Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1893 — A BLOODLESS COUP D’ETAT. [ARTICLE]

A BLOODLESS COUP D’ETAT.

Alexander of Servia Grasps the Belns of Power. A bloodless coup d’etat was effected at Belgrade, Servia, Friday night, and King Alexander I, the youthful ruler of Servia. who has heretofore governed the country through regents, rules in his own name. A grand banquet was given at the palace to celebrate King Alexander’s success in passing the examination prescribed for Servian students. Affairs had become so bad that the king determined to take the reins in his own _ hands. In accordance with this determination, plans were secretly laid by means of which the regents and ministry would be ousted without opportunity for opposition. Unsuspectingly the regents and ministers attended the banquet, and while they wore enjoying themselves at the palace detachments of soldiers and bodies of police took possession of the ministers’ houses and occupied the government building. At midnight, while the festivities were still in progress, King Alexander proclaimed that he had attained his majority and that he had assumed the government of the country. As a matter of fact the king had not attained his majority. According to the Serviac law he does nat become of age until he is eighteen years old, and as he was born Aug. 14,1876, he will not be eighteen for considerably, over a year. The act of the king meets the approval of the populace, but there was asharp decline in Servian securities on the European money markets, and the si tun tion is viewed with apprehension by the various powers.