The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-08-16
AUSTRIAN EMPEROR
NEARING 83RD YEAR
Age of Sorrows" Charac terized
Reign of Francis Joseph

Vienna Aup., lG.-francis Joseph,
Emperor Of Austria and King of Han
gary. viii be eighty-th Years old
Monday and all parts OF the empire
are preparing tor the customary cele-
hration Of the anniversary The Ven
cradle Emperor is reported In good
health though the feebleness natural
To one of his years of late has become
quite perceptible. lie is passing the
summer, az usual, at his beloved lschl
where he still occasionally shoulders
his rifle ana tramps over The hills la
search of game.
OF all the figures in contemporary
history that of Francis Joseph is at
once one of the most magnificent and
the most pathetic. With IA long and
eventful life behind him, IA life over
cast by dysasterc that would have un-
seated Il feeble ruler, and saddened
! by sorrows that would have broken
Gown weaker man, the Emperor in
! the evening oi his days Still bears the
burden of the dual crown unbowed.
| rhe close personal attention with
which he has followed the course of
events in the Balkans the past year
and the promptness and vigor with
which he has acted when such action
seemed necessary have amazed even
those who are best acquainted with
the marvellous energy and mental
qualities possessed 10y the aged ruler.
Became Ruler During Strife.
II will be- sixty-five years next Dec
ember since Francis Joseph came to
the throne. Emperor Ferdinand J alb
dicated ON December . lSiS and amid
the turbulent scenes that threatened
the dissolution of the empire, and his
brother, the Archdul<e Francis having
surrendered ms claims To the throne,
his son, Francis Joseph, became En-
peror of Austria, though he was not
crowned King of Hungary until nearly
twenty years later. At the time of
Francis Joseph's accession to the Aus
trian throne Hungary was in a state
Of revolt and, with Kossuth as Gov
ernor, declared itself republic in 1919
Charles Albert of Sardinia again
took up arms against Austria i'm Italy,
Austria triumphed. however. both in
italy and Hungary and the Emperor
devoted himself To the re-establish-
ment of his authority.
Francis Joseph was forced . to
"a war with France and Sardinia in
1859. These hostilities ended with the
loss OF Lombardy a reconstruction
81 the monarchy on "a dual basis was
effected in 1887.
> Kin Meet Violent Deaths.
The family troubles of the"Emperol
of sorrows" have pnralleled the trials
. and tribulations al the empire durint
the siXty-fiVe years of his reign. His
wife. THE good Elizabeth" ,o whom
he was married in 1854. was assassin
atrd by an anarchist at Geneva In 1898
His brother. the Inflated Emperor
MaXimilian, was executed in Mexico
His sister in law, Carlotta, wife 81
MaXimilian. has been confined in ;
madhouse In Belgium for nearly hall
a century.
Crown Prince Rudolph, the Emper-
or's only son and heir, met death un-
der mysterious circumstances at Mey-
! HrlliS III loNf. w ltIl ms iliiSti' N'"-
RE Netsera, he was found dead in tn,
royal hunting lodge. How they died
Is another secret OF the Hapsburg&.
The Young daughter of the Crown
Prince. named Elizabeth after the Eb-
press, faithfully carried out the Haps-
burg impulses When "A girl of II she
met and married a young army officer
| .!.l, - 4. more,
Her husband proved faithless and
there WAS "A tragic ending To their love
when she shot her husbands mistress
whom she had surprised with him at
Prague.
See Future Trouble Ahead.
The Archduchess Stephanie, the
widow of the crown Prince and mother
Of Elizabeth married Count Lonyay'
which marriage was also contrary Ia
the wishes of the Emperor.
The misfortunes of the Hapsburgs
promise To continue even after the
death of the aged Emperor, for his
successor, his nephew, the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand will bring a wife
but no empress tn the throne. In 1900
Francis Ferdinand married the Count
ess Chotek. who was a lady walt
ing at the court. At the time Francis
Joseph solcmnly announced To the EN-
pire that his nephew's marriage was
morganatic and that therefore neither
his wife nor his children had any OF
; the rights of the imperial family.
There are many who Say that the
domestic SORROWS of Francis Joseph
are due to a curse that is hanging over
the house of Hapsburg, uttered by an
aged Countess of Karolyi whose son