Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-18
Leopold Divides Three Millions
Between Three Daughters;
Large Portion of Fortune Goes
to Baroness Vaughan,
LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OF
STRUGGLE FOR THRONE
Absence of Civil Marriage Bars
Claims of Five Year-0Id Son
of Favoritei Mother May Be
Expelled From Belgium,

tny Morning journal special Leased Wirel
Brussels, Dec 1.-THE entire king
dom of Belgium mourns its departed
ruler, Leopold IL. Courts schools
and theaters are closed, parliament
and the municipal council have ad-
journed and flags are at half mast in
every city, town and village.
Under the constitution, national af-
fairs are under control Of the cabinet
until Prince Albert takes the oath Of
succession next Thursday, the day
after the funeral.
An official decree issued today
lauds King Leopcld's career and de-
clares his creation of the Congo inde-
pendent state to be unique in history.
"Posterity will adjudge Leopold a
great king with Il grand reign IL
says.
The body of Leopold remains in the
mortuary chamber OF The Palms.
Tomorrow evening It will be removed
to the palace in Brussels The face of
the dead ruler will not be exposed
again to public eyes.
The filing of the will Of King Leo
pold today shows that ne divided s3,-
900, 900 between his three daughters,
Princess Louise. Prip 'ss Stephanie
and Princess CIeu7 en- 0Ao This prac-
tically disnheritance OF his children
signalizes the beginning OF "A gigantic
legal battle TO obtain the kings
wealth, similar to that which ensued
upon the death Of their mother
Queen Henrietta.
The exact amount Of Leopold's for
tune probably never will be revealed
Senator Winer, the kings friend and
confidential legal adviser, told the AS
sociated Press today that Leopold
turned over a considerable portion of
ii to Baroness Vaughan and her chill
dren and created a stock company of
his estates in order to forestall a pos
siblc raid upon 1t by Princess Louise
and Stephanie or their creditors.
Senator Winer said that later per-
haps considerable portions of his es-
tate would be handed over to Belgium.
The Princess Clementine, aside from
the bequests she will receive is pro-
Vided for by special income from
Congo property.
Investigations holds that the rights
of the succession to the throne of a
child of the king by the Baroness
Vaughan is not worthy of serious
mention Ii is pointed out by Senator
Winer that il there was only relig-
ious ceremony the laws of the king
dom would prevent the accession of
IL child of such union. The senator
however. does not believe there was
even a religious marriage.
If IL is established that the Baroness
Vaughan is of foreign birth, she prob
ably will be expelled from Belgium
like the favorite of Leopold ], the
Baroness Mayer, whose house was at
tackled ana destroyed by ii mob after
the kings death.
Under the Belgian law a parent is
not permitted to bequeath more than
a quarter of his belonging away from
his children and reports are current
that counsel for Princess
Louise already has made the first
move toward legal contest
The court of first instance granted !
an Injunction this evening. which was
sought by the Baroness Vaughan. re-
straining the authorities from affiXine
seals on her residence.
The action of the Princess Louise in I
attempting to have the seals affixed /
is due to her belief that valuable 1
property belonging TO King Leopold is
in the villa of the baroness.