Show AUSTRIAN EMPIRE LOSES STATESMAN VIENNA Feb 13 Count Count Mole Alois Lexa Leca your on Austro minister min later ister of oC foreign affairs affaire died Saturday evening von on had been suf suf- foring for the last Jut month from a disease c char characterized d by profound profound pro pro- found changes In the blood and Internal organs organ and no hopes were ere entertained for tor his recovery recovery- During DurIng- the da day he received an a autograph auto to graph letter from Emperor Francis Francia Jo Joseph Jo seph accepting his lila resignation and b bestowing bo- bo stowing upon the minister the tho brilliants of or the Grand Cross of Order of ot St. St Steph Stephen on I In his loiter letter th the emperor expressed ed regret re re- Tret rH that It WM was necessary because of or the stat of oC his health for Count von yon to ask ulc again to tn b bo be r relieved of oC office H He reaffirmed his hiB confidence In the foreign minister and his policy which had been carried out und under r difficult dif dIC- circumstances and concluded with warmest thanks for Cor your our faithful and distinguished services to my house houe and monarchy Count von cn read the letter after rec receiving I tho last sacrament nt an and seemed much gratified Count Leopold von Bp former to Russia has been appointed appoint appoint- ed foreign minister While It Is Sa acknowledged ed by br Austria that tha Count vo von Asha had hild done more more than any n of nf his Immediate predecessors predecessors to tn raise ralo tho ha prestige of oC the country country coun coun- tl try his latter days ny w wOre were re embittered b by attacks Christian n Socialist journal journals which disliked the ministers minister's sympathy for fr It Italy Ill 8 and nd hi his alleg alleged d for Germany The whole 1101 forces of or the military party parly also aleo were I arrayed cd against him Hl His position was as th tho th more uncomfortAble uncomfortable because Q his opponents were b believed be be- to r reflect th the views view of or the heir to tho the throne Archduke Franz nand although tie tho emperor stood by him There Thore Is no doubt that these thell a attacks attacks at at- I tacks hastened his death 1 Count Counton von on was born horn In 1854 Ha Ho was 23 years rJ old wh when he was appointed provisional attach In tn Paris Pads Later he ho was attached to the embassy In Sn St. St t. t Petersburg After Arter serving In the th foreign foreign for for- eign office In Vienna for five years from roi 1883 he was Wis again s sent sont nt to St. St Petersburg Peters Peters- burg buo and md In 1892 received the title of ot minister lie He served aleo aJeo a as minister of Romania and then was appointed ador to Russia He lund had been foreign minister to Hungary Austria-Hungary since Oc tober 1906 |