The San Francisco call., 1909-12-20
BELGIANS PAY
HONOR TODEAD
KING IN PALACE
Body of Leopold Is Guarded by
Soldiers and His Virtues
ExtOIIed by Bishops
Socialists Issue Proclamation
FavOring Republic and De-
nOuncing MOnarch's Acts

BRUSSELS. Dec. 19.-The body of
King Leopold was lying in state in the
ROYAL palace today while thousands
filed silently before the catafalque and
paid homage to their late sovereign.
In the presence of Prince Albert and
officers and dignitaries Of the court an6
government, the coffin was borne to
the mortuary chamber, while priests
chanted the "Niserere" and a process
sion Of nuns told the rosary for the
dead.
Passing through the garden and
courtway up the broad marble stair
case and across the vast reception.
those who went to the palace found
themselves in q room of state, the
draperies Of which were black, with
silver fringe. The room was bright
with the glare Of electric globes, and
the soft glow OF hundreds Of candles.
SOLDIERS GUARDING COFFIN
The mahogany cashet in which the
king repOsed was half draped with the
colOrs Of the old grenadier regiment
and surmoUnted by his daughters floral
wreaths. Tt was guarded on either side
by three officers in uniforms glittering
with gold and with swords brought up
10 the royal salute.
Against the walls and between the
tail palms other officers held the
standards OF the kingdom. In front of
the coffin were kneeling nuns and
D. priests.
:. For three hours people passed
through the palace, witnesses Of the
Impressive scene.
EPIsCOPATE EULOGIzEs LEOPOLD
The Belgian episcopate today issued
2 pastoral eulOgizing King Leopold as
the apostle of the peace of justice. the
giorifier Of the Catholic faith and the
promoter Of Christian civilization
through the founding and development
OF the Congo Independent state.
on the OIner hand the general social
ist organ has issued a proclamation in
favor Of a republic and condemning
Leopold for imposing upon the country
the costly burden cf the Congo The
reclamation adds that the socialists
decline 10 swear allegiance TO Albert,
who. as monarch. is bound TO repre-
sent the oppression Of those who labor.
by those who fatten on the fruits Of
labor"
LEGAL BATTLE FOR ESTATES
Princess Louise who has commenced
a legal battle for the estates of King
Leopold and Of baroness Vaughan. has
not arrived II is reported that new
comp llcations have arisen which viii
result ia her refusal 10 come TO Bel
gium alone. count LOnyay husband
OF princess Stephanie. is here.
The. Soir publishes a dispatch from
I Rome stating that il has been an
nOUnccd at the Vatican that King Leo
pold and baroness Vaughan were mar
ried both by a civil ceremony and
religious ceremony at san Reno, and
that the king pardoned his daughters.
otherwise he could not have been alb
solved
According to newspapers. the former
empress, Charlotte. widow of the late
Macmillan Of Mexico, has not been in
formed Of her brother Leopold's death.
SEALS PLACED on RESIDENCE
PARIS, Dec Ex-senator Decrais.
minister at Brussels in 1880, has been
designated as the French representa-
tive at the funeral Of King Leopold.
The Belgian foreign office has in
structed the Belgian minister at
Paris to put seals on Deopolds private
residence in the Champs Elysees dis
trict and TO pay of the servants
At the instance Of Princess Louise's s
attorneys. seals also viii be placed on
the property at Barincourt but sew
ersl rooms viii be left open for the
occupancy of baroness Vaughan.