The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-12-25
ALL BELGIUM MOURNING
Though Unloved the Great
Leopold was Respected
WILL Be NO contest FOR THRoN {
Ch1ldren OF Baroness Vaughan Are
Barred by Law, and the Favor
ite Will be ExiIed. Left ONLY
Million Each,

theatres closed, parliament and the
municipal council adjourned, and
fiags were at half-mast in every city,
town and village of the kingdom OF
Belgium out Of respect for the dead
monarch, Leopold II. Under the con-
.stltution the affairs of the nation
were in the control of the cabinet un-
TIL Prince Albert should take the
oath OF succession Thursday, the
day after the funeral of his uncle,
before the joint houses of parliament
in the senate chamber.
An official decree lauds King Leo
pold's career and declares his crea-
ton of the Congo Independent state
an act unique in history.
"Posterity will judge Leopold q
great king with grand reign" it
says.
The body of Leopold was removed
from the mortuary chamber Of "the
Palms" to the palace in Brussels. The
face of the dead ruler was not ex-
posed again to public view.
The filing of the will of King Leo
pold shows that he divided $3,000,-
600 between his three daughters.
Princess Louise, Stephanie and Glenn
entine. This practical disinheritance
of his children signals the beginning
OF gigantic legal battle to obtain
the kings wealth similar to that
which ensued on 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 tho
Associated Press that Leopold turned
over considerable portion of it to
the Baroness Vaughan and her child
his estates in order to forstall a
possible raid upon them by the Prin-
cesses Louise and Stephanie or their
creditors. Senator Winer said that
later, perhaps, considerable portions
of his estate would be handed over to
Belgium. The Princess Clementine,
aside from the bequest she will re-
ceive is provided for by a special
income from Congo properties.
Investigation shows that the rights
Of succession to the throne Of a
child or tne King BY tffe Baroness
Vaughan is not worthy of serious at
tention. It is pointed out that Ii
there were only religious ceremony
at their marriage, the laws Of the
kingdom would prevent the accession
of a child for such union.
The court of first instance granted
an Injunction which was sought by
the Baroness Vaughan restraining
the authorities from af1xing seals
on her residence. The action Of the
Princess Louise in attempting to have
the seals affixed is due to her belief
that valuable property belonging to
King Leopold is In the villa Of the
Baroness.
Immediately upon the receipt OF
the official announcement Of King
Leopold's death, President Fallieres
telegraphed the coincidence OF
France. Ihe French ministry made
similar expressions during an early
call at the Belgian legation.
Despite the pleasure loving fol-
lies which narred his career, the
French statesmen consider that the
role played by Leopold II in Europe
as large and distinctively as that OF
a political peacemaker.
The French press is unanimous IN
considering Leopold business king
who succeeded in expanding Belgium
into first class economic power.
A dispatch from Rome says that
the vatican confirms the marriage OF
King Leopold and Baroness Vaughan
at San Reno, Italy, last year
Baroness Vaughan has been ex-
pelled from Belgium. It is report
ed that Prince Albert and the Prln-
cess Clementine were not present
when the king received the last sac
raments. because of their unwilling
ness to meet the baroness.