Evening star., 1921-10-30
king ALEXANDER
OFF TO BELGRADE
JugosIav Ruler Leaves Paris
Incognito to Take
His Throne.
By the Associated Press.

PARIS. October 29.-king Alexander.
whose acceptance Of the crown OF Jugo-
slavia has. been in doubt for two months.
started the return trip to Belgrade early
tonight. Special efforts were made to
keep his departure secret, the French
foreign office being notified only few
minutes before the train left.
Alexander expressed annoyance at
the display of police at the Care de
Lyon, where he boarded the train. but
the police measures appeared to be
justified. as two suspicious-looking
Slavs, listed on police records as
dangerous anarchists" were caught
lowering about the station platform.
They were detained until after the
train departed
The kings car was attached to the
Simplon express, Immediately behind
the locomotive. Alexander entered
the station through side entrance
and remained in the stationmaster's 8
quarters until few minutes before
the train left, when he walked brisk
ly the fifty yards to his car. Alexan-
der was pale and drawn and appeared
to be nervous. AS he stepped aboard
he shook hands with Prefect Of Police
I,euifier and few Serbian friends.
renarking, Il am very happy to go
back to my people
greatly annoyed when news of the
departure became known outside
AleXander's immediate encourage. as
it was hoped to reach Belgrade Sc
cretly. The train is due to arrive at
Belgrade at about IL o'clock Monday
night. Two French police inspectors
who will accompany the party to the
Swiss border. beside Premier Pachitch
of Jugoslavia and Minister of Com
munications Jankovitch. were the
only occupants of the car.
French official circles are greatly
relieved that Alexander is about to
take the throne, as it has been said
here that the delay has caused con-
siderable uncertainty and restlessness
in the Balkans. The kings party has
been anxious to make it known that
the delay in his return has been due
only to his illness.
Alexander proclaimed acceptance of
| the crown from Paris. August II. and
1 the doctors announced that he had re-
| covered from his illness August 30
After this repeated arrangements
; made for his return to Belgrade were
not carried out. but Jugoslav Off
ci2ls in Paris refused an explanation.
+; King Alexander went to Paris from
Belgrade early in July. Shortly be-
fore that time an attempt had been
made to assassinate the then prince
iregent by means of bomb. but the
reports stated he was not injured. At
the time of King Peters death, in
August, Alexander was said to be Sc
riously ill in Paris from appendicitis.
During his illness he proclaimed his
accession to the throne of Jugoslayia,
and on several occasions it was re-
ported he was about to return to Bel
grade for the coronation, but each
time the trip was postponed. Alex
ander's physical condition being
given as the reason.
Quite recently it was reported from
Agram that King Alexander in reaIi-
ty was suffering from a wound in
the stomach received from a bullet
or a fragment of bomb which eX-
ploded during the attempt made on
his life in Belgrade in June, but these
reports were not confirmed.
Belgrade message October 81 said
the king would arrive in that city
October so. Arrangements for his
coronation. 1t was added. probably
would follow his arrival.
| Just before leaving Alexander
shook hands with few of his
friends who were in on the secret of
his departure, to whom he remarked:
Il am very happy to go back to my
people"
In addition to Premier Pachitch, he
was accompanied by Mr.. Jankovitch,
Jugoslav minister Of communications.