Rome, July 24.-From sunrise unit
sunset yesterday thousands passed be
fore the body Of Leo XIII. lying II
state in the basilica OF st. Peters. I
was originally intended that this op
portunity publicly to view the remains
should extend through three days. bu'
last night the Associated press CORE
spondent learns that the time 10 likel,
to be curtailed and that the funeral
may occur tonight instead Of Saturday
night, owing to the evidence that de-
composition is setting in. This is due
to vest fridays severe heat, from which
no embalming, however perfect, could
completely protect the body.
The will Of the dead pope was opened
at yesterdays meeting Of the congre-
cation of cardinals. It consists Of SO
pages, in the handwriting of Leo XIII,
and leaves all the property which he
possessed when he died to his sue
cessor for the use Of the church. To
each member Of his family he leaves
present, to be chosen from the val
liable objects In his apartment Sim
liar presents are bequeathed to his
physicians. The total amount of the
property which he left is not yet
known.
The.impression Of those who yester-
day passed before the gates Of st. Pc
ter's to view the remains was one of
intense pity, combined with certain
sense Of horror. The body was tilted
up on the catafalque In order that all
might see the terribly shrunken face.
An ordinary skull in frame Of gold
lying in the midst Of mass Of red
robes could scarcely have been more
typical OF death.
Except at sunrise, when the crush
threatened a panic, all those who
wished 1t had an opportunity Of enter
ing st. Peters. During the day many
Of those who passed in stopped before
the catafalque to say q hurried prayer.
Hundreds of the women, and even
some Of the men, carried children in |
their arms.
An important factor was introduced
into the ceremony by the entrance into |
st. Peters Of italian soldiers, who re-
NAMED there throughout the day to
preserve order. Their presence there
IN such q capacity, unprecedented in
The history of modern italy, is impor-
ant as an indication Of better relations
between the government and the vat
can, as 1t was by the consent, If not
~ the desire Of the vatican authori-
les, that they employed the troops Of
he quirinal In papal territory.
Another feature which is causing
along the same lines is that
Oreglia, in receiving group
# the city fathers Of Rome, who rep
esent the clerical party, charged them
o thank also their liberal colleagues
or the manifestations Of sympathy
which they showed during the illness
( the pope. The cardinal, continuing
is conversation, indicated special sat
sfaction over similar manifestations
oming from several constituted bodies
I the kingdom of Italy, such as COM
lunal councils and provincial deputa-
ons, including that of Rome. which is
resided over by Prince Felice Bor-
hez. ''It is an expected tribute" ex-
aimed the cardinal, (which no one
ould have imagined 25 years ago"
In this connection additional interest
ttaches to yesterdays meeting Of the
Of cardinals which ap- !
,inted Mgr. Pifferi as confessor Of the :
,nclave, u committee to undertake the !
Of the conclave and Sc
cted other officials, such as the ply
clans who will attend them during
Ieir seclusion. The most important !
after before the meeting, however,
as q proposition presented by Car
hal Oreglia to- send note to the
plomatic body accredited to the holy y
Q for the purpose of representing to U
Q powers the condition Of the papacy II
nee the loss Of its temporal power n
ID the transfer Of the capital of the .
allan government to Rome. From y
hat leaks out II appears that the IN
OPPOSITION provoked considerable dis o.
ssion and that Cardinals Steinhuber, te
lthieu and Wives y Tuto favored the y
,patch Of most energetic note con- u
ming the question Of retaining the !!c
pal rights. Cardinals Agliardi and NJ
rafino Vannutelli, on the contrary,
vocated q milder wording Of this
which. they commended, N
ould maintain the historical preten- w
ms Of the holy see, but in temperate IL,
lguage. The majority OF the congre- n
lion decided to pursue q middle M
irse and entrusted Mgr. Merry ~
] Val with the duty Of drawing up ",
, document for submission to an AZ
Ter meeting Of the congregation. NJ
e note. when approved. will be pre- M
tied to the diplomatic body, signed N,
Cardinals oreglia, Macchl and Net a,
deans Of the three orders into which