The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-26

/ King Alexander of Greece died yes
tterday afternoon at 4:10. Death re-
suited from apparently trivial injuries
| sustained when the king was bitten by
a pet monkey. Blood poisoning de-
veloped.
On October 3 he was bitten by a
monkey while endeavoring to protect
his dog from an attack. His wound
became infected and several operations
for the removal of flesh were per-
formed.
King Alexander was the second
son of the deposed King Con-
stantine and the presumption is
Alexanders younger brother. Paul,
will succeed to the throne However.
the question of Paul's availa bi1ity has
been raised and the suggestion made
that foreign prince be. given the
throne.
In 1917 an attempt was made to
declare republic with Premier Veni-
zeios as the first president. 1t was
regarded IS possible that the cry
would be raised again.
Loved American Girl.
The king at one time was reported
engaged to an American girl, Miss Jo-
sephine Kelly of St. Paul. Mimi. a
stenographer employed by the Greek
Commission of the American Red
Cross. Indeed it is said that he ac-
tuaily announced his engagement TO
her In Corinth the early part of 1919
Miss Kelly, however. who returned to
this country a few months later, de-
MED the report and subsequently was
married to an American soldier.
Miss Kelly frequently was invited to
receptions and tea parties at the pal
ace and danced occasionally with the
king, who was particularly fond of the
society of American women.
King Alexander. was personally
popular among his people. but was not
10 ffl1 - III "A
father, King Constantine. who were
anxious to return the older man to the
throne. He exercised little power in
the affairs of his country. all state
ana foreign matters being handled by
Premier Venizelos and his ministers
Given Throne by Father.
Alexander succeeded to the throne
of Greece in June. 1917, when his
father, King Constantine, abdicated
in response to the demand of France,
Great Britain and Russia, the three
powers which had guaranteed the
constitutional liberties OF the Greek
people Alexander was the second son
of Constantine and at the time of
his accession was not quite "a years
old. His elder brother. Crown Prince
George, was considered ineligible for
the throne because of alleged pro-
German sympathies.
King Constantine nominated Alex
ander to succeed him. The fall
of Constantine had been brought
about thru the agency of the
French senator, ". Jonnart, who vent
to Athens in June. 1917, as a repre-
sentative Of the three great powers. on
the ground that this step would estab-
lish unity of feeling among the Greeks
and greater security for the entente
forces then operating in the east.
Has Been Little Harmony.
Alexander took the oath of office
at Athens in August. 1917. and prom
ised to carry out the policy of his
father. This was said to have shocked
the entente powers. Tt soon was re-
ported that he was at odds with Pre-
mier .Yenizelos and had refused to
abandon his idea of continuing his
fathers program. Some doubts were
raised as to the advisabilfty of per-
mitting him to assume the throne un-
less he discontinued what was char
acterized as an obstructive policy.
Reports of lack of harmony between
Alexander and yenizelos we're circu-
lated in the spring. Of 1920. but the
premier disposed of these in a state-
ment in which he paid tribute to the
kings patriotism one respect in
fContfuued on Page Two.J