Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1903 — SLAUGHTER IN A PALACE [ARTICLE]

SLAUGHTER IN A PALACE

King and Queen of Servia and Several Cabinet Ministers Assassinated at Belgrade. KARAGEORGEVITCH PROCLAIMED N€W KING Murdered Ruler’s Wife and Others Are Struck Down with Axes or Killed by Bullets. i " •FFICERS OF * THE ARMY LEADERS OF REVOLUTION. Voyal Victims and Their Attendants Slain in the Dead of Night— May have Been Result of Plot to Get Rid of Queen — May Cause Turmoil in Europe .

The reign of King Alexander nnd Queen Dragn, sovereigns of Servia, was brought to a fearful end early Thursday when the royal palace in, Belgrade was surrounded by troops and the King and Queen and the members of their cabinet Murdered in their beds. The revolutionfeta under Prince Peter Karageorgevitch secured the support of the entire Servian army, and Karageorgevitch was proclaimed King. Besides the King and Queen, Premier Zituar. Minister Markoritch and his wife, the commander of the jalacc grounds, and two other members •f the royal household were assassinated. A special dispatch front Home alleged that nearly a hundred persons were killed at Belgrade, but there was no conftrmatiun of this report from elsewhere. The attack was made shortly after Midnight. The troops surrounded tile Kouak oncT"forced their way into the palace. Only a feeble attempt to prevent the assassination was made by the members of the Royal Guard, many of whom are suspected of being implicated in the •lot. The royal household was aroused by the troops. Terrible scenes followedThe -mcmhii's of .the cabinet and their respective wives lied to the bedroom oF life King and Queen, but were followed by tbe assassins. Queen Draga piteously bog; jed that her life be spared, but all *f the occupants of the bedroom were guickly executed. It is said that the last moments of the King and Queen were tilled with horror. When tbe royal pair retired a few hours •artier they had no suspicion that the fang-expected revolution was upon them.

Various reports are current as to the manner in which the King fell. One has it that both were shot by members of the military, while another story has it that the* King, seeing the end, was inevitable, first shot tfie Queen and then turned his revolver on himself, committing suicide. The. mob,’ made thirsty by its taste of blood, then made its way to the apartments of Premier Zidzar and M. Markovitch, the commander of the King’s Guard. Both, with their wives, were shot down in cold blood. Queen Killed with nn Ax. A dispatch from Semi in, Hungary, gives an interesting version of the events Ut Belgrade. It says: A party of ofiicers preceded to the palace by previous arrangement with Gen. Ljubasivkovics and called on King Alexander to abdicate in favor of Prince Peter Karageorgevitch. The King refused and shot Col. Naumovics, who made the proposal. The other officers thereupon summoned the war minister, Gen. PavTovitch, and Tudorovics, the minister of the interior, one of the King’s aids-de-camp, and other loyal officers. The leader of the actual assailants was - Lieut. Col. Mischieli, who himself murdered the Queen. The latter, together with her brother, and sisters, was struck down with nn ax. The Queen died immediately. The King lived a Sew minutes.

They were awakened by the cries of the servants. but before any attempt at escape could be made the soldiers tyre up*n them. The revolt of the army is eo:nllete. The overthrow of the government was aevomplisited withm a few miuutes after the troops had proclaimed Kara-*eorgevin-h ruler. The plan of the uprising was carefully •overed up. It is said that several of Alexander's trusted advisers were in the aonfidence of the revolutionists. Steps toward the formation of a new government progressed with all possible haste, in order to allay the excitement. The leader of the Liberal party, AvakomoTitch, has been appointed Premier. The «ity of Belgrade is in a state of great exart ement. Although the late King and Queen were unpopular with their subjects, their torrible fate has aroused much public aympathy. It is feared that a revulsion mi feeling will follow and that an attempt ■will be made to depose Ivarageorgeviteh. Several previous attempts were made to assassinate Queen Draga. Since her ascension to the Servian throne her life las been a long series of scandals. Lately, however, it was declared she had been restored to the favor of the King and several of her former favorites were banWted from court. King Alexander and Queen Draga liuschin were assassinated during a military revolution which broke out at 2 •’dock iu the morning in the streets of Belgrade. A proclamation was posted ki the streets shortly afterward stating that their majesties had been shot. The trouble was precipitated by Alexander's iigh -handedness under the intluence of tyseen Draga. Public opinion, especially In army circles, has been sefqhing for months past, and the King's act in stiling the popular voice at the recent election by a forced ministerial success was toe last straw. The first intimation of serious trouble, low ever, was not manifest until Weduesiay night, when murmuring began to be loan!. It gradually increased in volume util, with a roar, the aruiy at 2 o'clock Brake all bounds and''started a revolu-

lioo. The palace was the first point of attack, acd thither the military | na'ob tuabed. Cotinon Give ttie Signal. Cannon were fired as a signal for the aaroage to begin, and the troops' aurlanded the ministerial residences at the aaaie time that they moved on the paiace. After the tragedy at the palace oflqers *all»ped through the streets of th«j city ■dhomtng the news that the King atad bad been killed. According to the best available InforMtisa obtainable from the mass of contsaArtWna the crime wns committed by •rashers of the Sixth infantry, under the nsnriind of Cols. Misqhich and Machin. fW* latter is a brother-in-law of th* late #n»n Drags and minister of public Hdi in the new cabinet. The soldiers appear to hare fought their way into the '■■■Me, shooting down the aid-deicarap m tat 7. Cel. NaumovlCs, although, acnrding to another reraion, the Kins a hot Saumovlc* because he opened the gate nSts assailants, thereby creating ft tusfco of his connivance. Some es the elftev, persons hilled were surprised in 4hrir houses simultaneously with atm their lives, ■■mediately after the assassination of dhe King the mob proclaimed Prince Smgeorgeritch. the pretender. King in Alm.ander’a stead.