Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1904-09-21
.SERVIA'S KING IS CROWNED.
King Peter The Successor of The
Assassinated King Alex
ander Today.
Special Dispatch to Evening Capital.


Belgrade, Sept 2l.-King Peter /,
OF Servia, the successor of the assas-
sinated King Alexander, was crowned
today, the event being attended with
much pomp and ceremony. The cor
onation took place in the cathedral in
the presence of the officials of state,
members of the legislative assembly,
church dignitaries, military officers
and deputations from all parts of the
kingdom. The courts of Europe were
unrepresented. except by their regu-
lar diplomatic representatives in Bel
grade.
The day was ushered in with a sa-
lutte of 10l guns fired from the Bel
grade fortress. Crowds early began
to assemble on the streets and by
noon, when the royal procession start
ed from the palace for the cathedral,
the thoroughfares and public squares
were densely thronged The route
was lined by several thousand troops.
The royal procession was a spectacle
of considerable magnificance. Ii con-
sisted of various state officials, band
and a squadron of the guard, preced-
ing the Kings carriage, while the
Grown Prince, the royal family and
a squadron of cavalry followed The
reception met with by the procession
was on the whole lukewarm on the
part of the immense crowds, composed
chiefly of people who had gathered to
witness the pageant out of curiosity
There were some cheers from people
in the streets and windows and hats
were waved, but many did not even
uncover their heads.
As the procession neared the cathe-
dral there was another salute of 101
guns and at the same time the bells
of all the churches in the city were
rung At the entrance of the cathe-
dral the King was met by the arch
bishop and accompanying clergy and
escotred to the altar as the choir sang
the 'Blagoslaven, or BLESSED Be
The Name of The Lord. 4" Then the
archbishop gave the King cross and
Bible, after which Peter mounted the
steps of the throne and sat upon it.
A lesson from the Bible describing
the 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 arch
bishop placed the crown on the King S
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 es-
tates of the realm-the church, the
parliament and the army. The King
afterward signed the history of the
crown, which was handed to the min
lister of education, to be placed in the
government archives. The King, hav-
ing returned to the palace to receive
congratulations, the crown was car
led, with a military escort. to the
palace and placed on the throne.
In the state ballroom of the new
palace King Peter received an address
of conrgatulation from the members
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 at the levee
which followed, the King maintained
his usual grave and gloomy demeanor.
The representatives of Russia and
Austria were the only foreign dipIo-
mats who took any prominent part in
the ceremonies of the day. The firing
of guns, waving of flags and throw
ing of flowers along the route of the
royal procession made the reception
of the King seem enthusiastic to the
ordinary onlooker, but to the man be-
hind the scenes it appeared more like
a cleverly managed stage perfor-
nance. There are many people, in
fact, who declare that the enthusiasm
shown was forced, and that but for
the mounted officers who circulated
among the crowds commanding the
people to cheer for King Peter, many
of the signs of rejoicing would have
been absent