Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-12-17
Toda US Telegraphic News
Tho Dead King.

L
tor announc1s today that pending Prince
Albert's assumption of the throne 10
sacceed King Leopold, who died at 2:35
this morning, the affairs of Belgium will
be Administered by regency consisting
OF the council OF ministers.
Dr.. Thiriar, chief pbysicisn to Leo.
| pold, issued the following statement to.
day:
liking Leopold's death Was due to
emkoIism of the heart. We were most
| spprehensiee when We operated upon
him because We we're aware of bis heart
disease, but the operation was absolutely
necessary to prevent terrible suffering.
Thanks to The operation, the kings
death Tss painless"
Leopold's death occurred on the forty
fourth anniversary of his formal acces.
sion 10 The throne, though his kingsbip
dated from December 10, 1865.
While Belgium Ia officially In mourn
| ing for her dead king and all Belgian
papers appeared today with black bor-
ders, there is only the slightest evidence
of personal grief. Whatever affection
| the people may have had for Leopold
was almost wholly lost by the Incidents
that surrounded his last days. Chief OF
these was his refusal to BIZ reconciled 10
bis daughters, Stepha0ie and Louise,
and the admission to the death chamber
at the last moment of the notorious
Baroness Vaughan.
The Princess stephauIe arrived 10 the
death room twenty miuuteH after the
kirg died. She kissed his lifeless lips
and wept bitterly over The body.
"Ob, why could't have had just 8
few moments with him whilo be wss
yet alive" abe sobbad. The princess
remained on her knees at the bedside
for nearly half an hour, when the ply
siciaos led her away.
Prince Albert, who will shortly take
up the fallen scepter, a1d the countess
OF Flsnders slso arrived after the king
had died.
The confirmation of the report thai
Leopold secretly welded the Baroness
Vaughan, who was the daughtsr of q
charwouan, greatly couplicstes Leo
pold's domestic STAIRS, as his Two chill
dren by the baroness will have an equal
claim against the vast estate left by Leo
pold with the other children.
There ia little likelihood, however, of
any of these children setting up claim
TO The throne.
London, Dec. 1.-THE Central News
Rome correspondent says tia. the pope
hiss notified the pspal representative al
Brussels that King Leopold and the
Baroness Vaughan we're regularly mar.
ried at San Reno, Italy, in 1908. The
pspal representative is requested to act
Ia accordance with this Information ii
the baroness needs any protection 10 her
martial rights.
The marriage, 1t is believed, was en-
tered into in the hope that the kings
SOD, born carly in 1908, might be found
eligible to the successorship.
The funeral oil King leopold will take
place next Wednesday. Prince Albert
will take the oath OF Gfice as King on
the following day.
The public feeling against Leopold,
intensified by the disclosure OF his mar
riage in 1908 to Bironess Vaughan,
fnuud vent today In a demonstration
against the baroness by mob outaide
The Lscken palace. The mob jsered and
hooted lhe baroness and displayed such
an ugly temper that police fastened 10
the palace TO protect her against violence.
There was report that the baroness,
fearing violence from the enrsged public,
fled at an early hour this morning to
France. The latest report, however, Is
that she Is still within the palace und
will remain there until The feeling sub
sides, or proper escort is furnished her
go that shc may leave Ia safety.
The 6ght of The kings children against
the baroness was begun today, when
lawyer, representing Princess Louise,
who was not permitted TO come to Brus.
sells to see her father, sought 10 attach
the baroness villa at Laeken. The at
tachment wac resisIed and the whole
matter has been thrown into the courts.
Late this afternoon 1t was reported,
but unconfrmed, that the cour! bad
decided in favor Of The princess and had
granted an attachment OF the villa
81 ask pardon for the faults thst [
baye committed" declared King Leo
pold 10 his will, which was this after
noon taken into custody by the royal
notary. The will continues:
~ die In the Catholic religion. l
leave the So, 900, 900 which I received
from my father to my children. Ny re-
quest is lba. my funeral be simple aud
that 1t take place at 7 o'clock In the
morning."
No other details of the will we're given
out. II Is presumed that the bulk of
Lsopold's vast estate has been left to
Baroness Vsighsn, who is still secluded
10 the death chamber, declaring that she
is unable to tear herself away.
A strong military guard arrived this
evening to convey the kings body to
Brussels tonight. The baroness will
probably avail herself Of the protection
of the soldiers, and will leave With the
body.
LIE Soir says that the berouess assisted
In laying out the body of the king and
refuses absolutely to be separated trom
the body until the fqnsrs!.
Milwaukee, Wis, Dec. l7.--Princess
YeIVa Marie Won DJrnbsrg, said to be
the daughter of King Leopold, lived in
Milwaukee for more than year leaving
this city 10 1905. Her husband vas a
titled Venetian end doctor by profes.
sion,