Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-01-02

broke down on their way back to Bel
grade and the news OF their crime
preceded them. The minister of war
took prompt action, arrested the as
sassins and locked them up in the
dungeons of the citadel
The plot proved to be widespread.
Several members OF the Karageorge
| family were convicted of completely
and put to death. but there was no
direct evidence against Peter, who
then, as now, was living quietly at
I.ucerne, Switzerland engaged in
scientific pursuits His late wife,
Zorka. was daughter of the reign
ing Prince OF Montenegro, and he has
two sons in the Russian army. He is
now an old man. but. like Don Carlos
of Spain and the Duke of Orleans of
France, is a recognized 'pretender."
and his name is always used by the
outs as shibboleth when they are
trying to raise a revolution
The national assembly placed Mil
an w. on the throne. and in 1869 he
was crowned. While getting his edu-
cation in Paris he had acquired hab-
its of luxury. gambling and dissIpa-
ton. which untitled him for the re-
sponsibility of ruling a primitive and
a restless country like Servia. His
love of pleasure, his low tastes. reck-
less extravaganza and selfish disposi-
tion were his ruin. He squandered
the nations money and lost his pri-
vate fortune at cards. His wife.
Natalie Keskho daughter of a col
onel in the Russian army, was com
PEELED to leave him and was finally
granted a divorce. Their domestic
troubles and the scandals of the Ser
vian court for dozen years during
the reign of Milan furnished gossip
for all Europe. and finally, enervated
by dissipation and despised by his
subjects and all decent people. he nh
dicated in 1889 in favor of his son
Alexander, a lad of 13 who is now
KingsW Servia.
This precocious youth, when not
more than Is years old, fell under
the fascinations of Nine Draga Mas
chin, who had been lady in waiting
to his mother. She is an ambitious
and brilliant woman. gifted with con
siderable beauty and the daughter OF
a cattle dealer in Belgrade named
Lunjevitza. When she was only IT
or is she married Colonel Maschin.
an engineer in the Servian army, who
obtained a divorce from her because
| of her scandalous relations with the
young king. which began when he
was a mere boy, and since that time
she has resided in the palace and his
absolutely controlled him. His moth
er. the Dowager Queen Natalie, at
tempted to bring the lad to his SEN
| ses and break off the relations, but
Nine. Draga had more influence than
| the mother, and actually compelled
| the latter to leave the palace and
kingdom of Servia. Natalie is resid-
ing at Biarritz, very much respected
and beloved by many people, although
she made herself unhappy and ex-
cited much hostility among the Ser
Wan politicians by her sympathy with
Russia and her desire to bring Ser
via within the Russian influence.
| Whatever may have been said of her
political imDrudence. her character
has never been questioned.
| ,Draga was ambitious to share the
throne with her youthful lover, al
though she was nearly twice his age,
but her aspirations have been stub
bornly opposed by the ministers IT
state and the leading politicians of
Servia. After the abdication OF his
father, Prince Alexander. during his
minority, ruled the country through
three regents. all venerable aud
patriotic men, but IL became neces-
sary for Draga to get rid of them for
her safety and the success cf her
schemes. She found the young king
a willing tool. and one night. when
he was only II years old, he invited
the regents to the palace, and while
they sat at dinner they were arrested
upon charge of treason and thrown
into prison. while he proclaimed him
self king. This coup d etat was sue
cessful, for the army admired the
audacity of the youngster and sus-
tanned him. He has since married
his mistress, and she remains as in
fiuential as ever. the most interest
ing and conspicuous figure in Servian
politics