The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-16
PREFERS FARM TO THRONE.

l EhEF Emo TNhm ~ ! n hONEs
| -
heir. to the throne of Seryia, does no;
| want to be a king.
He prefers the monarchy ne had found
| ed on $50 acres of rich Minnesota soil
| near Princeton to the best that the peri
lous attempt to occupy the seat of his
forefathers in Belgrade might bring.
He is a descendant of Milosh Obren-
ovitch, heroic peasant, who rousng the
people whom Kara George had five years
before led against the Turks, recalled the
/ faint-hearted from beyond the Danube
and checked the Moslem invasion. Milosh
saved Servia, but not until the Turks had
! piliaged and burned and murdered with a
free hand 1t was during this period that
the grandfather of Boyn, then a child,
was hurried by night from the palace in
| Belgrade and sent into Saxony
Boyn was reared in Saxony. under the
care Of adherents of the family When he
reached the age of understanding he was
put in possession of the facts concerning
his family and papers proving his descent.
! He cared little for pomp and showed a
strong inclination to the peaceful pursuits
/ OF an agriculturist. He married early and
! settled down as proprietor of a Saxon
estate.
/ His SON likewise showed love for the
| farm, yet he had a latent force of char
acter, which induced him to think of try
ing new country. Selling all his prop
/ erty and securing the records and docu-
ments, he sailed for the United States.
Boyn lived in several eastern states,
but eventually wandered west and in
vested the remainder of his fortune in a
farm near Princeton. At the outbreak of
the civil war he and his eldest son enlist
! ed in Company +, Eighth Minnesota Vol
unteers. and served honorably. The son
was stricken with fever and died. The
| father, at the close of the war, returned
to Princeton, where afterward another
son and other children, were born.
Boyns mind reverted agai nand again
to the documents. He pored over them
by the hour until every fact set forth was
burned indelibly in his mind
Thoughts of the possibility of regaining
the throne Of Prince Miiosh and finding
the buried treasure of the Tsar Lazar of
Servia, which the papers indicated were
buried in Belgrade, stirred him.
Financial reverses urged him TO return
to the land of his birth and seek the
treasure. and early in 1877 he decided to
go back.
His family. fearing some fate might be-
fall him. urged him TO remain, but his
resolution was firm. He decided to sub
nit his papers to competent judgment
before venturing on his wild quest. A
Princeton lawyer and a judge OF the dis
trict bench examined them and were
convinced of their validity. They fur
nished the fortune and kingdom hunter
with a certificate setting forth the known
facts of his residence in Minnesota.
Letters from Belgrade told of the first
days in the land where his ancestors had
ruled and of his feverish attempts to
locate the treasures of Tsar Lazar.
That Boyn was, in a measure, success
full was proved from moneys and gold
sent home to his family. Through the
fall and early winter he worked at his
problem.
In the spring, with renewed strength
and hope. he returned to his quest, Fur
Their successes turned his head. and. in
moment of arrogance he communicated
the purpose of his quest to the Servian
government. and asked the troops to aid
him in the search. Not long after he was
seen much in the company of a Servian
attached TO the court. This man later
proved his only friend and in the last
days of his life. was always with him.
Boyns request was, naturally. refused.
Several weeks later he was found lying
in hovel. ragged. weak. from knife
wounds and diving. OF all the precious
documents he carried with him. nothing
but a battered leather book containing a
list of the papers and annotations from
Official records showing his lineage. re-
NAMED He was cared for. but finally
died
Servian officials communicated the fact
to his family. in Minnesota, and John
Royn. his eldest living son, became head
of the family.
Chedo Mijatovitch. Servian minister 10
London. said in 1902 TO American tourists
who were acquainted with the elder Boyn.
that he knew the facts concerning his
last days. and could vouch for the i'm
portance Of Boyns papers. Says John
Boyn:
''Chedo Mijatovitch knew my father
and knew the truth of fathers claims
He has openly said that they were well
founded. and that the family is Of royal
blood.
II will remember. when boy of hear
ing my father tell the story OF the old
days and of his father. When father
died. l received letters from men who had
seen sae papers he carried 70 Belgrade
urging me TO assert my claims.
Il do not think shall ever do SO. In
easy lies the head that wears crown
y would rather be q king in the best
AGRICULTURAL belt OF Minnesota than 10
share with King Peter or 20 OWE for my
self the highest honors Servia could af-
ford Every Servian IS a noble. in blood
and in deeds. ! respect the ambition THAI
led my father 70 return and realize the
Justice u his claims yet / think il is
best to let the entire matter lie as an in
cident in our family history. rather than
TO revive il in a neg attempt 10 achieve
the impossible
Il have done well in Minnesota, and ana
content. My mother stu; lives. and
have my family about me. ! am king OF
my own farm ard that's enough for me
There may not be the regal splendor but
there is happiness and comfort and a
competence. What more could a man or
woman desire ?"-Minneapolis Times.