The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-20
DIX AN VIM VAN C/SNo
PORTRAIT % CHARLES I
tn TIE LOUVRE so
Napoleon's Case in
Congress of vi
emma Offers Prece-
dent-How Other
Royal Malefactors
Have Been Made
to Pay Penalty for
Their Misdeeds

Queen. because she was executed At
Fothcringay Castle in England, after
having been convicted OF guilty know!-
edge of conspiracy against tho crown
of Elizabeth, 10 whom she stood next
in the line OF succession.
4 Serbian Parallel.
When Alexander ], of Serbia. father
OF old King Peter, after his dcthrons-
ment in 1858 established his residence
in Hungary and ten years later was
indicted before the Magyar tribunals
At Pesth accused OF having instigatsd
tho murder at Belgrade OF his succes-
sor Michael Ill, of the Obrenovitch
dynasty. Emperor Francis Joseph and
his Chancellor Count Beust, inter
vened. They pointed out that no mat
ter whether Alexander karageorge~
witch was innocent or guilty OF tho
murder imputed to him, the courts OF
Hungary and Of Austria had no 5urtA-
diCtion, since. as dethroned ruler who
had not been proclaimed an tntern1-
tional outlaw, he was entitled to all
the immunities conceded by interna-
tioral law and comfy to reigning SOW
ereigns and to their diplomatic repre-
sentatives.
The most extraordinary instance of
the trial OF n monarch for murder BY
the tribunals of his own country was
that of Pedro tbs Cruel, King of CASTLE
and Of Leon. Reigning in the four
teenth century he had by way Of IN
experiment entrusted the most ex-
traordinary powers OF life and dea1h
~ t.
when on a hunting expedition and who
had aroused his admiration by his COM
mon sense. his sturdy Independence OF
character, his native dignity, his
shrewd honesty and his patriotism.
The forester in the exercise Of these
powers had decrecd death for any one.
no matter what his rank, guilty ot
homicide in the nocturnal trays that
had rendered life III the city OF Seville
so unsafe. Don PEDRO, who was\ad-
dicted 10 Don Juanesque adventures.
had tho misfortune to Kill a man who
was engaged in defending the honor
OF his hearth and home, and tho crime
was brought home to the monarch.
Everybody. including the King, was
sgog to ascertain what the forester
would do. The forester held his public
court OF Justice In due course IN the
presence OF the King. brought the lat
| ter TO the bar and convicted him OF the
| homicide.
Pedro's EEiEy Dccapitatcd.
But since the person Of the monarch
was sacred, as the anointed Uf the
Lord, he condemned him to death, not
in person but by eftlgy. The marble
statue Of the sovereign, draped IN 4
veil OF crepe. was solemnly decapitated
| by the executioner, on the scaffo!d, ia
the principal square OF the city, in tho
presence OF all the authorities, Of the
people and Of Don Pedro himself. This
took place in 1857. Tho King, deeTiy
moved. confirmed the forester I'm IL.
4 high office, did ecclesiastical pcnance
in public for his crime, made the most
liberal amends, I'm the shape og money
and rank, 10 the family Of his victim
and gave orders that tho derapitated
head Of his statue should b" placed ny
tho eNccutioucr in n niche high UP In
the wall at tho corner OF tho Calls
! street de Candilego. There it has re-
NAMED ever since. as a lasting Illus
tration ot the justice that prevailed
under his reign in the fair land q
Spain.