The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-21

The regents having exiled themselves of Milan next exiled the queen mother On May 1O 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 ves- sel was waiting to carry her out of Ser via she was rescued by a band of stu dents, who took her back to her residence and afterward defended it. Soldiers were, however, brought upon the scene, and after several conflicts in which many persons were killed and wounded, Ma talie was in the early morning of the following day seized and taken to the railway station, whence she was sent by train into Austria Hungary.
 King Alexanders reign was less diff- cult after the removal of his father and mother from the kingdom. In 1891 he vis- tied the ezar at St. Petersburg and the emperor of Austria. He was well re- ceived in both capitals.
 On the night of April 14 1S93 when Alexander was II years old, he summarily abolished the regency, apparently being forced to do SD by political circumstances.
 For many months the situation in Ser via had been critical owing to the abuse of their power by the regents and state
 
 king determined to take the reins in his own hands. In accordance with this de- termination, plans were secretly laid by means of which the regents and the min istry would be busted without opportuni- ty for opposition. Unsuspectingly they attended the banquet, and while they were enjoying themselves at the palace detach- ments of soldiers and bodies of police took possession of the ministers houses and occupied the government 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 pow CT I thank you heartily for the trouble you have taken. I now feel able to ad- minister the power myself, and will exer- else it from this moment. l beg you, therefore immediately to hand me your resignations."
 M. 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 demand the resignation of the ministers.
 When the deposed regents and ministers heard the proclamation they were dumb founded. The king and his advisers acted with great promptitude, and soldiers who were in waiting at once placed the re- gents and ministers under arrest and they were kent to rooms which had been pre- pared for them in the palace.
 After issuing the proclamation, and long before daybreak, the king proceeded to the barracks, where the troops were under arms, and was received with joyous acclamations and many expressions of loyalty.
 In the year 1900 King Alexander started on tour of Europe in search of a bride. -t4- T -rra AL .aT T4- experiences were highly discouraging. He saw the king of the Belgians and was coldly but politely informed that he need not look for a wife there.
 The king even attempted to secure a rich American bride, but his efforts in this direction were as futile as they had been everywhere else.
 It is at this point in the reign of King Alexander that the woman Draga Mas chin entered the history of Servia and be- gan the career of petty intrigue that end ed with her assassination.
 Draga Maschin years before had made Alexander her slave. She was a voluptu- ary and he a degenerate She ruled his life absolutely, and he was only too will ing to make her queen of Servia. Alexander assembled his ministers and announced that he proposed to marry Draga Maschin. He printed the an- nouncement in the official gazette. It raised a storm in the country. The cabi- net ministers protested violently. They told the king the consequences of his act might ruin the dynasty.
 "I am the king" said Alexander proudly, land I can marry whom I please Attend to your duties and do not meddle with my private affairs' With that he dismissed them. They went away and resigned in body. Ex-King Milan, who was then general in the Servian army, was at Carlsbad taking the waters for his hopeless liver when he heard of his sons determination He immediately started for Servia, swear ing that he would prevent his son from marrying at all costs. He had a large following in the army and might have caused trouble. King Alexander ordered him to be stopped at the frontier. Ex- King Milan resigned his command in the Servian army. At the same time his mother, Queen Natalie, cut Alexander out of her will and left her large fortune to the church.
 From the day of his marriage to Queen Draga King Alexander rapidly fell in the estimation of his people. The door of every royal house in Europe was closed in his face.
 Alexander was the last of the Obreno- witch family, and his union with Queen Draga was childless. Draga attempted to secure the succession of the throne to her brother That was the beginning of the end. Alexander's life, that of his queen, his ministers. and his household, went out in the final tragedy in the pal !