Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-15
A Modern Macbeth
Janss. walter smith in BOSTON Traasoript


follows:
The door opened slowly There stood King Alex
ander and Queen Draga- both OF them hastily and in
sufficiently dressed as they had sprung from their
bed They found themselves facing a dense group Of
officers. Il historic but terrible tsbieau! King
Alexander stepped forward In front OF the queen as
II TO shelter her looked straight at the traitors ano
said: What IL II you want?-and what OF your oath
OF fidelity TO meY There a second two OF
deadly silence. They looked at each other as II
mesmerized. Then Lieutenant -. who before en-
tering the army teacher in a village school,
cried out: what you standing gazing at? Here
Is oath Of fidelity him" Saying this Ice
fired on the king. who sank into the arms OF Draga
In moment several revovers fired on the fall
ing king and the queen. They both then dropped
the floor The enraged consplrstors continued for
few seconds firing their revoivers at the royal cou-
pie. bleeding and grooming the floor, Then then
drew their swords and began to dash them in all
directions. The poor woman, Queen Drasa, was
especially the object OF their revolving cruelty.
Fortunately the poor woman killed instantly by
the first volley aimed at her. King Alexander, al
though pierced by several bullets not dead. He
groaned in agony in pool OF blood II Is not certain
that he was conscious Lieutenant Colonel Mishich
suggested that the bodies OF the king and queen
should be thrown out Of the window into the flower
garden. that the soldiers surrounding the palace
should that they dead He opened the win
dow. Bending It he shouted; Long live King
Peter Karageorgevtch king OF servia! The officers
In front OF their soldiers echoed his by shouting
Long live King Peterr Cziveo Kralj Peter!)'
When the news Of the Belgrade murders flashed
across the world, King Peter living the plain and
peaceful life OF pretender the banks of Lake
Geneva The romance of youth had departed from
him, for he 50. and there nothng-uness he
himself knew OF it--that threatened to disturb the
current OF his existence. He known to
everybody in Geneva plain Prince Peter Kara
georgevtch Hts trim, slender. medum-sized figure
and HE fierce military mustaches and fiery wero
as familiar TO the children In the streets they wero
TO the freduenters OF the most exclusive Genevan
md sale houee in he
Beot elegantly furnished the prince lived in sim
pie style He was not rich man, and maintaine5
no encourage more, probably. because he could not
afford than because OF suspicious which the exist
OF a princely retnue might arouse A
servant named Mathlde and valet named Albert
attended to his daily wants and a governess.
Mile. LAGER used frequently to in, either to
answer the old mans letters to give instruction TO
the children when they were in Geneva. He was a
skillful chess player. and when the children
home he used TO play with them every evening. For
Serbians passing through Geneva he kept open
house. and though ordinarily a silent man. he could
always be reused to tell stories of his military
poits. He great lover OF black coffee. and
smoked bushels OF cigarettes He fond of shoot
ing, for he had taken prizes the targets and had
been member Of the shooting club In Parts
He also fond Of riding, but time his
rheumatism was troubling him. and he could not ride
with his old-time enjoyment So far his mental
attachments concerned. ne had nothing out of
the common beyond fine knowledge OF languages
and history. His favorite authors Meheles,
special
of the lives OF Catherine the Great Bismarck and
knew considerable about the Napoeonlc period He
had Translator into Serbian John Stuart Mls essay
ION Liberty and for his services in introducing the
great Enslish economists work the prince had en-
joyed generous NEED of praise his countrymen
II has never been proved that Prince Peter was
directly connected with the murders Alexander ami
.Draga. The world suspected 1t. however and half
the world stll remains convinced OF his guilt It was
significant that the day on which the murder took
place-Jupe H. lsos-was the thrty-fifth anniversary
OF the ASSASSINATION of King Alexanders uncle
Michael by Alexander Karageorgevitch and doubly
Significant that Prince Peter seemed ready for IN
immediate departure from Geneva on the day after
the murder or as soon as news arrived that the
regicides were willing TO make him king Prince
Peter. knowing that these suspicious of his connection
with the conspiracy were widespread took immediate
occasion to deny his responsibility.
whosover the guilt the prince was formally
chosen king on June 10. and on the 22d he took this
train for Begrads II had been remarked for months
in Geneva that he had looked careworn and his APP
pearance at the station the day OF his departure
surrounded by crowd in which the faces OF some i'm
porant officials were absent did not strengthen the
general feeling that the journey was being made with.
out msgvings lie should have been happy for he
was returning to his beloved Serbia, after exile OF
fortyfive years but he oppressed by the knowl-
edge. not only that he under cloud Of suspicion
but that he going home to a country I'm the
depths OF distress, by political strife and hate
His own life' he knew. was not too safe and he
Serbia had had one only had been permitted 10 die
peacefully in bed. II there any comfort at all IN
his thoughts II must have him from the fact
that affairs at Belgrade could be than they
were and he had opportunity, long he re-
mained strictly constitutional monarch that lac
might bring back to his kingdom peace and prosperity
! and better place in the worlds regard
Belgrade gave Peter splendid welcome. but tho
! people we're little disappointed in his personal APP
pearance He did not look like king, for he was
small and thin and his fierce did not
save him from certain amount OF contempt He
was gray and princenez and he bore his fifty
seven years rather heavily. The coronation was
/ brilliant function. but there few diplomatsts
present and the king knew all too quickly that
the official world and the outside nations with one or
two exceptions. had given him the boycott 1t was
long time before he could be brought 20 repudate
regcdes who had called him 20 the throne and even
| then the Reputation only half-hesrted one
forced upon him BY the absolute determination OF one
OF the great to recognize his kngship
! the reputation had been made.
That was twelve years ago. Before he left Geneva
the prince gave Serbian people the assurance
| that he would faithfully support any constitution
which the Serbians gave themselves Since that as
! surance given he has conducted himself as
| and