The Monroe journal., 1916-11-24
AUSTRIAN EMPEROR DEAD

Francis Joseph. Who Was More hi
recily Responsible For the Greal
Var Than Any Other Human Be.
ing Passed Away Tuesday Night
/ AFTER Living Through One of the
Most Eyentful Periods OF the
worii.
Emperor Francis Joseph died Tues
DAY night at O'Clock at Sehoen-
brunn Castle. according TO a Reuter-
dispatch received at London from
Vienna BY way of Amsterdam.
The first intimatiOn received here
that Emperor Francis Joseph's health
was again the subject of solicitation
was contained in a dispatch dated
November l.. emanating from a
Vienna news agency which reported
that the Emperor had been suffer
ing for some DAYS from a slight ca
tarrhal affection. Subsequent re-
ports from various sources. more or
less conflicting represented that his
condition was becoming worse. but
none of them indicated that his i'll
ness threatened TO reach 4 critical
state. and from Vienna came assur-
ances that he was still able to rivc
audiences 10 one OF more l.iEiaters
daily.
What gave some eredegca % the
suspicion that his condition Vas nach
graver than the official bulletins in-
dictated was the report. Witch s;ill
lacks official confrmaticn. thar II
had been decided to ass .ac the
heir TO the throne. Archduse Charles
Francis in the Government of the
country and that he was - assume
the position on December .. on the
sixty eighth anniversary - the Ell-
peror's ascension TO the throne.
So far as is known herr Archdufe
Charles Francis is still ? the fscnt
in command OF the army.
Archduke Charles Frsrc;s. grard-
nephew Of Emperor Francis Joseph.
became heir to the thron Of Austria
Hungary by the ASA siration os
Archduke Francis Ferdinand prior TO
the outbreak of the war lie has been
in commsad Of the Austrian armies
on various fronts during the past
two years.
Archduke Charles Francis wa
born on August IL. 1887. His wife
was Princess Zita OF the Bourbon
House of Parma. His father was
Archduke otto. who was the young
or brother of Francis Ferdinand
The death of Francis Joseph is 4
remarkable climax to the long list
of tragedies in the Hapsburg family
"a list unparalleled in any other
reigning house in Europe. He dies
in the midst of the worlds greatest
war. which he himself largely
brought about by his determination
to avenge the act of assassination of
his heir, the Archduke Francis Fer
dinand, as the result of an alleged
Serbian conspiracy while on a State
visit to Bosnio on June is, 1914
Francis Joseph was Sc years old
at the time of his death. He was
born August 1S.lS30. He was only
10 years of age when he assembled
the throne of Austria upon the alb
diction of his uncle. Ferdinand L.,
December >, 1S4S. making his active
reign extend over a period OF 6SI
years. all but the first 90 of which
he was also Apostolic King of Hun
gary. II is doubtful that if in all
history there has been an active au-
thenticated reign that was longer.
Tradition says a Pharaoh ruled for
90 years and there is the more cred
liable instance of Rameses H.. Secs
iris of the Greeks. whose reign is re-
puted to have covered 81 years. But
in recorded history there certainly
has been no reign of equal duration
to that of Francis Joseph. Louis
XIV. of France, was nominally King
for - years. A close rival. and the
only one of modern times was Queen
Victoria. who reigned for 81 wears.