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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 1905)
6 7 w 1 J1 7 v w mi 40 'owl P sW Ml 'vr ill 2 Mill u v fflUMig tin ii 1 1 m if l V JV-.ta . JSsV-F' BBS . SB' bw BL u SV. BV.Ba.BL St. Bk BBBl ,-T 4 L. ' 0 0 0; it; Xr -...-:, - -Vl' .- TW-lil LVL, . 9 ax T the request of the Servian government the J I Paris police are searching the French capital I Lieut Fedor Tedorovlch, a fugitive officer, JLi I formerly of King Alexander' household. Lieut. Fedor has fought six duels In six dif ferent countries with Michael Obrenosky, son of a high official In the ministry of foreign affairs at Belgrade. Lieut. Fedor is not wanted for fighting the six duels, but he is accused of abducting and concealing from her family Marie Dragomlr, the daughter of Col. Alexandre Dragomlr cf the artillery corps of the Servian army Marie Dragomlr is 21 years old and one of the most beau ttful girls In Belgrade. It Is on her account that Lieut. Fedor and Michael Obrenosky have fought the six duels one In Bervla, the second across the Danube river on Austrian soil, the third in Russia, the fourth In Germany, the fifth In France, and the Inst In Belgium. Michael Obrenosky was nearly killed In the last duel, but after a long convalescence In a hospital in the environs of Brussels he has returned to Belgrade. His father's influence has enlisted the ministry of foreign affairs in the affair, and am it this influence wa not enough Col. Alexandre Dragomlr'a was added, for Dragomlr, although only a colonel in the Ser vian army, married a Russian noble's daughter and therefore had no difficulty in commanding the aid of the Russian em bassies at Vienna, Berlin, and Paris in his search for his daughter. Such are the characters and scenes of one or tne most thrilling of those social tragedies which are frequent epi sodes In European life, but which rarely are seen by the public. J Jt Both Hearts Won by Same Woman. The prologue of the drama goes back three years and the first scene is laid in Belgrade a few months before the assassination of King Alexander and Queen Draga. At that time Marie Dragomlr wa18 years old and just beginning to fall in love with Michael Obrenosky. She was a beautiful woman, of faultless figure, black eyes, a skin like satin, and a wealth of black hlsir which admirably set off her style of beauty. She had been educated In a convent and had seen little of society when her father her mother is dead brought her to Belgrade. Marie ngomlr had many suitors. In spite of the fact that her father was only a colonel of the artillery and there fore poor. The young girl. In spite of her lack of knowledge of the ways of the world, soon learned to repel advances from young men whose Intentions she seemed to divine by intuition were not honorable. Among her most ardent suitors was Lieut. Fedor Tedoro vlch and Michael Obrenosky. Lieut. Fedor was poor and unscrupulous. Obrenosky was rich and singularly modest for one in his position Cause of the First Duel. At a cafe chantant in Belgrade one evening Michael Obrenosky, In the uniform of an attache, of the diplomatic corps, sat chatting with friends and sipping wine, paying little attention to the short skirted beauties who appeared on the stage from time to time. At a nearby table sat Lieut Fedor with a party of boisterous companions. Suddenly Obrenosky caught a name as it slipped In an almost ribald Jest from the Hps of one of Lieut Fedor's companions, an - 7 wtU KM Mouthxvtimf it ft officer. The name uttered was that of Marie Dragomlr. Obrenosky looked at Lieut. Fedor. expecting Instant re sentment, but the lieutenant only laugh d at the Insult to the name of the girl. "Come, Fedor, what are you going to do with the little taggage?" asked one of the young officers. " Meaning ?" asked Fedor. " Yes? old Draomir'a girl,'1 replied the other. " If you're tired of her you may pass her along to me if you like." Again Michael Obrenosky waited for Lieut. Fedor to strike the girl's maligner In the face, but Instead of a blow there was only another laugh. Then Fedor wild: ' I think I will take .my little amusant to Vienna for a season perhaps to Paris. And then " "Come, Fedor, a bargain!" urged his brother officer. ' When you tire of the pretty Dragomlr send her to me you shall have the best horse In my father's stable for her." As he spoke a hand fell heavily upon his shoulder. He turned as if to ward off a blow and Obrenoskv dashed a glass of wine full In his face. The usual scene followed. The officers, half drunken, drew their swords to cut down Obrenosky on the spot, but Fedor Tedorovlch, more sober than any of them, interfered. "Gentlemen, this is my affair," he said. "Put up your swords. And as for you, sir," turning to ObrenoBky, " I am at your service." " At sunrise, sir," replied Obrenosky. " The sooner the better." said Fedor. The affair was quickly arranged and at sunrise Fedor Tedorovlch and Michael Obrenosky fought with swords in a piece of woods Just outside the old town of Belgrade. The honors were divided evenly, for Obrenosky received a sword thrust through the muscles of bis left arm, while his own V. ml Mwf V.; .r-vQ MiiiM A -''UV ' lfC-2rzS :':: ' V---' Jt-" " ' ? Ixit A, -V If jr7 I He tore open the lieutenant' coat and 'suddenly pulled out a lyftp Jrf ': Kftf w Wl$WM d 1 L7 rhfv I thick package, carefully scaled. Vhr7A '-'? V.'