Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-06-20

Belgrade (By Cable).-A military
conspiracy. which subsequent events
show had the sympathy OF the ma
jority OF the Servian people, was car
ried ont i'll the early hours OF We'd
nesday morning. and King Alexander.
Queen Draga. her two brothers and
several ministers were asSassinatcd.
Prince Peter karageorgcvitch. the
pretender to the throne. has been pro-
claimed king by the army. and there
is every reason TO believe that this de-
cision will be confirmed by the Scrvian
Parliament
The victims OF the assassins were:
King Alexander.
Queen Draga.
The Queens two brothers.
Premier Markovitch.
The Minister OF War.
One other minister
Two aides-dc-camp and two other
officers.
The revolution was executed without
any opposition on the part OF the peo-
pie OF Belgrade. and the capital and
country remain tranquil.
While the main outlines oi the events
which took place within the royal pal
ace are known, the details are conflict
ing. owing to the extraordinary secrecy
with with the plot was contrived and
carried out The chief conspiratorS
were all men OF high rank who acted
III concert with the army. The partic-
ipation OF the latter in the aSsasSina-
tionS, which blotted oil. the Obreno-
witch dynasty, which has ruled Scrvia.
with short intermisSion. Tor nearly
a century. is mainly d,e to the atti-
tudc OF King Alexander and his con-
sort towards the officers OF the army.
whom he always treated with scant
courtesy. His desire TO remove the war
school from Belgrade to Shebatz par
ticuiarly gave the officers offense.
The date is a sinister one in the his
tory of the Obrenovitch house. being
the thirty-tiith anniversary OF the as
sassination OF King Alexander's grand
uncle Michael, who was done to death
by agents OF Alexander karageorgc
witch. the then leading member OF the
house which has long disputed the
throne OF Servia against the Obrcno-
witch family. and whose head. Prince
Peter karageorgevitch, has been pro-
claimed king.
The prime movers in the plot were
Ljubomir Schiokovics and Vojislav
Velikovics. who had entered the new
cabinet as ministers OF justice and
NJ C~t,,A1.A,.;ce
was condemned to 20 years penal SER
vitude for an attempt TO assassinatc
former King Milan.
The King and Queen passed the eve
oil their death quietly They attended
a choral festival. then took supper in
the Konak and afterwards retired to
rest; Meantime the conspirators held
meeting in the kalimegden Park.
The Sixth Iniantr.' Regiment which
was chosen to carry out the coup d'ctat.
was recently punished for having used
its weapons against 4 crowd OF DEM
onstrators.
Dissatisfaction against King Alex
ander's rule has been accumulated since
! his suspension OF the constitution last
April. and it is from that time that the
military plot dates. The organization
OF the bloody deed was carried ont
with consummatc skill. The King for
the past two months was thrown OFF
his guard by the apparent quietude oil
the reception OF his recent coup d'etat.
! In the meantime the conspirators had
decided on June 10 as the date for the
1 execution OF the revolution for two
reasons-hrstly. it was the anniversary
OF the murder oil King Alcxander's
! granduncle Michael. and, secondly. be-
/ cause it was feared that further delay
would permit the Skupschina to set
( tie the succession to the throne &C
cording 10 the Kings wishes. and it
was believed that the brother OF the
hated Queen would be his choice.
About I o'clock in the morning the
\ Sixth and Seventh Regiments were
called to arms and were led to the
royal palace, whicl, they entirely sur
rounded. \ band OF 80 officers. led
by Colonel Maschn and Colonel Mis-
clcs. forced their way into the palace.
shooting all who attempted 70 bar their
passage They were aided by treason
/ within. The aide-de-camp on duty.
4 Colonel Naumovics. had been won
I over by the conspirators and was en-
/ trusted with the plans for action within
the royal incloSure. Several doors
I leading 10 the royal apartments were
blown in by dynamite, Colonel Nau-
movies himself bursting in the door OF
the royal bcdchamber with bomb.
The officers had called on the King
to open. bit he CURLY refused. As the
/ door fell the King rushed TO window
ard appealed for assistance. but no an
swer came. Realizing the situation.
he returned to the Queen, holding her
in his arms to protect her. and awaited
| the conspirators.
Colonel Naumovics and the officers
then entered the room. Naumovics
presented to the king a form OF abdi
cation for his signature. The docu
ment contained the statement that by
marrying a public prostitute the
Powder Plants Combine.