The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-28
Marries Alexis Karageorgevitch
Without Obtaining Kings
Consent to Union.
BY LA MARauIsE DE FoNrENoY.

BY LA MARauISE DE FONTENOY.
F Mrs. Hueer Pratt OF New York,
nee Abigail Pankhurst, and divorc-
4 cd wife of w. J. Wright, of New
York, WAS SO anxious for a title as
10 marry Alexis karageorgevitch, the
other day in Paris, it is a pity. that
she did not arrange matters so as 10
obtain from King Peter his sovereign
consent 10 the union. Far from sane
tioning it, King Peter and his govern
nent opposed the match, and although
Nine. Nesnitch, the American wife or
the Servian envoy in the French capi-
tai. was an intimate friend OF Mrs.
Huger Pratt. neither she, nor yet the
minister. was present at the wedding,
nor took any cogn,Zance thereof.
The family statutes OF the royal
house Of Sarvia- enacted by the Ser
Wan Legislature, and signed by King
Peter. declare that the royal family
consists Of TWO branches, namely. the
reigning and the nonreigning line
The former consists OF the King, his
two sons, George and Alexander: his
daughter, Princess Helen. married to
Prince John Constantinovitch of Rus
STA his brother. Prince Arsene, and
the latter's son, Prince Paul, fell
low undergraduate OF the Prince OF
Wales at oxford. These alone are en-
To the nonreiGning branch belong
Prince Alexis karageorgevitch, who
was over here ter years ago in vain
attempt 10 secure the hand OF the
daughter OF one OF the great meat
magnates OF Chicago. and Princess
Sarka Karaseorgevitch. his mother
the daughter of major Of the Servian
army. OF the name of lIicha Anastasa-
witch Alexis and his mother, who
kat- Tn
Paris, where they have lived in very
straitened circumstances. by writing
for newspapers and by painting
menus. are only entitled TO the predi-
cate OF highness.
The statutes further provide that
no member OF the royal family. be II
of the reignng OF OF the norreigning
branch. can contract any valid mar
riage without the sanction OF the
King in council. II he fails to obtain
this permission, the marriage is not
recognized as legal. either in Servia
or by any foreign court or govern
ment that is in diplomatic relations
with Servia.
ANY member of the house o. Servia
who. after obtaining permission or
the King. contracts a marriage with a
person OF nonroyal or bourgeois birth,
such as Mrs. HuGer Pratt, is required
by law before the ceremony to re-
nounce in the presence Of the King,
the Prime Minister, the president of
the Legislature. the president of the
Council OF state. and the Ministers of
Justice and War, all rights. preroSa-
tives and in:munities, as a scion of
the royal family The King may, as
an act of special grace. allow the men,
Der OF his family entering upon a mat
rimonial alliance of this kind to re-
tain the princely title borne until then.
but on the distinct understanding
that under no circumstances will 1t
be used by the other partner of tho
union or by the children born thereof
From this it is apparent that the
marriage OF Mrs. Huger Pratt to
Prince Alexis Karageorgevitch is not
recognized by the Servian crown and
government, and that even II King
Peter does relent and ultimately gives
his consent to the marriage, the
American wife OF Alexis will never be
axle to lawfully share his princcly
title; in one word. that she will not
he received al any court of Europe as
Princess Alexis Karageorgevitch.
Alexis Is a third cousin of King Peter.
and no mention OF his name viii be
de Gotha devoted to the enumeration
Of the reigning family Of Servia.
Count Adalbert Sternberg. who has
just had his nose broken by an Arceri-
can coal black negro. in a fracas in
the Moulin Rouge Cafe. in the Kaiser
garten at Vienna, II Is said in conse-
quence II some sighting remark about
the United States. is one of the most
extraordinary figures i'll Austrian life.
and merits some attention in this
country. owing to his pronounced hog
tility TO everything American. the con-
sequence Of STAY of some months
IN the United States. He was former
ly mcmher of the lower house of
the Austrian Legislature. His reok-
lessness Of language there was alto
gether phenomenal. He was in every
sense OF the word the enfant terrible
of the Parliament, whose utterances
were dreaded alike by friend and foe,
and he was SO frequently suspended,
as a measure OF discipline. that his
constituents finally determined to re-