Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-04
KING IN NEW york;
Gotham Servians Tell a Story
of Dusanovic. 4
AFTER PETERS THRONE
It is Said That He Has Already
Taken the Oath.
does PRESENT RULER UsURP
Thousands Of Servians in This Soun.
try to Believe in Dusanovic's Claim
Of Royalty.

| 1t is related by servians of New York and
New Jersey that a truly sworn and authen-
ticated King Of Servia, rightful heir to the
throne now occupied by King Peter Kara
georgevitch, Is living near New York and
Is awaiting the favorable moment to go to
| Servia and claim his own This is King
stephan Dusanovic, scion of the house of
Dusan, which has been in existence since the
| twelfth century
Heirs to the throne Of Servia have not
been uncommon articles since King Alex
ander was assassinated on June II, 1903
There have been some discovered in New
York and other cities Of America. but as to
| this last one it is stated by certain Servians
here, members Of the Greek Orthodox st.
Nicholas Cathedral congregation. that King
Stephan has taken the oaths here within
the last three months as ruler Of Servia, and
that his claims to the throne have been
reviewed and sanctioned by some ecclesias-
teal authority Of Servia.
At the present time. as the Servians inter-
ested say, there remain in this city copies
OF the documents upon which the putatve
king of Servia bases his claim Of kingship.
These are chart of genealogy which traces
his blood from the dynasty of Nemanja and
| q profession of faith in the Greek Orthodox
Church, necessary to be made by every ruler
of Servia. The originals of these documents
are in the hands Of the man who calls
| himself king.
Only Lawful Ruler.
: 1t is said among the Servians in New
York that so far has the propaganda Of
King Stephan advanced that this gov
eminent and all the governments of Eu-
rope have been notified of the step he
has taken and have had their official at
tention called to the fact that King
Stephan Dusanovic is the only lawful
ruler Of Servia. From some of the Euro
pean governments which have never recog-
nized the kingship Of Peter Karageorge-
Witch and have refused to be represented at
the court of Belgrade favorable answers
are said to have been received.
Many Of the Servians in New York pro-
fess to know that at present Stephan is
living in the state of New Jersey within
telephone distance of Jersey City, and has
an office in downtown New York.
Stephan has been living in America in
termittently for many years, according to
those who know him. His last period of
residence has covered two years, during
which time he is said to have organized
about him junta of Servians with a smat-
tering Of Americans, which has been work.
ing actively, with New York as head
quarters.
Servia knows of the existence Of Stephan
Dusanovic, say the adherents of the new
king. He has agents there, and he has
visited the country within the last five
years. Those of his following here who
have penchant for the romantic say that
little over two years ago Stephan went
through the whole Of Servia disguised as a
blind beggar, making note Of the DISPOSE
ton Of the people toward the present in
cumbent on the throne.
In Constant Fear.
1.-THE prince told me that while he was
passing through the country he was in
constant fear Of being apprehended by the
spies of Peter" says one Of the supporters
Of King Stephan. He pretended to be
blind, and he carried out the deception well.
but he never knew what minute he would
get a bullet in the back. 1t was a daring
| thing to do"
There are several thousand servians in
America who know that Stephan is the true
heir to the throne, and there are tens of
thousands at home who are ready to re-
ceive him when the time comes" one of his
supporters says. THE soldiers in the army
have been won over to him. and the petty
told to expect him. The only thing that
saves Peter on his throne now Is the 10y
atty Of the officers OF the army. When that
| wanes then Peter will have to get out.
Those who have faith in Stephan declare
that he is not depending upon assassination
or bloody revolution to gain the throne.
He is simply awaiting the time when a
change in the temper Of the people who are
now under Peters rule will force that mon
arch to vacate the throne. Then he will go
to Servia and place himself at the head OF
the people. His friends say That within a
few months he will be ready to come for
ward with a public announcement of his
kingship and proof Of his legitimacy.
In Unbroken Succession.
Stephan is described as being of the line
that held the throne in unbroken succession
until the country was overrun by tho
Turks in the fourteenth century. Stephan
Nemanya is credited with founding the
dynasty in 1165. Under Stephan Dusan
Q331-50 the Servian empire reached its
height. When the Turks swamped the ter
ritory shortly after the death of Stephan
Dusan the kings Of Servia were driven to
the mountains of Montenegro.
In 1904 the Servians rose under Kara
george, a swineherder The Turkish yoke
was thtrown off and Karageorge estab-
lished the Karageorgevitch dynasty. In
1915 Milosh Obrenovitch overthrow the
Karageorgevitch line and installed himself
King of Servia. From that time until the
assassination of Alexander the Obreno-
witch kings ruled Servia. Peter, the pres
ent king, was of the exiled house of Kara
georgevitch, which had been maintaining a ~
precarious existence in various European
capitals. One of the family was a bar
tender in Paris.
Stephan Dusanovic holds that both the
Karageorgevitch and Obrenovitch houses
were usurpers and that his line Is the only
true royal line. Until he is sure that a
hoary tradition make good he is con-
tent to remain within telephone call of
Jersey CITY,