The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-17
LEOPOLD PRAISED
 BY SENATOR WINER
Many Stories Are Claimed to Be Bare ExaggerationS
CAUSE OF FRIVOLITIES
Senator Winer Says That King Leo pold Had Been Brought Up With a Lax Hand and This Led to
 Later Excesses.

Brussels, December 16.-One of the most powerful men in Belgium, who knew King Leopold better than any other man, is Senator Winer. the Kings "trusty friend and confidential legal adviser" who says it would have been infinitely better for the King to recover.
 The friend of the King assisted him in drawing up the Congo commercial project, and 1t Is said will probably ham de the disposition of the Kings fortune. Senator Winer talked to the Associated Press correspondent tonight about the king. He insisted that the King had been greatly misrepresented to the world, and pictured the monarch's intense admira- ton for the United States. He said his majesty had been anxious to visit the United States in the past, but the criu- cism over the Congo had deterred him.
 Prince Albert, he said had been pre- vailed on to visit the United States by the King, who considered it a most use ful preparation for the future ruler of Belgium.
 Leopold had a marked respect for Theo- dore Roosevelt and never liked to see photographs of celebrities in his den, but as a mark of respect had the likeness of
 
 spicuous place. Princess Clementine and Prince Albert were two other portraits that occupied places of honor.
 Continuing, the friend of the King said:
 His majesty was a slave to work and business. Fifteen minutes before the op- eration occurred he dictated official doc uments, and insisted upon correcting the typewriter sheets before the administra- ton of the anaesthetic.
 His marvellous intellect and tenaoity held him in this world longer than the physicians did. The whole trouble in the Congo was that the system was bad to begin with, worse than the King thought it, and it must be remembered that the military commanders in the Congo had the double capacity of soldier and states man. They had to get rubber and kept everything in a chaotic state and turmoil. Nevertheless many of the stories of abuses are absurd and untrue"
 The interview ended with a glowing tribute of the kings benefactions to Bel sium. He said the King had erected mon uments in public buildings at his own expense. He had supported architectural advancement and promoted the prosperi- ty of the people.
 MT. winer did not care to say much about the kings domestic life.
 Perhaps the king had not been a good father, ne suggested, but his character in later life was explained by the fact that in his youth he had been ruled with lax hand by his parents. The stories of the kings liasons and gallantries. MT. Winer added, were grossly exaggerated
 Affairs in Brussels have taken turn and the people are debating the question of the Baroness Vaughan's position in the household as the result of a sensational article publishted in the Soir. The paper charged that Baroness Vaughan was con- stantly at the bedside of the king and was even present when extreme unctfer was administered, whereas, 1t is added, the kings daughters and his nephew were not admitted.
 The question was put by the Soir to Monsignor German the venerable royal chaplain, whether the king had married Baroness Vaughan according to the pro visions of the religious ceremony Of his church He was told that all Belgium was scandaized over rumors and a straightforward statement was requested. The prelate merely smiled and said he was committed to secrecy which was of an inviolable character in his mission.
 The chaplain intimated that other chan nels should be sought for verification of the rumors and added his visit was one of the estates of the church and could not be brought into any controversy no mat ter what allusions were made of domes- tie infeicity