The daily sentinel., 1903-06-13
TRAGIC END.

The murder of King Alexander and
Queen Draga of Servia puts tragic
close to one of the most scandalous
reigns in Europe. Alexander was the
son of the notorious King Milan.
whose reign was a stencil in the nos
trils of all Europe. So corrupt did he
become that Milan was forced to alb
dictate in 1889 in favor of his son, who
was then 13. Even at this early age
Alexander had begun his relations
with Draga Maschin, waiting woman
for his mother. Madame Maschin,
the wife of colonel in the Servian
army, was of low birth, but had a
great command over the boy. She was
twice his age, and possessed oyerween-
ing ambition to rule. Her husband
secured divorce because of her scan
dalous conduct with the king. Queen
Natalie. for trying to break off the
affair. was banished.
When II, Alexander. who had been
reignlng through regency, had his
ministers arrested and seized the
throne. He then married his mis-
tress. Since that time the conduct of
the court has been the talk of the
world. Queen Draga failed to bear
an heir to the throne and tried to
palm off her sisters baby as her own.
When this ruse failed she attempted to
have her brother made heir-apparent.
Alexander was degenerate and the
queen really ruled. E One time it was
reported that she had committed sui
eide. but this turned out to have been
an attempt to cover up one of the sew
eral attempts to assassinate her. At
one time she slapped the kings ears
in public, accusing him of improper
relations with her sister.
During all this time the people
had been growing more and more res
tive. AT last the flame burst out and
there was open revolt. the result of
which is the murder by the army of
both the king and queen and the
proclamation of Peter Karageorge
witch. who has long been a pretender
to the throne, as king. With the
death of Alexander ends the Ohreno-
witch dynasty. which has been marked
by degeneracy and scandal throughout
its entire occupancy of the throne.
Servia is small state. only kept in
existence through the rivalry of Aus
tria and Russia. Its affairs are con-
tinually corrupted by the efforts of
these two powers to gain petty ad-
vantages over the other. Its people
are ignorant, but fierce and passionate
when aroused. 1t is thus kept in n
state of perpetual turmoil, and the
further fact that it has been reigned
over by family of imbeciles and
than that of even the average king
ridden European state.
Notwithstanding these facts, the
present murder comes as shock to
the entire civili .ed world. 1t cannot
but go down as one of the darkest roy
al chapters in the history of modern
Europe. What effect it may have on
the future of Servia, and indirectly
upon Austria and Russia, is yet un-
certain. The new king will probably
be acknowledged by both powers.
however, and matters will go on as
before.
Thus do the Vaccinations of an aw
full and immoral woman come to an
end. She gave her character, her hus-
band and her peace of mind to secure
power, only to be robbed of all its
fruits and finally of life. Disgracad.
despised, hated by her subjects. snub-
bed by all other royalty, and finally
murdered by her own army, her lot is
not one that sheds particular glamour
over the station OF queen. Rocky
Mountain News.