Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-17
SONS OF BARONESS VAUGHAN.
There Are Two and it Is Said the
Elder Will Claim
The Crown.
King Died as Tic Lived, Itclcn,iessiy
Repulsing ExiIed Daughters and
Cunging TO Favoritcs.

Brussels. Dec. ia contest over
the succession to the throne of Bel
glum is possible. The vatican is re-
ported to have confirmed the mar
rlage a year ago OF KingLeopold and
Baroness Vaughan. Two sons are said
to have been born from this union
and both survive. The elder is Lusian,
five years old. It is reported he will
claim the throne. Albert. heir pre-
sumptive, is u nephew of Leo
poid H.
ToIIlng bells and booming cannon
announce today the death of Leopold
II, king OF the Belgians. Half-masted
ilags OF red. yellow and black fly from
the public buildings.
Crowds III the streets and discuss
the kings death. and whatever their
opinions of his personal life, join in
tributes to his greatness.
Leopold died as he lived. relentless
repulsing his exiled daughters and
clinging tenaciously to his faVorites:
and at deaths brink. when he insisted
upon closing up certain private bust
ness negotiations he was unable to es-
cape the influence of his greatest pas
sion, that for work and material gain.
Princess Louise of Belgium, oldest of
the three daughters arrived here today.
Stephanic. was here when her father
died, but was refused the permission to
see him till after death. When she was
admitted TO the chamber she threw
herself beside the body in a state
OF uncontrolled grief. Prince Albert.
the new king. was moved with pity, and
seizing his cousins hand. knelt with
her before the body, giving mute ex-
preston to his sympathy for and In
tended protection of the banished
daughter. The group of old servants.
who loved all three, wept at the sad
picture.
King Leopold fought death as he had
fought the world. and struggled to the
end. For two days he had survived
an operation that had killed the aver
age man OF. his age and only moment
before his sudden death he had talked
q rcvisitIn2 sunny southern France
and OF The blue skies of the Medite--
raccnn"
The funeral Will be held next Wed
ncsday. He had expressed a wish for
the simplest funeral rites. but It Is
understood the cermonial observed at
the burial of his father. Leopold l, Will
be followed
Prince Albert will. on Thursday. take
the oath as king
DR.. Thiarir said today:
Il knew that the king was suffering
our chief anxiety when operating. but
we decided to resort to surgery in order
to save his majesty from terrible sIf-
fcrirg. AS matter of fact he died
without suffering at ALL"
Immediately following Leopolds
death. two nuns laid out the body and
preparations for conveying 1t TO the
city proper were made. The obsequ!es
will take place at the Collegiate church
OF St Gudula
This morning early Promier Schoi-
lacrt proceeded to the palace and under
his direction the official Moniteur pub
lished a special number announcing the
formation OF a regency council COM
posed OF council and ministers, which
mcnt until the heir to the throne,
Prince Albert, has taken the oath of
Ascension.
1t is said that tho will of Leopold
constitutes a good sized volume.
The municipal theatcrs Will be closed
for n time. TIE court will go INTO
mourning for SIX months. while the
period OF mourning for tho household
WIN continue for one year.
This morning NJ. j. Dayignon, the
minister OF foreign affairs, officially no
uhcd the sovcrclgns and chiefs of state
OF Europe of the death OF Leopold III.
King OF the Belgians. Telegrams OF
coincidence were early received from
King Edward and Queen Alexandra.
Emperor William. King Alfonso. En-
reror Francis Joseph, King Victor En-
manuel and Queen Helena, President
fallleres OF Franco and Pope Plus X.
The pontif has ordered requiem
mass.
Hundreds of other kilograms OF SYM
rathy and regard have reached the pnl-
ace. The sittiDgs OF the courts have
been suspended until the new king
fhall have received the crown. Baron
GefInct has entrusted the kings will 10
the custody of the courts