The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-06-19

exhausted The patience of the Servian
people, Milan faced the alternative of
abdication or certain assassination. He
chose the former and made bargain
with his people. They paid him $4,000
900 and he gave up his throne
/ Alexander l. mounted the throne on
March 6, 1889, at the age of thirteen
years. He had loved his mother, who
was the idol of the Servian people, and
therefore the Servians loved him. Three
| regents were selected to rule in his name
until he should become of age.
They were Gen. Belimarkovic, M. Ris-
tics and Mr., Provitch. They began their
regency under the most favorable cir
| cumstances. The country was at peace
and the people contented. Queen Natalie
was brought back to Belgrade and given
a palace The reign of the boy king
had opened auspiciously.
The exiled Milan, however, persistently
interfered in the politics of Servia, and
the country was soon in a turmoil. Queen
Natalie's hand was felt in the political
affairs of the kingdom and between the
intrigues of Milan and the interference
of Natalie the Servian population was
| brought to the verge of civil war.
They knew he could be bought with mon
ey, for once before he had been induced
to sell his throne. A bargain was finally
made. The regents restored to Milan
the property which had been confiscated
when Milan went into voluntary exile.
Milan promptly mortgaged it or sold it.
The regents further paid Milan $l,0OO,OOO
in cash from the Servian treasury. In
return for all this Milan agreed never to
cross the Servian frontier and abandon
ed his citizenship. This was on April
IA, 1891.
The regents having rid themselves of
Milan, next eXiled the Queen Mother. On
May 10, 1891, they formally requested
Queen Natalie to leave the kingdom. She
refused. Eight days later an effort was
made to expel her. She was seized at
her palace in Belgrade, but while she was
being conveyed to the quay where YES
sci was waiting to carry her out of
Servia, she was rescued by band of
students, who took her back to her resi-
dence and afterward defended it. Sol
diers were, however, brought upon the
scene and after many persons were Kill
led and wounded, Natalie was in the
early morning of the following day seized
and taken to the railway station, whence
she was sent by train into Austria Hun
gary.
King Alexander's reign was less diff
cult after the removal of his father and
mother from the kingdom. In 1891 he
visited the Car at St. Petersburg and
Emperor of Austria He was well re-
received in both capitals.
On the night of April Ia, 1898, when
Alexander was seventeen years old, he
summarily abolished the regency, appar-
emily being forced to do so by political
circumstances.
For many months the situation in
Servia had been critical owing to the
abuse of their power by the regents and
state officials. Affairs had become so
bad 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 regents
and the ministry would be ousted with
out opportunity for opposition. Unsus-
pectingly they attended the banquet, and
while they were enjoying themselves at
the palace detachments of soldiers and
bodies of police took possession of the
ministers houses and occupied the gov
eminent buildings.
Eight were seated at dinner, the King
presiding. After the third course the
King rose and said to the regents:
Gentlemen: For four years you, in
my name, have administered the kingly
power. thank you heartily for the
trouble you have taken. now feel able
to administer the power myself, and will
exercise it from this moment. 1 beg
you, therefore, Immediately to hand me
your designations"
NJ. Ristics replied that he could not
and would not comply with the Kings
request, which was contrary to the con-
stitution. The King thereupon left the
room and sent an aide de camp to de-
mand the resignation of the ministers.
When the deposed regents and minis
tiers heard the proclamation they were
dumfounded. 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