Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-07-24
DEATH WON BATTLE.
Pope's Two Weeks Fight for Life
Was for Naught.
End Came to Venerable Head of the
Roman Catholic Church at 4:O4
Monday AfternoOn-Funera
to Last Nine Days.

Rome, July 21.-Pope Leo XIII. is
dead. The last flicker of life expired
at four minutes past four o'clock yes
terday afternoon and the pontiff now
Hes at rest. The period of over two
weeks that Pope Leo passed in the
shadow of death was no less wonder
ful than his life. His splendid battle
against disease was watched the world
over with sympathetic admiration and
ended only after series of tremendous
efforts to conquer the weakness of his
aged frame by the marvellous will
monia with which his holiness had
been suffering was scarcely so respon-
sible for his death as that inevitable
decay of tissue which ensues upon SO
years of life. The tested steel which
had bent SO often before human ills
. was bound to break at last.
. Last night the emaciated and life
less frame which held SO brave a
spirit laid on the bed in the vatican
beside which almost all the world has
prayed. The red damask coverlet
rests lightly over the baby, the cardi-
mails scarlet cape is about the Shout
ders, while on his head has been placed
the papal hood of velvet, bOrdered
with ermine. A white silk handker-
chief is bound about his chin and in
the hands which have blessed SO many
thousands has been placed a crucif1x.
So Pope Leo remained until to-day
watched by uniformed officers of the
noble guard and rougi-clad Francis
can penitentiaries, who will keep a
ceaseless vigil until the burial cere-
monies.
To-day the sacred college of cardi-
mails will assemble for the impressive
ceremony of officially pronouncing
Pope Leo dead. After this sad func-
ton has been performed the body will
be taken to the small throne room adj
joining the death chamber, where it
will be embalmed. The funeral cere-
monies will extend over nine days, the
remains being removed to the cathe-
dral of st. Peters, where they will lie
in state The ultimate resting place
of the dead pontiff will be in the mag
nificent basilica of ST. John Lateran.
Pope Leo's final moments were
marked by that same serenity and de-
Votion and when he was conscious that
calm intelligence which is associated
with his % years pontificate. His
was no easy death. An hour before
he died, turning to DIR. Lapponi and
his devoted valet, Pho Contra, he muir
INJURED: 1.-THE pain 1 suffer is most ter
rible." Yet his parting words were
not of his physical anguish that he
; suffered, but were whispered benedic-
tons upon the cardinals and his
snephews. who knelt at the bedside
and the last look of his almost sight
less eyes was towards the great ivory
~scrucifix hanging in the death chamber
Practically all the cardinals now il
Rome, kneeling at the bedside
watched the passage of his soul
Earlier in the day Cardinal Serafint
Vannutelli had impressively pro
nounced the dissolution in articult
mortis.
The condition of his holiness varied
from agony to coma. Wishing to re
elieve him, Dr. Mazzoni suggested tina
morphine should be administered, blu
DR.. Lapponi did not agree, fearing tina
the end might be Guickened.