Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-30
FRANCIS JOSEPH LONELY RULER

ASe1Ssin'e Hand Has 8ereft Him Of
Wife and Closest Of His Relatives.
Paris, June 30.-Francis Joseph is the
most lonely monarch of Europe.
The tragedy which robbed him Of a
nephew and niece, the former his heir,
was only one Of many that have sad
dened his life.
Assassinations and suicides have
taken from him those who were nearest
and most dear. A strange fatality has
pursued the House of Hapsburg and
misfortunes have come in quick sue
cession. Only the emperor himself has
seemed immune
In the aftieth year Of his reign, on
Sept. 10, 1898. when all of Austria
Hungary was preparing for public
Jubilee. word was brought to the en-
peror that his wife. the Empress Eliza
beth had been killed by an assassin.
Nothing Left For Ruler.
Francis Joseph sank to the ground,
saying:
"shall I never be free from pain and
anguish in this world? 10 nothing, then,
to be left to met"
The empress had been stabbed by an
Italian anarchist. Luigi Luccheni, while
on her way to q steamboat in Geneva,
Switzerland. The celebrations marking
the half century In the reign Of Francis
Joseph and Elizabeth were hastily can
celed. Tho empire wore mourning in
stead.
Still another Of the tragedies that in
tsrsperced the years Of the aged mon
arch was 20 mysterious that the truth
may never be known.
Crown Prince Rudolph. his son. and
baroness Mary Vetsera were found dead
In hunting lodge near Vienna. The
baroness had besn the guest Of the
prince. II was believed that she was
shot ,hy. him. o. shot harselI. In the dead
mans Ind was ar6v6aver.
cf0svn ps3nae Killed SSH.
Countess Marie Larisch. In memoirs
written less than two years ago, told of
this tragedy. Among her writings il
this assertion: "The crown prince has
killed himself, but II the emperor had
known all 1t would have been his duty
to have him tried by military law and
shot as a traitor"
Many even more pathetic tragedies
have filed Francis Joseph,s life with
sorrow. His brother. Archduke John.
renounced his rank to marry the wo-
man he loved. a chorus girl.
He became known as John Ortiz He
studied navigation, purchased vessel
and with his wife sailed for South
America. That was the last ever seen
of them. Their ship Is supposed to have
been wrecked in trying to round Cape
Horn.
Added to these, the chief tragedies in
the emperor's life were many in which
the lives of close relatives were ended
violently.
MaximiIian's Fate Recalled.
The tragic fate Of another brother,
Macmillan, in Mexico and the subse-
quent mental arrangement of Empress
Carlotta were other tragic occurrences
that saddened and made his life more
lonely. Still another unfortunate event
was the mesalliance Of the Archduke
Henry with q singer.
In 1853 Joseph Libenyi, would be
assassin. wounded the emperor serious
ly by knife thrust between the
shoulders. But the monarch was young
and the blow was not fatal. He turned
to the mob that was on the point Of
lynching his assailant and shouted, do
not hurt him; he has been badly mauled
already"
These everoccurring and recurring
tragedies have bowed down the aged
monarch. The weight of misfortune has
made him the most pathetic figure, the
most lonely ruler. in Europe,