Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-13
THE SERVIAN HORROR.


took an active part in it:
Army officers to the number of 90
having formed a project of revolt
among them being delegates from almost
every garrison in Servia, and the ma
iority of the officers of the Sixth Regi-
ment, Lieutenant Colonel Mitscbitsch
invited his comrades on Wednesday
evening at IL O'Clock to meet in the
Kalimagdan, and there the immediate
carrying out of the intended deed was
organized. At 40 a. m, the officers,
in eight groups, went to the KOnak the
royal palace. Each had cue and es-
pecial directions regarding his part in
the revolution. In the Konak Palace
itself the revolutionists had two import
ant partsans in the kings bodyguard-
Col. Alexander Machin, Queen Draga''
cousin mot brother-inlaw), and the
kings personal adjutant, Lieutenant
Naumovics. Two officers Of the High
Military Academy appeared at the ap-
pointed hour-2 a. mat the
gate of the Konak, where the
kings adjutant, Ponajotovic, who
was in the conspiracy, handed them the
keys to the garden gate, which il
always kept locked. First, stepping
before the guard at the Konak, one o.
the two officers called. 'ThroV
down your arms" A fight ensued, wi Il
shooting on both sides, in which sever
persons were wounded The revolution
aries then entered the front garden with
out hindrance and reached the courtyard
of the old Konak, where Lieutenant
Naumovics was awaiting. He opened
the lock of the iron door leading to the
front room on the first floor. BY this il
was seen that the K0nak was carefully
closed and that danger was suspected
Harrying up stairs to the first floor, the
revolving officers attracted the attention
of the palace attendants and the royal
couple by the noise of shooting. Lieut.
Lavar Petrogitch, alarmed by the un-
wonted habbub, hurried forward, 3
draw revolver in one hand and in the
other a sword. "What do you want"
he cried. "ShOw US where the king and
queen are" came the reply. "Back !"
cried PetrOvitch, and at the same mo-
ment ball stretched him on the ground
The revolutionaries pressed forward,
when suddenly the electric lights gave
out. All stood in darkness. In the
greatest excitement, and feeling their
way, the reyolutionaries climbed the
stairs and got into the dark anteroom to
the kings apartment. Here they
found candles and light them. This
seemingly slight circumstance was
decisive to the whole action. Without
light they corld have found the victims,
who fed from the sleeping apartment
through corridors and numerous rooms
and might have escaped, but part of the
officers, with burning candles and Others
with pistols commenced to search for the
royal couple. In breathless haste the
conspiratOrs ran through the rooms,
opened wardrobes and looked behind cur.
tains in vain. In the anteroom connect
ing with the corridor between the old
and new KOnak the sergeant of the gem
darmes was sleeping Awakening, he
stepped before the reyolutionists, who
felled him. AT last Queen Draga's SER
want was found. He wounded Captain
Dimitrevic severely, but was spared be-
cause he was needed in finding the fee
ing couple Indeed, this servant showed
the officers where King Alexander and
Queen Draga had gone to secrete them
selves. When he had told this he was
shot. Colonel Maschin now joined the
revolutiOnists and led them back to the
sleeping apartment, where the Kings ad-
iutant tried to hinder the search. He
shot at Lieutenant Naumovics, who fell
dead. The others killed the adjutant.
After long search a small door leading in
o an alcove WAS discovered, but was found
locked. 1t was broken in with an axe,
and here the royal couple were found in
undress. The older officers first intended
forcing the King to abdicate, but the
Young officers were in no mood to be
held back, and fired at the royal couple.
Nobody knows in the excitement who
fired first, but ii is generally said it was
Lieutenant Kistics. After the murder
King Alexander's body was found en-
tirely covered with b'ood. That Of Queen
Draga was badly torn by bullets. The
report that the bodies were thrown out
of the window into the garden is untrue.
The young officers intended to do so, but
Colonel Maschin prevented it, exclai n
ing "That would be barbarous." All
the servants of the royal couple fled when
the first shots were heard, with the ex-
ception of Queen Draga's servant, who
was found dead. At PIP all was over.
Colonel Maschin issued from the gate OF
the Konak, around which great crowds
had collected, and made a speech, say
ing, "We have now destroyed the dyn-
nasty Of the Obrenovics, and have got rid
of the dishOnorable woman who was the
Kings evil spirit. Long live Servia !"
The people responded "Loug live the
army ~