Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-09-24
KING COULD NOT
BUY A GOLD CROWN
Circumstances Surrounding Cor.
onatiOn at Belgrade This Week
Are Appalling.
PETER IS IN A VERY BAD WAY.
lerrorStrckeu Monarch on Blood,
Stained Throne Helpless ia
Hands Of Murderers.f

- -
Special Correspondence.
n ERLlN, Sept 70 -observed from
X behind the scenes the coronation
IL Of King Peter Of servia on Sent
u would be funny II the humor OF
inc situation were not so grim as to be
almost terrifying, hut the picture of A
terror stricken monarch ON blood
stained throne, helpless in the hands of
murderers, whose crime was 30 beastly
that not an Of the details could be
printed cannot be looked on nc Joke
even when It is known that the mon
arch In question has been hunting high
ana low for somebody to lend him
money enough to buy himself a crown.
Tor somebody of royal rank TO come 10
ms coronation, and for somebodv in
pay the expenses OF the ceremonies
Inc SerNiAn government has decided
20 divide the ceremony into two narts
Ihere VIII be a religious anointment M
me King al the historical monastery ~
Iicha intended 90 satisfy the pious 40
slrese OF the priest-rdden and suner.
stllious population OF servia: ana a
more or less gorgeous state OF ceren,onv
az belgrade 10 emphasize the tennoraI
power or the karageorgevitCh dynasty
me coronation has been fixed FOR this
uRte after a succession Of postpone.
mehts which hardly encourage King
Peer to regard the coming event With
cheerful optimism, So long as servia.
mas possessed her own independent
kings ana princes II has been the In.
variable custom for the reigning mon.
si'h 10 pe cetemonlously crowned I'm
ms own capital before he has worn the
..LoMn lor one year, and King Peter IA
the frst exception 10 this rule N was
his own desire that he should he cro,vn
ed as soon' as possible after the ebastn,
murder Of King Alexander ana Ouesn
Draga enabled him 10 ascend the scr
Wan throne but the troubled state OF
MS country during, the first months OF
his reign made this impossible.
AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY.
The coronation was then fixed for a
date IN November 1908, and had 10 be
postponed because II was discovered
mat King Peters enemies In Servia
proposed 10 take advantage OF the leave
OF absence granted 10 troops throughout
the country on coronation day 10 de.
throne him by bloody revolution sjmf-
lar to the one which placed him on the
throne The coronation was then fixed
for a later date, and was again poat.
poned because serious differences arose
between the king and the officers who
TOOK leading part In the assassination
OF Alexander and Draga regarding he
degree OF prominence which they should
enjoy az the coronation ceremony.
King Peter responding TO pressure
brought to bear upon him by the great
powers Of Europe, proposed 20 rele.
gate the assassins TO a back seat:
whereupon they informed him that lr
they did not receive the honor aud re.
spect due to them they would tear tho
crown from his head and pierce him
with their swords, even n It were in the
sanctuary while the archbishop1Of Bel
grade was amounting him king of Ser
via by divine right The unfortunate
King Peter, who, Ike the whole OF
Servla, suffers from the unbearable tyr
amy Of the military clique which mm-
obey them and at the same time was
reluctant to offend the great POWERS OF
Europe. 70 eXtricate himself from the
difficulty he once more postponed the
coronation.
LOOKING FOR A LOAN.
subsequently, when he had contcived
20 find means Of satisfying both the
powerful Assassins aud the great pow
ers Of Europe, King Peter made the un-
pleasant aud beloted discovery that he
had no crown whorewlth to be crowned
and no money to cover the expenses Ok
the coronation ceremony He had been
under the Impression that ne would be
crowned with the crown which King
Alexander wore but Il developed that
this symbol Of regal authority had been
smashed to bits by the rebel oificers
on the fatal night Of June H. 1908. King
Peter also had been under the impress
sion that the Servian legislature would
vote the necessary sum 10 cover the
cost Of the coronation. but he was CIV
en- to understand In terms more forcible
Than they were loyal and polite that the
elected representatives of the people
had no intention whatever OF sQuander-
Ins national money on the purchase OF
such bauble AZ crown or on the
OF costly tftcs IN honor OF
bis majcsty's coronation.
a moro udicrous situation never o.
sted IN an history. on the ons side
king pinlng TO be crowned on the 9TH
pr side the legislature Which summoned
him to ascend the throne refusing to
buy him d crown or pay the expenses
lf his coronation.
In this extraordinary prcdcamcnt
King Peter dispatched a personal ennis
'ary to various Europeah capitals 20
raise a personal loan, which would en-
able him to buy a golden crown decor
ited with diamonds and TO pay the ex-
penses Of The coronation festivities.
This emissary journeycd in succession
70 81. Petersburg Berlin Brussels. Lon
Ion Paris and Rome, but IN an these
titles The nunnClers turned a deaf ear
10 the royal appeal Tor money on he
ground that they saw little chance Of
Us repayment, and the Kings
special messenger returned 20 belgrade
With empty hands and budget OF I'M.
iulUng replies In his. pocket. An at
empt to persuade leading firms Of lew
'lers In Vienna and Paris 10 supply
'olden crown on credit likewise failed.
SECRET OF THE IRON CROWN.
King Peter found an amusing way
,ut Of ono of these difficulties. he sud.
lenly appointed his confidential secre-
airy who had npent many long years
4 exile with him In Switzerland, to