New-York tribune., 1909-12-18
NO CONTEST OYER
BELGIAN THRONE.
LeopoId's Daughters Practi-
caIly Disinherited- Baroness.
Vaughan May BE Eriled.

nal Council have adjourned. and flags are
st halfmast in every city. town and VII
lage of the kingdom in honor Of the dead
monarch
Under the constitution the affairs OF
the nation are in the control Of the Cabi-
net until Prince Albert takes the oath OF
succession next Thursday, the day fol-
lowing the funeral Of his uncle. before
the joint houses of Parliament In the
Senate chamber.
An official decree issued to-day praises
King Leopold's career. and says that his
creation Of the Congo Independent State
was an act unique in the annals of his
tory "Posterity will judge Leopold
great King with a grand reign" it says
The body of Leopold remains in the
mortuary chamber Of the Palms To-
morrow evening it will be removed TO the
palace in Brussels. The face of the dead
monarch viii not be exposed again TO
public view.
The filing of the will of King Leopold
to-day shows that he divided $3.000,00O
between his three daughters-Princess
Louise. Princess Stephanie and Princess
Clementine. This practical disinherit-
ance Of his children indicates that
great legal battle will be opened to OBJ
tain the Kings wealth, similar to that
which ensued at the death of their
mother. Queen Henrietta.
The exact amount of Leopo!d's fortune
probably never will be revealed. Senator
Winer, the Kings friend and confidential
legal adviser, said to-day that Leopold
~ of 10 q
Baroness Vaughan and her children, and
had created a stock company of his es-
tates in order to forestall possible raid
on them by the Princesses Louise and
Stephanie or their creditors. Senator
Winer said that large parts of his estate
afterward might be handed over to Bel
gium. The Princess Clementine, aside
from the bequest she will receive, will
have a special income from the Congo
properties.
DOUBTS OF RECENT MARRIAGE
Investigation shows that the rights of
succession TO the throne of a child Of
the King by the Baroness Vaughan are
not worthy Of serious attention. 1t is
pointed out BY Senator Winer that if
there was only a religious ceremony. the
laws Of the kingdom would prevent the
accession Of a child of such d union.
Tile Senator, however, does not believe
*3~rc was a religious marriage.
Il = is established that the Baroness
Eausnan is Of foreign birth she probab-
~ VII be expelled from Belgium. like the
favorite of Leopold I, the Baroness
0iaver, whose house was attacked and
Destroyed by a mob after the Kings
death.
The constitution apparently settles
81. fact that the children of Baroness
Vaughan Will have no rights but it is
understood that they will inherit great
part OF the Kings great personal fort
Ut,e.
Il was rumored here to-day that the
Vatican had confirmed the marriage
gear ago Of King Leopold and Baroness
Vaughan. Two sons are said to have
5een born from this union and both sur
vive. The elder is Lucian, five years old,
and the rumor added that he would
claim the throne.
It is said that a bailif appeared this
.lorning al the residence Of Baroness
Vaughan with the object Of seizing the
premises on behalf of Princess Louise.
The baroness .eluded him and it is eX
pected that the matter Will be brought
into the courts.
NO PARDON FOR DAUGHTERS.
Leopold died Us he lived, relentlessly
rcpuIsing his exiled daughters and cling
nlg tenaCiously to his fayorites, and at
deaths door, when he insisted on closing
uD certain private business negotiations,
was unable TO escape the influence of his
greatest passion, that for work and ma
1orIal gain Princess Louise of Belgium,
the eldest of the three daughters, ar
rived here to-day The second daughter
vas here when her father died, but per
mission to see her dying parent was
rudely refused. After the death she was
admitted 10 the chamber, and threw her
self beside the body in a state of unccn-
trolled grief Prince Albert, The new
leader Of the destinies Of Belgium, was
moved with pity. ard, seizing his COUSINS 6
hand, knelt with her before the body.
The report from Paris that Baroness
Vaughan had fed from Belgium is be-
iieved 20 be unfounded. lie Peuple"
says that when the King died the bar
cness threw herself upon the body, Weep
ing bitterly, and closed his eyes. Since
then she has come and gone between her
Iransion and the Palms through the
private passageway which the King
built
Prince Albert quietly has assumed
command of the situation, and impressed
every one by his digniied bearing. He
will take the oath at joint session of
the chambers next Thursday.
FUNERAL ON WEDNESDAY.
The funeral viii be held next Wednes-
day. In his lifetime the King had ex-
pressed the wish that the simplest rites
should follow his death II is under
stood however. that the ceremonial OBJ
served at the burial OF his father. Leo
pold ]. Will he followed After the
funeral the body viii be placed in the
crypt Of ST Mary's, beside those of the
Kings father and his wife
The public was admitted 10 the mortu
hry chamber at o'clock this afternoon.
where the body lay in state for two
hours before its removal to the palace
IN Brussels. Thousands passed before