The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-13
INSIDE SERVIAN HISTORY
Recent Events the Logical Outcome OF
3 Royal Degeneracy.


Royal Degeneracy.
Chicago, June 13.-The w. E. Curtis
letter in the Chicago Record Herald says:
The recent terrible events are the logt-
cal outcome Of g. long course Of wicked
ness and degeneracy. Alexander was
precocious youth with no moral character
When he was not more than fifteen years
old he fell under the fascination Of Nine.
Draga Maschin, who had been a lady in
waiting to his mother She was an am
bilious and brilliant woman, gifted with
considerable beauty and the daughter of
q cattle dealer in Belgrade named Lun-
jevitza. When only seventeen years Of
age she was married to Colonel Maschin
Of the Servlan army, who obtained a. dt-
vorce from her because of her scandalous
relations with the young king, which be-
gan when he was a mere boy, and since
that time she has resided in the palace
and absolutely controlled him. The dow-s
ager queen, Natalie, again and again at
tempted to bring the boy to his senses and
break off The relations, but Mime. Draga
had more influence than the mother and
actually compelled the latter to leave the
palace and the kingdom of Servia. Natalie
is now residing at Biarritz, very much re-
Gspected and beloved, altho she made her
self very unhappy.
: Draga was naturally anxious to share
the throne with her youthful paramour,
although she was nearly twice his age,
but her high aspirations were stubbornly
opposed by the ministers Of state and the
leading politicians Of Servia. During his
minority Prince Alexander ruled the acoun-
try thru three regents, all venerable and
patriotic men, and it became necessary for
Draga to get rid of them for her own
safety and the success Of her schemes
She found the young king willing tool,
and one night, when he was only seven
teen years old, he invited the regents to
dine at the palace. While they sat at din
ner they were arrested upon a charge Of
treason and thrown into prison, while he
proclaimed himself king. This coup d etat
| was successful, for the army admired the
audactty of the youngster and sustained
| him. He then married his mistress, and
| she has been the most interesting figure In
Servian politics.
| King Alexander was degenerate. He
looked as If he had escaped from an asy-
lum for the depraved, but was by no
means feeble of mind or body. On the
contrary, he had q vigorous constitution
and on two or three occasions showed a
nerve Of power Of command which would
do credit to a great general Unfortunate
| ly, he inherited the depravity Of his
father, the late King Milan, who was
probably the worst ruler Europe had seen
for generation, but at the same time
the son possessed a physical and moral
courage that Milan never displayed.
Draga Maschin, the daughter Of the Ser
Wan cattle dealer, reached the throne by
a series of sacrifices and intrigues more
sensational that have ever occurred out
side Of fiction literature, and yet she was
not happy. For their sins she and her
youthful husband were boycotted by all
the courts of Europe, because Of the vul-
gar comedy by which she reached the
throne; and Queen Victoria was SO dis
gusted that she wanted to emphasize he1
disapproval by withdrawing the British
minister. There have been a good many
scandal In royal families, as every one
knows, but there has been nothing fol
generations so nasty as that Of Servia.
In order to compel Alexander to marry
her, Draga conspired with a French ply
stefan whom she brought from Paris tc
convince her prtnce1y paramo,r that she
was about to give birth to a child, az
the young king, being anxious for an .heil
to the throne. married his mistress Aug
B., 1900. He was then "a years old an6
she was 33. There was great dissatfsfac.
ton turnout the entire country, and the
people, who felt that their king had dis.
graced them as well as himself started
q revolution for the purpose Of placnis
Peter. Karageoreyitch upon the throne
but young Alexander acted; with grea1
courage and sagacity. He succeeded il
ing the parliament and the people to hi:
marriage, and for several years things
moved along smoothly until the lack o.
an heir to the throne began to excite the
politicians, and the conspiracies have
4 since been more frequent than ever.
i Queen Draga desired her brother,
young lieutenant in the Servian army, tt
be proclaimed heir apparent. but the min
istry and the parliament refused. Their,
was sensational scene at the palac,
!; when her plan was disclosed. The boy
name was Oikodem Lunievitza, and h
was said to be a reputable young fellow
I and a good soldier about "a years OF age
!. But he had no claims upon the throne
and nobody wanted him to be king excep
his sister.
Z Her brother being rejected, Queen ORA
ga, who had a fertile mind conceived tn
! idea of offering the successorship to Rus
STA as the price Of the social recognition
Of herself and her husband at the court o
st. Petersburg They were boycotted a
: every court in Europe. No king or quee,
J or prince Of any other royal family eve
. visited Servia, and the king and queen o
: Servia were never invited to any OF tn
other capitals of Europe. They have bee
regarded as outcasts ever since the trio
with the French physician by which Drag
| obtained her seat upon the throne. Sh
B WAS confident that IL the imperial famil
) Of Russia took them UP that the rest q