The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-26

and so forth.
Within a twelve month reports were
heard OF orgies In which this boy OF
eighteen sought to rival his wicked father.
His chief evil genius was Colonel Ciric, an
aide-de-camp. who Encouraged. him to
drink without limit and to consort with
low perosns. It Is generally believed that
Milan abetted Ciric
As Alexander plunged into debauchery
he gave mp bodily exercise ana was seen
| no more In the open He lost his good
looks and robustness and took on siclxly
| obesity.
At one time he was much in the society
Of an Italian music hall singer named
Bendetti. For her use he borrowed his
mothers Jewels. whe npressurde was
brought on the wonsah to return them.
Ex-Queen Nathalie had to pay a large
sum Of money in order to get them back.
1t is not necessary to go into the de-
tails OF Alexander's downfall He sue
cumbed to all the cheap temptations his
position placed in his way. He went the
pace that kills. but he did 1t in a most
gross and unromantic manner.
Any visitor to Belgrade may see the
young king at the table guzzling bottle af-
ter bottle of Burgundy, champagne and
brandy. He eats but little, for even his
courtiers are afraid that the public should
hear of his table manners.
The recent history Of Servia might be
regarded as a prolonged opera bouffe uer-
Torrance II 1t were not for the large ele-
ment of tragedy that enters into II.
The family of which King Iexander and
his ather Milan belong was founded BY
Milos Obrenovich. a swine herder, who be-
came prince Of Servia in 1929 He was a
successful leader in the war against Tur-
key which had been carried on by the Ser
vians since 1859
King Milan was a grandson Of the swine
herd Milos's half brother. His uncdle,
Prince Michael, was assasinated in 1853.
and Milan, then a child, was taken from
his nurse in the Luxembourg gardens in
Paris and made prince.
In 1875 he married Nathalie, daughter of
Colonel Kechko, Of the Russian army. and
and OF the Roummanian Princess
Stourdza- Colonel Kechko was immensely
rich. eli gave dowrey of 5000. 600 to his
daughter, Nathalie, but he secured two
thirds of 1t to her.
Nathalie was great beauty. Her only
rival among the royal women of Europe
was the late empires Of Austria The
Russian girl had wonderful black hair.
black eyes, a brilliant complexion and a
slperb figure.
In 1852 Prince Milan was proclaimed king
of Servia and inaugurated a liberal con-
stitution. Nathalie of course, became
queen.
~.
with an Oriental disregard for his beauti-
full wife's rights and feelings. Every year
and every month, fouid him more outrag-
eous. He brought favorite after favorite
into the palace and acted without the
least regard to the queens dignity.
He brought an entire company OF chorus
girls from Vienna to his palace and en-
tertained them for a week under the eyes
OF his wife.
She invoked the help Of the Austrian
representative and thereby embittered the
situation. In 1888 Milan divorced her and
expelled her from the country.
Then he Kidnapped her son, Alexander,
at Weisbaden and carried him on by
force to Belgrade. The next year he was
forced to abdicate, because the country
debts then amounted to s2.OOO.O0 and he
raised money by selling decorations and
left.
Young Alexander was made king under
regency. For a time Milan lived in
Paris. where his conduct was as disgrace
full as at home. He was expelled from a
club for cheating at cards and was con-
stantly seen drunk in public.
Eventually he returned to Servia and
had himself made commander in chief of
the army, position which he stillholds,
and which gives him the supreme power
In the country.
His crowning infamy has been to pre-
vent his son from seeing his mother.
The ruin of young Alexander is a natur-
al sequence to the education and exam
pie furnished by such father.