The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-12-20
FUNERAL OF KING
LEOPOLD WILL BIZ
STATE FUNCTION
Merchants Of Brussels De.
mand That Kings Wishes
be Disobeyed.
Baroness Vaughan Goes to
French Chateau.
MAY NOT ATTEND HIS BURIAL.

Brussels, Dec. 20.-King Leo
polds request for simple funeral
attended only by members of the
family. Prince Albert and an accred-
tied representative of the govern
ment, will be disregarded by the au-
thorities, who decided today on a
state funeral with all the pomp. and
ceremony usually marking the obse-
quies of kings. The decision was
caused largely by appeals of mer-
chants of Brussels, who wish To
profit from great influx of visitors
the function will bring. Baroness
Vaughan will not be permitted to at
tend, 1t was announced today.
Baroness Vaughan left Brussels at
o'clock this afternoon for Balm
court, her French chateau near Paris.
Dispatches from Rome say the Bel
gian minister there Is comforting with
Cardinal Merry del Val, papal secre-
tary OF state, concerning Leopold S
marriage to Baroness Vaughan and
the pope's attitude toward the mar
Iriage.
The body OF King Leopold lay in
state in the royal palace. while thou
sands. who had patiently waited their
turn to be admitted, Fl ed silently be-
fore the eatafalque and paid homage
to their late sovereign.
In the presence of Prince Albert
and the officers and dignitaries of the
court and government. the coffin had
been borne to the mortuary chamber,
while priests chanted the miserere
and a procession of nuns. with bend
ed heads, told their rusarses for the
dead.
Passing through the garden and
courtway up the broad marble stair
case. embarked with magnificent
flowers, and across the vast reception
hail, those who had come to the pal
ace found themselves in room of
state, the draperies of which were
black with silver fringe. It glared
with electric globes and glowed with
softer light of hundreds of candles.
The mahogany casket, in which the
king lay, was half draped with the
colors of his old grenadier regiment
and surmounted by his daughter
wreaths. 1t was guarded on either
side by three officers, in uniforms
glittering with goId and swords
brought up to the rayol salute.
Socialism vs.. Church
Against the walls and between tall
palms, other officers held the stand
ards of the kingdom. In front OF the
coffin were kneeling nuns and priests
For three hours the stream of peo-
pie passed through the palace.
The general Sociallstic organiza-
lions has issued a proclamation in
favor of a republic and condemning
Leopold for imposing on the country
the costly burden of the Congo. The
proclamatin adds that the Socialists
decline to swear allegiance to Albert
who, as montrch. is bound ito repre-
sent the oppression of those who la
Dor by those who fatten on the
fruits of labor"
| Princess Louise, who has begun ar
active legal battle for the estates OF
King Leopold and Baroness
Vaughan. has not yet arrived here
1t is reported that new complication:
have arisen which will result in hei
refusal to come to Belgium alone
Count Lonyay, husband of Princes.
Stephanie, is now here.
According to the newspapers tbs
ex-Empress Charlotte, widow of the
late Macmillan, of Mexico, has not
yet been Informed OF her brother
! Leopolds death.