Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-07-29
The Temporary Pope.

Meantime, events of momentous i'm
portancc to Catholic Christendom were
occurring. The death of Pope Leo
meant the passing of the supreme pow
er into the hands of the sacred college
of cardinals as it's temporary custodian
during the interregnum. The perfect
administrative machinery of the church
provided against the slightest inter
ruption of the governing authority. AS
the senior member of the sacred COL
lege, Cardinal Oreglia, to whom the
pope, just before his death, solemnly
confided the interests of the church,
has now become the exponent of the
cardinals until Pope Leo's successor
has been elected.
Officially Pronounced Dead.
Rome, July 22.-The body of Pope Leo
reposes in the chamber where his last
death struggle took place, which for the
time being has been transformed into
mortuary chapel. Beside the bed a
small altar has been raised, on which
flicker six candles, surrounding figure
Of Christ hanging to the cross. The
chanting of penitential psalms goes on
increasingly, one group of kneeling
Franciscans succeeding another in the
Performance of this holy office.
In the meantime Tuesday began the
series of impressive ceremonies mark
ing the demise of a pope and the initial
preparations for the choice of his sue
cessOr. The most solemn ceremony was
the gathering Of the cardinals of the
sacred college in Leos death chamf II
to officially pronounce the pontiff deau.
This was followed by the historic cere-
mony of the removal of the fisherman's
ring These ceremonies were carried
out with the accompaniment of all that
stately pomp marking the rituals for
deceased pope.
Pay Last Tribute.
Rome, July 23.-The first of the great
ceremonies of Pope Leo's funeral COM
menced Wednesday, when the body lay
in state in the throne room of the vat
lean from $50 a. m. until 1 p m. All
the diplomats accredited to the vatican,
the Roman princes, dukes, barons and
other representatives of ancient fam
lilies remaining faithful to the papacy,
all the high dignitaries of the church,
the chbishops, bishops, patriarchs and
heads of the religious orders, passed in
solemn procession before the bier of the
late pOntif
v; by Thousands.
Rome, July 24.-From sunrise until
sunset Thursday thousands passed be-
fore the body Of Leo Kill, lying in state,
in the basilica of St. Peters.
The will of the dead pope was opened
at Thursdays meeting of the congrega-
ton of cardinals. 1t consists of SO
pages, in the handwriting of Leo XIII,
and leaves all the property OF which he
died possessed to his successor for the
use of the church To each member of
his family he leaves present to be
chosen from the valuable objects in his
apartment Similar presents are be-
queathed to his physicians. The total
amount of the property which he left
is not yet known.
Italian Troops Present
kn important political factor was in
troduced into the ceremony by the en-
trance into ST. Peters of Italian soldiers,
who remained there throughout the day
to preserve order Their presence there
in such capacity, unprecedented in the
history of modern Italy, is Important
as an indication of better relations be-
tween the government and the vatican.
as it was by the consent, if not by the
desire, of the vatican authorities that
they employed the troops Of the quirfnaI
in papal territory
Rome, July 25--Again Friday the
body of Leo XIII. lay in state in the
basilica OF ST. Peters and about 10000
people passed before the catafalque dar-
ing the day.
Italian soldiers again on Friday pre-
served order inside st. Peters, where
there was a repetition of the scene aud
crowd which occurred Thursday.
The day was notable for the solemn
masses celebrated for the repose of tine
soul of the late pontiff at St. Peters and
other famous churches in Rome.
At the meeting of the congregation
Friday Cardinal Satolli asked when the
conclave would be opened. Cardinal
Oreglia replied that he thought that on
Tie 0VoullS VI lluoy, CAC DISH oil
the cardinals might enter their cells and
be ready for the first meeting of the con-
clave August /. a week from to-day.
Inside the vatican the work of arrang-
ing the apartments for the conclave has
been begun. The courtyards are choked
with carts, bricks and building material
for raising the walls where doors exist,
making D3rtjtiOnS etc
Big Inheritance Tax.
Albany, N. Y, July 24.-The state
will collect $137,700 from the heirs of
Ezra G. Benedict, the wealthy lumber
man of this city, according to the re-
port of Appraiser Charles B. Temple
ton, filed with Surrogate Fits. This is
the largest inheritance tax ever levied