The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-06-14
Authentic Version Of Tragedy
Given Out By the New
Premier Of SerEIa
ALEXANDER PROMISED ALL
TO Be SPARED DEATH
Shocking lndIenltles inflicted on Royal
couple-Thrllllne Story of the
Search and the Burial Scene
In the Palace.

Semlin, Hungary, June i3.-From an In
Innate friend of Ava Kumovics, new
premier of the servian provisional gov
ernment the Associated Press correspon-
dent has received the following account
of the tragedy In Belgrade, and he Is as
sured that it is authentic. These facts Will
be set forth in an official 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 go
ing 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 woman was sent to Geneva TO
see Prince Peter Karageorgevitch and
submit to him a proposal that he go 10
Servia as king on his agreeing to accept
new constitution based on liberal prin-
ciples. Prince Peter accepted the condi-
tions As soon as the conspirators OBJ
tained this assurance that the kingdom
would have new sovereign, they decided
to kill King Alexander and Queen -Draga.
law, was the leader Of the conspiracy.
Officers Assemble.
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 e.
At midnight they proceeded from the
~ nd
door leading to the royal apartments
using dynamite. When the officers enter
ed they could find nobody, the king and
quesh, alarmed BY the noise e the at
tack, having concealed themselves. For
two hours the officers hunted through
every nook and corner Of the royal apart
ments without success. They then found
the kings adjutant, Lazar Petrovics, 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 on 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.
King Begged for Life.
Meanwhile the king fell on his knees
and begged for life, offering to yield to
every demand, sign any document to agree
to leave the country, or to send Queen
Draga away, anything everything, If
they would not kill him.
The officers answered roughly, Its too
late" and fired at him. The queen also
fell on herR knees and asked pardon for
her conduct, but one of the officers, call
ing her degrading name told her she
had been queen long enough.
One of the conspirators, after submit
ting the queen to gross indignities,
slashed her with his sword and the other
officers fired at her.
The king was also slashed with sabers.
Bodies Thrown Over Balcony.
The conspirators then dragged the king
and queen into the front apartments and
threw them over the balcony onto the
lawn in front Of the palace. which is
separated from the street by an open iron
gate. The king and queen lived for one
and two hours afterwards.
Meanwhile two of the officers sum-
moned the queens two brothers from
their homes to the house OF the COM
mander of the Belgrade division, where
they were offered 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 Palovics |
snd summoned him to open the door. The
minister looked from a window and the
soldiers fired at him, wo'rclng him. The
Russian military attache, who lived in
the same house. heard the noise, rose,
dressed himself in his Russian uniform,
and attempted to remove the minister to
his apartments. The officers ordered him
to go away and he departed, seeing the
~ he on
diers then entered the house and shot
and killed the minister, whose body was
left on the floor and was not discovered
until 10 o'clock in the morning, when it
was found by his son-in-law and his |
daughter. who had escaped.
A Previous Attempt
Since the tragedy occurred the real |
facts Of an attempt on the persons Of the |
king and queen, a month ago, have be- |
come known. The consprators at that |
time engaged the services of a young Bo- |
hemian, the son Of a tailor living in |
Belgrade. He obtained a position In the |
kitchen of the Grand hotel of Belgrade |
to learn cookery. He proved so intelli- |
gent that little later he was given en-
ployment In the royal kitchen.
Here again he proved efficient and was
entrusted with the duty Of preparing the
food for the royal table. One evening |
while preparing a dish for the king, he |
mixed poison with the food. The head |
cook detected him in the act and promptly |
informed the king and the youth was |
shot Immediately. His parents were |
brought to the palace and told the facts of |
the case and were compelled under
threats of death TO tell everybody that |
their son had killed himself. Since the |
tragedy, the youths parents have revealed |
the plot.