The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-02-14

AT PRINCETON, MINI.
be found buried in the Old city OF Bel
grade, where the Car once ruled, stimu-
lated him.
LURED BY DREAMS OF WEALTH.
Successive financial revcrses, more and
more strongly urged him to return to the
land of his birth and seek the gold and
plate that lay hid under the fiagstones Of
the ancient city. Continued brooding over
the alluring dream of wealth and freedom
from further poverty finally spurred him
to a decision and early In 1S7. he finally
decided to return to Servia.
His family, fearing a nameless fate that
might befall him, urged hin, to remain.
but his resolution was firm. He MACS
preparations for the long journey and.
although ignorant, shrewdly decided to
submit his papers to competent judgment
before v%enturing on his wild quest. A
Princeton lawyer and a Judge of.the dis
WINGED of their validity. They furnished
the fortune and kingdom hunter with a
certificate setting forth the known facts
of his residence in Minnesota, for purposes
of Identification. This he secreted with
the papers and. travelling through st. Paul
to Chicago, made his way to New York
and finally into Belgrade in safety.
Letters are in existence proving the In
cidents of his trip as he related them. His
letters from Belgrade told of the first days
OF his sojourn in the land where his ances-
tors had ruled and of his first feverish at
tempts to locate the treasures OF the Car
Iazar.
That Boyn was. in a measure. successful
was proven from moneys and gold sent
home to his family in Minnesota. Through
the fall and carly winter he worked at his
musty problem; then; quietly going over
In the spring. with renewed strength
and hope, he returned to Belgrade 10 con-
tinue his quest. Further successes turned
his head, and, in a moment of weak AFRO
Eance, he communicated the purpose of
his quest to the Servian Government. and
dsnanded troops to aid MIN and protect
seen much in the company of a Servian
attached to the court. This man later
days of his life. when, weakened and help
less, he waited for death, was always with
him.
SAL END OF FORTUNE-HUNTER.
Boyn's request was, naturally. refused.
Some weeks later he was found lying in a
howell in an ancient section of the city,
ragged, weak from knife wounds and dy-
ing. His papers were missing. and. of all
the precious he carried with
him, nothing but a tattered leather book
containing a list Of the papers and anlota-
tons from official records showing his
lineage remained. He was cared for. and
his life was prolonged for weeks. but he
finally died. his miserable end cheered
only by the presence Of the friend who
rescued him.
When Boyn died. servian officials off,
ily in Minnesota. and John Boyn, his ED
est living son, became the head of the
FAMILY. The document is still to be seen
and Is carefully preserved, together with
the tattered leather book.
All attempts to secure accurate &C
counts Of the manner in which the elder
Boyn died were futile. The son received
capital. indicating that the facts either
were not known. or thai the mystery was
official and not to be penetrated by any
deed.
OF the records. Princeton residents who
have seen them personally-and there are
them.say that they bore every evidence
of validity. and of having been carefully
prepared by a high official Of the Govern.
to a few local linguists, who state in a |
general way that they seemed to fully
bear out the contentious of the family.
Chedo M~ijatovitch, Servian Minister to
London. said in 1902 to American tourists |
who knew the elder Boyn. that he knew
the facts concerning his last days. and
papers. and that they showed him to be a |
descendant and member of the reigning
house OF Servia, members Of whom were
by the Turks.
~ EN- IL DE- "A fAfSAlCtt. |
This Is John Boyn's story:
"Chedo Miiatovitch knew my father and
the truth Of ather's claims. He has
openly said that they were well founded
and that the family is of royal blood.
Il well remember, when a boy, OF hear
Ing father tell the story Of the old days |
and of his father. When father died. I
letters from men who had seen
the papers he carried to Belgrade. urging |
me to assert my claims. |
Il do not think I shall ever do SO. I'm
easy lies the head that wears a crown
II would rather be a King in the best
belt of Minnesota than to
share with King Peter, or to own for
Afford. Every Servian is a noble. in blood
in deeds. l respect the ambition that
led my father to return and realize the
justice of his claims. yet l think it is best
to let the entire matter lie as an Incident
in our family history. rather than to re-
vive 1t in a new attempt to achieve the
II nave done well in Minnesota, and am
My mother still lives, and 1
have my family about me. l am King
Of my own farm. and that's enough for
There may not be the regal splendor,
but there is happiness and comfort, and
Or woman desire"
The wife of August Boyn. now "a, lives
a modest little cottage in the outskirts
Of Princeton. She is very active, although !
q small. frail woman. 1t has been more
than a quarter of a century since her
husband parted with her to journey to the
he strange fortunes that befell him for
Oad6 him ever to nOSSpSq |