The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-12-24
THE KING Of THE BElC|ANS IS DEAD
LEOPOLD II, MOST NOTORIOUS MONARCH Of MODERN
TIMES. DIES At RIPE Old ACE. PRINCE
ALBERT IS HIS SUCCESSOR.

attract the admiration and love Of the
people. Prince Albert has travelled
extensively and II . man Of aIairs.
In appearance he IL strikingiy like the
late king. but thetr dispositions and
temperaments have always been In
marked contrast.
Prince Albert has been . great stu.
dent Of politics and economics. and
has frequently lectured IN these sub
jscts IN public. To broaden his grasp
OF the a6airs Of the world. he visited
the United States and other countries.
always studying and always adding to
bis store OF knowledge and phiioso-
ply.
One Of the most powerful men in
Belgium. who knows King Leopold
better than ANY other man, II Senator
Wtner. the kings trusted friend and
conddential legal adviser. He assisted
Leopold In drawing up the Congo
project and probably will handle the
disposition OF the kings fortune.
Senator Wilmer welcomed the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent most cor.
daily last night. He insisted that
Leopold Was greatly misunderstood by
the world. He pictured the kings In.
tense sdmiration for the Unitod States
which bis majesty vas anxious to Wis
II. but was prevented BY the Congo
criticism. However. the king had pre-
vailed on Prince Albert to 60, - he
considered this 4 most useful prepara-
ton for the future ruler of Belgium.
Admired Roessvett.
The king had . marked respect for
Theodore Roosevelt. He never liknd
photographs around. but placed Roose-
velt's autograph picture in his favorits
ONCE in the Brussels palace. beside
those Of Princess Clementine and
Prince Albert. Continuing the senator
said:
The whole truth in the Congo"
Senator Winer went on. was that tho
system ri bad-worse than the king
thought. The eternal cry was Rub
Ter. and yet more rubber and II must
b remembered that the military com.
manders In the Congo had the double
capacity OF soldier and merchant: they
had to get rubber. Nevertheless many
Soiru. The paper charged that Baron.
ess Vaughan was constantly 1t the
bedside OF the king. even being pres.
ent when extreme function was id.
ministered. whereas the kings daugh-
ters and his nephew were not admit
ted.
The question was put by the Soiru
to Mgr. Cooreman. the venerable royal
chaplain, II the king had married Bar
oness Vaughan according to the provi-
sions Of the religious ceremony, ad-
ding that all Belgium was astonished
and scandalized that tho church would
sanction the presence Of the woman
lei the kings couch while the priest
anne IN his sacred mission.
His Conscience Clear.
The chaplain intimated that the
marriage existed and said that his
conscience was clear about his visit
to the king. The cburch's codes or
morals. he added, was the same for the
king ~ for the people end IN conclu-
sion no said:
From the standpoint of the church.
the kings situation was regular"
Baroness Vaughan il the daughter
Of parents Of the name Of Delacroix.
who = c~oncierges. or janitors nrst
at Liege and afterwards In Paris. Her
mother II dead and her father II IN
inmate Of IN asylum for the insane.
She II 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 &C
count. At ~ time there was talk Of
his ~abdicating. but. as months went by
his subjects apparently became accus-
toned to his ways and abdication BE-
came . thing Of the past.
King Leopold was looked upon %
one OF the shrewdest and ablest men
Of the time. He was essentially q
man OF business. cold. reticent and
calculating. He was Of particularly
independent spirit and more than once
II said to have told other sovereigns
who attempted to advise him In con-
nection with his private affairs to
mind their own business. For this
reason King Leopold had become -
tranged from many OF the courts OF
Europe.