The Topeka state journal., 1904-09-21
PETER CROWNED.
Coronation of Karage0rgeVitch
Takes Place at Belgrade.
Day Opens With Salute of
Twenty-One Guns.
HE KISSED THE GROWN
And Placed 1t on His Head With
His Own Hands.
Rode Through Streets Wearing
the Royal Robes.
HE KISSED THE GROWN

belSraQe, SerV1a, sept 2l.-Peter
Karage was crowned king of
Servia today. There were no hostile
demonstrations and no attempt to car
ry into effect the numerous therats
against the new kings life. In the
solemn ritual of the Greek church and
in the elaborate state procession which
preceded and followed the coronation,
the tragedy of Servia s pervious ruler
found no echo. Amid the thunder of
the saluting guns from the royal pal.
ace and the garrison, King Alexander's
murderer was. at least eutwarldy, for
gotten.
Here and in every garrison town of
Servia the dawn of day was marked
by salute of twenty-one guns and
before the sun was we'll up King
Peter, on horseback, rode out from the
palace. The procession then started
for the cathedral through the troop
lined streets. Behind the soldiers
were packed dense crowds who. in
spite of the rainy weather, stood pa
tiently awaiting to see the king. Tn
royal heraldS, cavalry and life guards
(the heralds bearing the royal STAN
dardS) and carriages with the Monte
negraan and Servian princes preceded
the monarch. Beside King Peter rode
his two sons, George and Alexander.
after. There the representatives of the
foreign powers, the cabinet ministers
and others had already been waiting
for some time. AS King Peter entered
the metropolitan consecrated him and
more artillery saluteS We're fired. The
king then took UP his position under a
canopy and the metropolitan, assisted
by many bishops and other clergy,
choir singing Thank Thee, Our Lord"
After the prayer the premier and other
ministers handed the crown and re-
gala to King Peter. He kissed the
crown, placed it on his head and
robed himself in the royal garm entS.
An artillery salute of 101 guns then
announced to the people of Belgrade
that King Peter had been crowned.
1t was nearly three hours before the
service was ccncluded and the ritual
of the church complied with, King
Peter afterwards signed the corona
ton docum ent. which was witnessed
by the metropolitan, the premier, the
cabinet ministers and the other heads
of state. Wearing the crown on his
head and fully robed, the king left the
cathedral, remounted his horse and
rode through the crowds in the street
to the palace. There, in the grand
festal hall, King Peter received the
congratulations of the diplomatic crops
and others, assembled the royal throne
and took the sceptre and orb in his
hands. The ceremony of rendering
homage was then performed.
The return journey from the cathedral
to the palace was marked by frantic |
cheering. There had been a general
fear tnat something might happen to |
mar the ceremony and when the people |
saw King Peter crowned and riding |
safely back their relief found enthuSias- |
tic expression.
In the festal hall the Italian minister |
greeted King Peter in the name of the |
triple alliance while the Russian minis |
ter who, in spite of reports to the con- |
trary, was present, and the Roumanian |
and Greek ministers handed mis- majes- |
ty personal letters from their sovereigns. |
The clergy then passed before the
throne and bowed to the king.
When the king sat down on the
throne he took off the crown, which
weighs four kilos, but put it on again
as the members of Skupshtina and of |
various corporations passed the throne |
in a long procession, though he was
obliged now and again to lift his heavy
crown and rest his head.
A partial amnesty has been prof.
mulgated and the general feeling is
one of jubilation.
King Peter offered the American min
ster, Mr.. Jackson, the Karageorge star,
which he presented to all the other min
sters as souvenir of the coronation.
AS Mr.. Jackson was unable to accept
he star his majesty will present him
with his photograph and autograph.