Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-11-22


powers, lose the last of her depend
encies in two oceans; he saw Japan
opened to western civilization, and
later defeat the sprawling Colossus of
two continents; he saw the most abso
lutte despotisms-Russia, Turkey and
Persia-concede representation to the
people; he saw at a distance the Unit
ed States cement it's federation with
the blood Of a great internecine war
and he saw his own brother prove that
monarchy could not take new root on
American soil.
In his own country he faced internal
dissensions and external aggressions
from the moment he came to the
throne. BY the war of 1859 with
France and Sardinia. he was forced to
cdde Lombardy to Italy by force OF
arms and treaty he lost the Duchy OF
Holstein to Prussia and Venice to
Italy; and by the revolt of Kossuth
the Hungarian patriot, he barely es-
, caped having his dual empire cut in
two.
LIFE OF SORROWS.
But in human interest his personal
sorrows overshadowed all. One after
another they came upon him. In 1853
/ the list of tragic incidents began with
an attempt upon his own life In 1857
his brother, the Archduke Macmillan
after three years experiment as emper-
! or of Mexico was captured by the army
of the patriots and condemned to death
by court martial whose sentence was
executed Notwithstanding intercession
in his behalf by the governments OF
the United States. England and Prus
sia.
There followed the burning to death
! of a niece in Vienna; a sister met sim
liar fate in Paris; and a cousin drown
ed himself in Stahrenberg Lake. Yet
these were but minor tragedies in
comparison with that which befell the
ancient house of the Hapsburgs in 1893
when Rudolf, the imperial prince upon
whom the Austrians pinned their
hopes, met death in a mystery which
to this day is not cleared.
Graves hold the secret Of that fateful
night at a hunting lodge in Meyerling
There have been a dozen versions OF
what occurred. One true story" re-
lates that the crown prince was struck
dead by Baltazzi, n Hungarian cheva
| let who loved the Baroness Marie Vet
sera and who was frenzied by finding
tho girl and Prince Rudolf together in
the castle of Meyerling after the
crown prince had given his pledge not
to see the girl again. Another that
the crown prince killed the uncle OF
tho young baroness when he came to
| rescue her and that both of the young
lovers afterward committed suicide
The truth is not known.
| Clouded in still deeper mystery, II
possible. was the disappearance that
sarhe year of Francis Joseph's favorite
nephew. the Archduke Johann Salvador
He r to the throne at the death of Ru-
dolf. he renounced all his imperial dig
mites and fled the country as John
Ortiz, captain of a merchant ship, new
or to be heard of again. The next of
kin, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand,
| who became heir presumptive. added
further burden to his uncle's heart
by morganatic marriage to Sophie, the
! countess of Chotek. II was he and his
Wife who were assassinated at Sara
jevb in June. 1914.
But IL is doubtful il any or all of
the#e reverses weighed more heavily
upon the emperor's heart than the
| tragedy at Geneva, when the Empress
| Elizabeth, who had been called the
Ioost beautiful woman in Europe, was
| stabbed to death by man Italian an
archist. in 1898. True. she long had
been estranged from the emperor, but
he had never ceased to respect and
adore her. When a courier brought
him the news of the crime he ex-
claimed: Alas, nothing can be spare d
me. nothing"
After each blow he renewed his de-
votipn to the state, his only solace be-
ing in harder work. He labored pro-
digipusly. He was beloved for his
kindness. his modesty, and rectitude,
and his high moral courage made it
possible for him to hold in leash the
Czedhs. the Poles, the Serbs, the Ruth
enians and the Bulgars. who made up
the mosaic of nationalities in his dual
empire.
Gossip dealt plentifully with his pri-
!vate life. filled with romance and mis-