The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-16
KNEEL1SG, BEGGED FOR MERCY
This Story Makes the Tragedy at Belgrade one
of Supreme Horror.

Semlin Hungary June 13-F'rom an in
innate personal friend of the new Pre-
mier of the Servian provisional govern
ment, Avakumovics, the Associated Press
correspondent has received the following
account of the tragedy in Belgrade, which
he is assured is absolutely authentic.
These facts will be set forth in one off
cial protocol which has not yet been
drafted, owing to the pressure of State
business.
Six weeks ago one of the officers in
the secret warned the King of what was
going On, when all the officers concerned
were transferred to points in the interior.
the King fearing to take stronger meas
ures against them About the same time
certain lady was sent to Geneva to see
Prince Peter Karageorgevitch and submit
to him a proposition that he come to
servia as King upon his agreeing to &C
cept a new constitution based upon lib
eral principles. Prince Peter accepted the
conditions.
A number of officers came to Belgrade
from interior posts on the night of the
tragedy and supped together at the Ser
bische Kron restaurant, where the final
details were arranged At midnight they
proceeded from the restaurant to the
palace and forced the door leading to the
royal apartments, using dynamite. When
the officers entered they could find no
body, the King and Queen, alarmed by
the noise of their approach, having con-
cealed themselves. For two whole hours
the officers hunted through every nook
and corner of the royal apartments with
out success Then they found the Kings
adjutant, Luzar Petrovitch and compelled
him to lead them to the Kings hiding
place. He took them to the bath room
and pointed to a secret door in the wall
opening upon a staircase leading to the
roof. Behind this door crouched the King
and Queen. When the conspirators were
assured of their prey, they promptly shot
and killed the adjutant.
Meanwhile the King fell upon his knees
and begged for life, offering to yield to
every demand and to sign any document,
agree to leave the country or to send
Queen Draga away-anythlng and every
thing if only they would not kill him
The officers answered roughly, '.it is
too late" and fired at him.
The Queen also fell on her knees and
asked pardon for her conduct, but one of
the officers, calling her a degrading
epithet. told her she had been Queen long
enough.
A HIDEOUS CRIME CONSUMMATED.
One of the consplrators, after submit
ting the Queen to gross indignities, slashed
her with his sword and the other Off
GERS fired at her.
The King was also slashed with sabres
The conspirators then dragged the King
and Queen INTO the front apartments and
threw them over the balcony upon the
lawn in front of the palace, which is
separated from the street by an open iron
fence The King and Queen lived for one
or two hours afterwards.
Meanwhile two Of the officers summoned
the Queens two brothers from their
home to the house of the commander
of the Belgrade division, where they were
offered a glass of water and told to bid
each other farewell. In the very moment
they embraced each other, the officers
shot and killed them.
One hundred soldiers commanded by
two officers, at the same time surrounded
the house of Minister of War Pavlovltch
and summoned him to open the door.
The minister looked from a window and
the soldiers fired at him, wounding him.
The Russian military attache, who lived
in the same house, hearing the NOISE rose
and dressed himself in his Russian uni
form and attempted to remove the min
lister to his apartments. The officers or
dered him to go away, and he, seeing
the hopelessness of the situation depart
ed. The soldiers then entered the house
and shot and killed the minister.
Since the tragedy occurred the facts
of an attempt upon the persons of the
King and Queen a month ago have be-
come known. The conspirators at chat
time engaged the services OF a young
Bohemian, the son of a tailor living in
Belgrade He obtained a position in the
royal kitchen. One evening, while pre-
pairing a dish for the King, he mixed pois-
on with the food. The head cook de-
tected him in the act and promptly in
formed the King and the youth was shot
Immediately.
Since the first excitement caused by
the news of the assassination subsidized,
Belgrade has been remarkably quiet. The
shops are open and the people sit IN
the cafes and everything is as usual
except that the public buildings and pri-
vate houses are decorated with Servian
flags. The latter fact. however, is no
indication of the real public sentiment
since in this part of the world such dem
onstrations usually result from official
instructions which private citizens find
it unwise to disregard.
Prince Peter is expected to arrive in
Belgrade Wednesday morning.
Today's Belgrade papers which are en-
| tirely controlled bv the government. de-
oIared unequvocally for Prince Peter
Karageorgevitch.