The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-11-24
EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA
DIES AT CASTLE
sc AT TIME OF HIS DEATH
Old Francis Joseph Yields to
Deaths Chill Hand-CharIes
Francis Will Follow Him.

Reuter- dispatch from Vienna. by way
of Amsterdam.
Archduke Charles Francis, grand
nephew of Emperor Francis Joseph.
became heir to the throne OF Austria
hungary by the assassination of
Archduke Francis Ferdinand prior to
the outbreak of the war. He has been
in command of the Austrian armies
on various fronts during the past two
years.
Archduke Charles Francis was born
on August IT, 1887. His wife was
Princess Zita Of the Bourbon house
of Parma. His father was the Arch
duke Otto, who was the younger
brother of Francis Ferdinand.
Reports Of Illness.
London, Nov. 21.-The first inti-
nation received here that Emperor
Francis Joseph's health was again
the subject of solicitation was con-
tanned in dispatch dated November
II, emanating from the Vienna news
agency, which reports that the en-
from a slight catarrhal affection
subsequently reports from various
sources, more or less conflicting, re.
presented that his condition was be-
coming worse but none of them in
dicated that his illness threatened to
reach a critical state and from
Vienna came assurances that he still
was able to give audience to one or
more ministers daily
l. What. gave some credence to the
much graver than the official bulletin
indicated was the report, which stin
; lacks official continuation; that il
had been decided to associate the
heir to the throne Archduke Charles
Francis, in the government of the
country and that he was to assume
the position on December 2 on the
6S anniversary Of the emporeror's as
cension to the throne.
So far as is known here Archduke
Charles Francis still is at the front
in command of the army.
Climax to Tragedies.
With Francis Joseph's death in the
midst of this great conflict there is a
remarkable climax to long list or
tragedies in the Hapsburg family
list unparalleled in any other reignins
house in Europe-including the as.
sassination or violent death of seven
near relatives.
The fortitude with which the en-
peror bore each blow and in later
years withstood the inroads of i'll
health himself was the wonder of his
people. Fears that the shock of the
assassination OF his heir, the Arch
sort while on a state visit TO Bosnia
on June %, 1914, would kill the en-
peror were answered in characters.
tic manner.
Francis Joseph, then nearing his
S4th birthday, recuperatng at Isch
from a catarrhal affiicton which
each spring had borne heavily upon
him, mustered strength to return to
Vienna Immediately and take firms
grip on the confused state of af
fairs.
With the royal funeral rites OBJ
served and the new heir, the young
Archduke Carl Francis Joseph, re-
cognized, the venerable emperor and
his advisers turned to Servia with
demands which startled all Europe.
From the ultimatum of July %, de-
nouncing the anti-Austrian propa-
,ganda and demanding prompt pun
ishment of the assassins of Archduke
Ferdinand, according to items sup
posedly dictated by Francis Joseph
himself, practically dates the war
now ravaging Europe.
At 10 years OF age he assembled th'.
throne of Austria, upon abdication OF
his uncle, Ferdinand /, December 2, ,
1S48. His death today ended an ac-
tive reign of 6S years, all but the
first 20 years OF which he was also
apostolic king of Hungary.
Tradition says that Pharaoh ruled
for 90 years and there is the more
credible instance of Rameses III
(seostris Of the Greeks) whose reign
is reputed to have covered 81 years.
But in recorded history there Ger
tainly has been no reign equal in
n