The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-24

former ruler, and it was limited several
months ago that the ministers would not
tolerate his return from exile The reappear-
ance OF Milan at Belgrade may be partly
Que TO the fact that the discre6ited monarch
mas recently Inherited many millions of
HORNS, the fortune of the late Baron Batch
heir of Michael III of Servia uncle of
Milan, who WIS assassinated in 1868, and
VINO was 4liiafls predecessor on the throne
or SerNi4. Milan is PROBABLY the most
profiigats Of all the European royalties, and
has been classed as the greatest spendthrift
ia Europe. He is said 80 have owed 10000
GOO francs when he was compelled to re-
sign the throne of Servia in favor of his
son, and is alleged to have borrowed money
from everybody within mis- reach while sell
Ing crosses and stars TO anybody willing to
purchase them. The palace at Belgrade I'M
der King Milan was looked upon being
nothing more than a gamblers resort and
a meeting place for women. The King on
one occasion brought a whole company Of
burlesquers to the palace and kept them
there in festive style for a time, and on an
other occasion he is alleged 10 have similar
~ entertained the chorus Of a Vienna opera
company.
His wife, Queen Natalie, had put up with
q great deal, but the advent Of the Vienna
chorus girls was more than she could en-
dure. and she caused so much trouble that
his Majesty eventually caused her to be
PEELED from Servia, and this action on his
part had q great deal to do with bringing
about his own forced abdication. For this
he was paid a large sum of money, and he
promptly proceeded to Paris. Nice and Lon
don, where he gambled and enjoyed himself
to the utmost limit In Paris the ex-King
was expelled from club for cheating at
cards, and he made himself more notorious
by lavishing money on a dancer well known
to the gay world of all the capitals of
Europe.
When DIilan's money was gone his course
of dissipation received a check, and in his
efforts to secure further funds he threat
ened TO return to Servia. The mere sugges-
ton raised such a storm at Belgrade that
King Alexander was compelled to raise
gslm of money sufficient to bride his father
- -fo arxrin cir me
the ex-king has succeeded in procuring
large sums in other quarters, and through
these practices he has succeeded in enjoy
ing life in his peculiar way in the green
rooms and gambling dens of every part OF
Europe. When ne inherited the fortune of
the late Baron Batch it was intimated that
he would surely enter upon another PERIOD
of extravaganza and dissipation, but he
seems to have decided to take a hand in the
politics of Servia for change.
King Alexander OF Servia, who was born
Aug. Is, 1876, was proclaimed King by his
father on the latter's abdication March g.
1889 the country remaining under regency
until Alexander should attain his majority
eighteen years of age. But on April IL, 1873
when he was seventeen years old, Alex
ander took the royal authority into his own
hands, and from that time on 1T may be
said he has been searching all over Europe
for wife, If reports are to be believed,
Alexander is worthy son of Milan. AT
seventeen he was bearded and generally pre-
cocious beyond precedent. Rumor has 1t
that the son shared the fathers gay life In
Paris.
At various times King Alexander has
been reported as either engaged or upon the
point of being engaged to number of the
princesses of Europe, but each report has
been in turn denied, and no princess has yet
been found willing to accept the throne OF
Seryia The Princess Sibylle of Hesse-Cas-
sell the Princess Helen of Montenegro ana
the Princess Marie of Greece are among
those who have recently been mentioned as
having been selected by Alexander to grace
his throne.