Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-17

az sedVe eAPieoSioH 10 these feelings.
He was proud Of the work that had
been accomplished in that territory and
at Antwerp made q remarkable speech
in which he said the annexation Of the
Congo Independent State was the
greatest satisfaction of his life. He de-
clared that Congo would NAV q most
important part in the expansion Of
Belgium. 1t was because of his whole
souled interest in the DEVELOPMENT of
the Congo in connection with the
progress of Belgium that his own peo-
pie in a measure overlooked the atroci-
ties which We're alleged against him.
King Leopold was regarded as one of
the slirewdest and ablest men of the
times. He was essentially a man OF
business, cold, reticent and calculating.
He was of particularly independent
spirit and more than once is said to
have told other soyereigns who at
tempted to advise him in connection
with his private affairs to mind their
own business For this reason he be-
came estranged from many of the
courts Of Europe.
Baroness Vaughan who is said to
have been the Kings morganatic wife,
occupies a chateau close to the pavilion
where Leopold died She is the daugh-
ter of parents of the name of Della
crOix, who We're Concirges or janitors
first at Liege and afterwards in Paris.
Her mother is dead and her father is
an inmate of ali asylum for the insane.
She is the mother of two children.
King Leopold spent a great deal of his
time with the Baroness and gave his
ministers much concern on this ac-
count. At one time there was talk of
his abdication, but as months went by,
his subjects apparently became accus-
toned to his ways, and abdication be-
came thing of the past.
King Leopold's recent illness dated
from about two weeks ago when he
was compelled to take to his bed, suf-
ferinr with rheumatism. 1t was
thought at the time that he had a
stroke of -apopleXy, for he was para
lyzed on one side and the paralysis
seemingly spread over his entire body.
His confinement brought about intes-
final obstruction. for which and OPP
Grafton was performed Tuesday and it
was feared then that his age would
prevent ultimate recovery.
One of the most powerful men in Bel
giurl, who knew King Leopold better
than any other man, is Senator Win
er, the Kings trusted friend and con-
f;dertial legal adviser He assisted
Leopold in drawing up the Congo pro-
iect and probably will manage the dis
position of the Kings fortune.
Senator Wilmer welcomed The Asso-
ciated Press correspondent tonight
some hours before the Kings death, as
he stood in the library of his home, a
stones throw from the American le-
cation. He insisted that Leopold was
greatly misunderstood by the world.
He pictured the Kings great admira-
ton for the United States which His
Majesty was anxious to visit but was
prevented from doing by the Congo
criticism. However, the King prevailed
on Prince Albert to go, because he con-
sidered this a most useful preparation
for the future ruler of Belgium.
The King had marked respect for
Theodore Roosevelt. He never liked
photographs around, but placed Pres
ident Roosevelt's autograph pictures
in his favorite office in the Brussels
palace, beside those of Princess Glenn
entine and Prince Albert. The senator
went on: 80 .T,s
1.-THE King is a slave to work and
business. 1t is a fact that Is minutes
before the operation he dictated doc
umclts relating 10 certain negotiations,
and insisted before going under chic
reform upon correcting the typewriter
~, vel
lect and doggedness which conceived
the Congo project. He lost money at
first but emerged rich.
THE whole trouble in the Congo Sem
ator Winer continued, was that the sys-
TEN was bad-worse than the KING
thought. The eternal cry was Rubber,
and vet more rubber and it must be re-
membered that the military commanders
in the Congo had the double capacity OF
soldier and merchant; they had to get
rubber. Nevertheless many of the stories
of abuse are absolutely untrue
The senator championed King Leopold
as the great benefactor of Belgium. He
had developed cities and erected monu-
ments and public buildings at his own eX-
pense. He had supported architecture
and advanced the prosperity of the peo-
ple. The senator did not care to say much
of the Kings private life. Perhaps, he
suggested, the King had not been good
father, but his character in later life
was explained by the fact that in youth
he was held in check and ruled with a
rod of iron by the old King. The stories
of the Kings gallantries, he added, had
been seriously exaggerated.
The people are heatedly occupied with
the question of the position of Baroness
Vaughan in the royal household, as the
result of a sensational article published
in the soir. The paper charges that Bar
oness Vaughan was constantly at the
bedside of the KING, even being present
when extreme JUNCTION was administered,
whereas the Kings daughters and his
nephew was not admitted. The question
was put by the Soir to Mgr. Cooreman,
the venerable royal chaplain, if the King
married Baroness Vaughan according to
the provisions of the religious ceremony,
adding that all Belgium was astonished
LII