The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-08-19
WARRIOR KING OF
SERBIA SUCCUMBS
Ex-King Peter Was Leading
Figure In Early Days
Of Late War.


King Peter, who, for a long time
had been i'll, was reported early in
June to be in a serious condition. He
was then suffering from pleurisy. A
short time afterward he was said to
be steadily improving in health and
his physicians declared him out of
danger.
Nothing was heard of the aged
monarch until a few days ago, when
a dispatch from Belgrade said he was
seriously i'll with congestion % the
lungs lie sank into uncons 1iousness
Friday, iemaining in that condition
until the following day. His con1tIcn
became worse Sunday night, aud he
gradually failed until the end.
King Peter, &c years old, white
haired, deaf, i'll from the infirmities
Of age and suffering from the wounds
of three or more wars, relinquished
the cares of state in 1919 when his
second son, Crown Prince Alexander,
succeeded him and became the ruler of
the new state of Jugoslavia. He then
declared:
My beloved Serbia is now free and
its future, l believe, will be a great
one. My work is over. l desire on
ly the continued affection and devo-
tom of my dear people, and finally,
a grave on Serbian soil"
Stayed With Armies.
Despite his age, King Peter pre-
sented one of the most courageous
figures of the war. On the day that
Serbia rejected the Austrian demands,
Peter renowned his temporary abdi-
'cation Of the throne and placed him
self once more at the head Of the
country He was even then almost
sightless and hard of hearing and
was under the constant care of ply
stefan.
When the fortunes of war turned
against the Serbians he remained with
his armies till practically the last
units had been driven from the coun-
try. He then effected an escape thru
Albania mad went to Saloniki where
he presided over the reorganization of
his forces. Afterward he went to Cor
flu, where he established headquarters
and took an active part in the direc-
ton of his nomadic government.
Forced from his capital, Belgrade,
and thence from Nish by the advanc-
ing army of the Central Powers in
1915, his country laid waste by fire
and she'll Peter lived to return to
Serbia and engage actively in the re-
organization and reconstruction of his
domains. From the beginning of the
conflict, the aged king encouraged
his troops and people despite the most
depressing reverses and on several
occasions personally led the Serbs in
to battle.
Alexander, his son was designated
prince regent by the elder Kara
georgevitch and on November 90,
1918, the national council of Jugo-
slavia at Agram, Croatia. confirmed
the choice, thus relieving the venera-
BILE king of the rulership of Serbia,
Montenegro, Slavonia, Bosnia, Herze-
govina, Dadmatia and Croatia, which
had united after their liberation from
Austria.
Confined To Chair.
Early in 1919 the aged king was
removed to a quiet retreat near
Athens, Greece, where he lived in
small six-room house overlooking the
Bay of Phaeleron. A personal secre-
tary and his physician were his only
He had only one diver
sion; an occasional early morning
ride around the Greek capital in the
side car of a motorcycle driven by
Serbian soldier. To avoid the gaze
of crowds, he disguised himself with
a mask and pair Of goggles, Later
his health became so feeble that he
passed most of his time in bed or
wheel chair.
When a correspondent for the AS
ISOLATED Press called TO see him in
May. 1919, the king consented to ear
ry ON conversation only thru the
person of the Serbian minister to
Greece II was the last interview
granted by the former ruler of the
Serbs, Greats and Slovenes. To meet
his long-cherished wish that he might
die on his native soil, the Serbian
authorities in f92O brought tao in
valid king back to his beloved Bel
grade. He avoided society, however