THE LATE EMPEROR FREDERICK.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1773, 7 August 1888, Page 4

THE LATE EMPEROR FREDERICK.

A despatch from Berlin, dated June 16th, sajs:—An extraordinary rumor is current in the city, which has caused the most intense sensation. It appears that notwithstanding the argent entreaties and protests of the widowed Empress that no autopsy should be peii'ormed on the body of the dead monarch, the new Emperor, disregarding the appeals of his mother, caused a post mortem examination to be made this afternoon. The widow’s feelings were additionally outraged by the fact that Professor Yon Bergman, the very surgeon who had been forced by her to withdraw from attendance on the late Emperor, was called upon to perform the post mortem examination, which has revealed the fact so long denied by Sir Morell Mackenzie and the other surgeons, that the disease which the late Emperor was afflicted with was cancer in its most malignant and incurable form. This being the case, Emperor Frederick was debarred by certain clauses in the Prussian constitution concerning princes afflicted with incurable maladies from- succeeding to the throne, and according to the letter of the law his accession was an illegal act. The rumor which is now current is that in view of the above fact, not only the b g ility i f certain acts of the late Kroperor are about to be called iut question. Ini ;lat even the rank and

position of bis widow.as Dowager are seriously compromised, especially as regards her appendages and title.