The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-11-29
EMPEROR FRANCIS
JOSEPH IS DEAD:
ILL MANY MONTHS
AGED Ruler of Austria Passes
Away in Palace at Vienna.
BROUGHT ABOUT THE WAR
Death Is Climax to List of Hapsburg
CaIamities, Unparalleled in Any
House in Europe-Had Long
est Reign of Any Mod
ern Ruler.

London, Nov. 22.-Emperor Francis
Joseph of Austria-Hungary died at
nine O'Clock last night at Schoen-
brunn castle, according to a Reuter-
dispatch from Vienna by way of Am
sterdam.
The first intimation received here
that the aged emperor's health was
again the subject of solicitation was
contained in a dispatch dated NOvem-
Der u, emanating from a Vienna news
agency, which reported that the en-
peror had been suffering for some days
from slight catarrhal affection.
1t had been decided early this
month to associate the heir to the
throne, Archduke Charles Francis, in
the government of the country.
Ceremony Set for December 2.
According to the report, the arch
duke was to assume the position on
December 2, on the sixty-eighth ami
versary of the emperors accession to
the throne.
A Geneva dispatch forwarded to
Reuters by way of Amsterdam quotes
the Katolische Zeitung as saying the
sacrament was administered to EN-
peror Francis Joseph on Saturday.
Cabinet Meeting Held.
Telegraphing from Amsterdam, the
Central News correspondent says:
Vienna reports that, although the.
death of the emperor had been expect
ed, the news, which was printed in spe-
cial editions of the newspapers, made
q deep impression on the public. 4
special cabinet meeting was held. The
heir to the throne, Archdul<e Charles
Francis, has been for some time in
Vienna.
"A meeting of the Hungarian cabinet
has been called at Budapest. Premier
Tisza will afterward come to Vienna"
White Ghost Over Life.
The white ghost of the House of
Hapsburg softened, but never could
crush the indomitable spirit of the
revered ruler.
The death of Francis Joseph is a
climax to the long list Of tragedies in
the Hapsburg family-a list unparal-
leled in any other reigning house in
Europe. He dies in The midst of the
worlds greatest war, which he him
self largely brought about by his de-
termination TO avenge the act Of as
sassination of his heir, Archduke
Francis Ferdinand, as the result of an
alleged Serbian conspiracy when on
state visit to Bosnia on June %, 1914.
Francis Joseph was eightySiX years
old. He was born August 49, 1880. He
assembled the throne Of Austria on the
abdication of his uncle, Ferdinand |,
December 2, 1S4S, making his active
reign extend over a period of almost
sixty-eight years, in all but the first
twenty Of which he was also apostolic
king of Hungary.
Longest Modern Reign.
1t is doubtful that If in all history
there has been an active, authenti-
Gated reign that was longer.
Dictated Ultimatum.
The ultimatum of July %, 1914,
which Francis Joseph sent to King
Peter of Serbia, denouncing the anti
Austrian propaganda in that country
and demanding prompt punishment of
the assassins of Archduke Ferdinand,
was supposedly dictated by Francis
Joseph himself, and it was this docu-
ment that directly precipitated the war
now ravaging Europe.
Five days later, after Serbia had
complied with the demands with the
exception of agreeing to allow Aus
trian authorities to enter Serbia to
stamp out the alleged anti-Austrian
conspiracies. Francis Joseph declared
war.
An Eventful Reign.
Aside from the great war Francis
eventful in history.
But in human interest his personal
sorrows overshadOwed all. One after
another they came upon him. In 1858
the list of tragic incidents began with
an attempt upon his own life. In 1867
his brother, Archduke Macmillan,
after three years experiment as en-
peror of Mexico, was captured by the
army of the patriots and condemned
to death by court-martial, whose
sentence was executed, notwithstand-
ing intercession in his behalf by the
government of the United States,
England and Prussia.
Princes Death Mystery.
There followed the burning to
death Of a niece in Vienna; a sister
met a similar fate In Paris. and
cousin drowned himself in Stahren-
berg lake. Yet these were but minor
tragedies In comparison with that
which befell the ancient house Of the
Hapsburgs in 1889, when Rudolf, the
imperial prince upon whom the Aus
TRANS pinned their hopes, met death
In a mystery which to this day is not
cleared.
Nephew FIees Country.
Clouded in still deeper mystery, If
possible, was the disappearance, that
same year, of Francis Joseph's favor
Didn't Seem Reasonable.