Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-27
SCANDAL IN sERVIA.
Alexander May Divorce Queen Drasa
and Marry Her Sister.


| and Marry Her Sister.
! Chicago, May 27.-AWilliam E. Curtis
in a Washington special to the Record
Herald says:
a new story comes from Belgrade.
which is the scene of frequent sensa-
tons. You will remember perhaps thai
in my letters from Servia, year ago
told you about King Alexander. the
degenerate. and his queen Draga,
drover's daughter, who persuaded him
TO marry her and elevate her to the
throne after Il conspiracy that was as
bold and exciting as that of the Pris-
oner of Zenda. Ii George McCutcheon
would take up the plot for story he
could give us something even better
than "Graustarlk" or Castle Craney-
crow" AS is often the case after mar
riages brought about by fraud and de-
ception, Alex and Draga have had
frightful quarrels and have been ac-
cused of trying to kill themselves and
each other. Nobody respects them,
nobody cares anything about them;
they are not received at any court in
Europe and the empress of Russia re-
Gently refused to invite them to visit
her country palace, altho they offered
to allow her to name the heir to their
throne if she would do so.
You may expect to hear anything
any day from the palace at Belgrade.
Within that ornate and expensive build
ing are plenty of materials for trag-
edies, comedies and farces which are
likely to be enacted at any time. The
latest event was in the nature of
farce. 1t appears that Queen Draga,
realizing that her influence over her
husband was waning. decided to bring
reinforcements in the shape of her
sister. who is described as beautiful
young woman about is years old VIII /,
has seen very little of the world but is
conscious of her own attractions.
The scheme worked differently than
Draga had planned, for within month
the king was head over heels in love
with his sister in-law and was so
devoted in his attentions that the queen
became jealous and tried to send her
sister back home.
The king would not allow the girl to
go. He insisted that she should remain
in the palace. and Queen Draga found
her nose very badly out of joint. One
evening not long ago she discovered his
majesty and her pretty sister making
love to each other so ardently that she
could not restrain her temper and 1t
is said that she scratched the kings
face so badly that he was unable to
attend the usual reception to the dip
lomatic corps and the members of par
lament on the following day. 1t is
now reported that Alexander will apply
to parliament for divorce. After
getting rid of Draga, he intends of
course, to marry her sister. If they
We're ordinary people such an event
would not be regarded seriously, but
in Servia it becomes Il matter of pol
itics, because there is no heir to the
throne and no prospect of one. The
doctors have said that Queen Draga
can not have child. and the failure
of the king to provide a successor to the
throne is of serious Importance. There
fore a divorce is encouraged by the
Servian ministry: first because of a
hope that second wife may have chill
dren; and second, because everybody
in authority hates Queen Draga and
would be glad to have her driven out
OF the palace.