Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-09-21
GROWING Of
SERY|A'S KING
-
Courts of Europe Unrepresenl-
ed Except by Diplomatic
Corps in Belgrade.
USURPER WARM
lY RECEIVED
Despite the POmp aud Masnih-
ccncc, the People Fail to
elcOme Peter.

BELGRADE, Servia, Sept. 2f.-king
Peter I OF Servia, the successor Of the
assassinated King Alexander, was
crowned today, the event being at
tended with much pomp and cere-
mony. The coronation took place
In the cathedral In the presence OF
the officials OF state, members OF the
legislative assembly, church dignitar.
les, military officers and Populations
from all parts OF the kingdom. The
courts OF Europe were u~nrepresented
except by their regular diplomatic
representatives In Belgrade.
Tho day was ushered in with a
salute Of 101 guns fired from Bel.
grade fortress. Crowds early began
TO assemble on the strcats ana ty
noon, when rhe royal procession start
ed from the palace for the cathedral.
the th~orolghfares and public squares
we're densely thronged, The route
was lined by several thousand troops.
The royal procession was a spectacle
of consid srable magniflcence. It CON
sisted OF various state officials. n hand
and a squadron Of the guard. proceed.
Ing the kings carriage, while the
crown prince, the royal family AMI n
squadron Of cavalry followed. The re-
ception ME. with by the procession
was on the whole lukewarm on ,1e
part OF the immense crowds, cen pos.
ed chiefly Of people who had gathered
to witness the pageant out Of curiosity
There wee some cheers from people
In the streets and windows, and hats
were waved. but many men iii not
even uncover their heads.
As the procession neared the ca
thedral there was another salute OF
l01 guns and at the same time the
bells OF all the churches in the city
were rung. At the entrance Of the
cathedral the king was met by The
archbishop and accompanying clergy
and escorted TO the altar as the choir
sung the "Blagoslaven," or blessed
10 the name Of the Lord Then the
archbishop gave the king a cross and
n Bible, after which Peter mounted
the steps Of the throne and sat upon
it, A lesson from the Bible describ-
Ing hte amounting OF Saul was read,
when the archbishop sprinkled the
crown with holy water. Then calling
TO him the president of parliament
and the commander of the army. the
archbishop placed the crown on the
kings head. the president and the
general assisting and placing their
hands on the crown, This was TO
signify that Peter was crowned by
the three estates Of the realm-the
church, the parliament and the army.
The king afterward signed the his.
tory OF the crown, which was handed
TO the minister OF education. to be
placed In the government archives.
The king, having returned to the pal.
ace to receive congratulations, the
crown was carried. with a military
escort. TO the palace and placed on
the throne.
In the state bali room OF the new
palace, King Peter received an ad.
dress OF congratulation from the mem.
bers OF the skuptschina. General
Sava Grinteh, the premier, spoke on
behalf OF the cabinet officials. and
there were other congratulations from
various bodies. During the entire
ceremonies, both at the cathedral and
al the levee which followed. the king
maintained his usual grave and
gloomy demeanOr. The representa-.
~ " buNSid hiu Austria were the
only foreign diplomats who took anv
prominent part IN The ceremonies Of
the day.
The firing Of guns, waving of flags
n throwing Of flowers along the
route Of the royal procession made
b reception Of the king seem enthu.
siastic to the ordinary onlooker. but
TO the man behind the scene il look.
ed more like a cleverly managed
stage performance There are manv
people. in fact, who declare thar the
enthusiasm was forced, and thar but,
for the mounted officers who circnla,-
ed among the crowds commanding
the people 20 cheer for King Peter
many Of the signs Of rejoicing wopjd
have been absent
Peter ], who was crowned king o,
Servia today. was born in Belgrade
in 1886. the son Of Alexander Kara.
g~eorgevich. Prince VI Servia from