Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-04-20
REGENTS ARE LOCKED UP
THE KING OF SERvIA MAKES A
SAREWD MOVE.
The Youthful Ruler Has His Minis
tiers and Regents Arrested
and Gives 1t Out That
He viii Run the
Government.
Can Do Without Them.

Belgrade, April 15.-A bloodless coup
d'etat was effected here last night. and
King Alexander l.. the youthful ruler
of Servia, who has heretofore governed
the country through regents. to-day
rules in his own name. A grand ban
Quet was given at the palace last night
to celebrate King Alexander's success
in passing the examination prescribed
for Servian students. NJ. Ristcs and
Gen. Belimarkovic. the regents. and all
the ministers of state were present, as
We're also i large number of the friends
and supporters of the regents. For
many months past the situation in Ser
| via has been critical. owing to the abuse
of their power by the regents and state
officials. Affairs had become so bad
that the king determined to take the
reinS in his own hands. In accordance
with this determination plans were Sc
cretly laid by means of which the re-
gents and the ministry would be ousted
without opportunity for opposition. I'm
suspectingly. therefore, the ministers
attended the banquet. and while they
We're enjoying themselves ut the palace.
detachments of soldiers and bodies of
police took possession of the ministers
houses, and occupied the government
buildings. At midnight while the festivi-
ties We're still in progress, King Alexan-
der proclaimed that he had attained his
majority and that he had assumed, with
the Skuptschina, the government of the
country. AS n matter of fact the king
had not attained his majority. According
to the Servian law he does not become of
age until he is eighteen years old. and as
he was born Aug. II. 1876. he will not be
eighteen for considerably over a year.
When the deposed ministers and regents
heard the proclamation they were dumb
founded. The king and his advisers
acted with great promptitude, and sol
diers, who were in waiting, at once
placed the regents and ministers under
arrest. and they were sent to rooms
which had been prepared for them in the
palace. where they are under guard.
The Servian army is loyal to the king.
Had it not been the coup d'etat would
not have been possible. After the issu-
ing of the proclamation. but long before
daybreak, the king proceeded to the bar
racks. where the troops were under arms,
and was received with joyous acclama-
tons, and many expressions of loyalty.
The proclamation. when Will ne issued
everywhere in the country to-day, bears
the kings signature. In it Alexander de-
clares that the constitution has been
lately in sore jeopardy. the rights of citi-
zens imperiled and the constitutional po-
sition of parliament so abused that the
king must end the unhappy condition of
affairs. He therefore declares that he
has become of age and has assumed king
ly power. Henceforth, the proclamation
adds. the Servian constitution acquires
its full significance. The regents have
been deposed, the cabinet dismissed, and
new ministry appointed. Nj. Dokitch is
the new prime minister.
This morning the king issued a decree
diHsolving the skuptschina, and writs for
new elections have been sent to the vari-
GUS constituencies. This latter fact shows
that the preparations for the coup d'etat
| must have been completed some time ago.