-Oti' IV'' i W 1 1 V? iCt ii iiit rl I If you care to stop long enough oft your Journey to meet Hf . . -. I , f .. 'tit '. V ':. '-xJy " ' "',,'-"'C?i''t' . rf Xr fC l J I word In hand." said Obrenosky. "you may continue IV" ; j J. H - ' fZfj J. if j-i iSlSAxiC t iW -"l A l your Journey to Vlenna-if you are able to travel. If not tl I ill 'A '' ' ' ' ' ' r !C&jrrHl. l-iF" "EsSUl iV il V 111 you will return and explain to the minister of war Just why k ' ' ' r I V ) V4 '-' ", JjfHlVllxl .IlllaV. M W V ft pJI you are carrying to the Austrian capital the maps and plan : ly I r "w ':''' '4fK. JF'M ZfttfCvPi'J it I '' A' 1 I The meeting took place and the duel was fought. Neither i?N" "': - V V II I - Ar Vl "I"", however, was seriously wounded, when their friends : ft , 1 if i si ( - , 'JvY I -iAia .r M I I l' '' J insisted that the demands of the code haj been compiled with. V7 ifc t 1 A . Wv : Of I V A tended leave. One nlirht at a gaminff tb!e he boaited of P I ! (V'wJ IP ar a - "mm- sword passed through' the lieutenant's right lung, too far to one side, however, to inflict a mortal wound. The duel proved, however, that Obrenosky was the lieu tenant's master in the use of the sword. " I tell you now, In the presence of these witnesses," said Obrenosky, " that I -will punish you every time I meet you !n public. More than that, if I ever hear you mention the rame of a certain youcg woman again I shall shoot you as I would a dog. You understand? That name is too pure to pass such Hps as yours." It was two months before Lieut. Fedor Tedorovlch was able to rejoin his regiment. When he appeared again In pub lic he shunned all public .plaoo likely to be frequented by Michael Obrenosky. 1 t 1 One evening, however,' he attended re opera, occupying a seait in the loge. In ..a box on the opposite side of the theater sat the white "haired, white mustache Col. Drago mlr and his daughter. In one of the intervals'Jn the music Fedor's companion Bald to him: , i " Ah, I see the old rflonel and the pretty Marie. Come, Fedor, you never told how you came tq break off with her." "Well," said Fedor and just then the lights all over the theater were turned low ' there were difficulties In the way. One has to be careful of his wife's antecedents, you know." " Why, how Is that?" ' ' " Did any one ever see the Dragomlr girl's mother?" whispered Fedor In the darkness of the theater. Even as he spoke he feJt a stinging blow upon his cheek and a quiet voice speaking In tils ear. " I will give you one more chance for your life," whis pered Michael Obrenosky. will fight you at sunrise at the same place with the same witnesses, mind you. Only this time I shall kill you." 4 At the end of the ballefcene Lieut. Fedor Tedorovlch left the theater, went to his- rooms, gathered a few things hastily in a traveling bag.'iand entering a carriage was driven quietly to a railway fetation. He did not dare risk another duel with Michael Obrenosky and planned flight from Bervla But Obrenosky had discounted the lieutenant s cowardice and the secret police had followed the officer's every foot step. When he boarded a third class carriage which was to' take him to Vienna the guard, at the last moment, opened the door and a man muffled In, a military cloak entered the compartment Jt " J Attempts to Escape Punishment. It was gray dawn when the tinln rolled across the bridge of the Danube and touched Auntrlan soil. Then the unknown threw off his military cloak. , " If a long Journey to Vienna, sir lieutenant," he said. " Perhaps," was the reply. 1 1 ' "It's a Bhorter one to a quiet' piece' or woods nea station," said Obrenosky, for he It was. " I'll not fight you," said Ferfor Tedorovlch, sullenly. " You'll either flgtit me." said Obrenosky, quietly, " or else return to Belgrade a prisoner, accused of high treason " " What do you mean?" asked Lieut. Fedor, slowly, as if be did not understand. I 1 t "Why. this," said Obrenosky. 'a with a quick movement 1 He telegraphed to Marie Prngomlr that Obrenosky hart been wounded and was dying. The young girl responded at nnce, and with her companion, a tried and true woman, who had been her mother's friend, started for Vienna, telegraphing to her father, who was with his regiment on the Macedonla'n frontier. Marie Dragomlr arrived in Vienna In the evening. A young man In the uniform cf a Servian officer met her and introduced himself as a friend of Michael Obrenosky. He had come with a carriage to meet her. Marie Dragomlr and her companion entered the carriage and were driven away In the darkness. That was last May. Since then Col. Dragomlr has searched over Europe for his daughter. Michael Obrenosky. with his father's wealth at his command, has aided in the search, and the secret police of Austria and Russia have lent every assistance. In June Michael Obrenosky traced Lieut. Fedor to a rmall town on the Russian side of the frontierand con fronted him. They fought their third duel and again Obre nosky was wounded. Fedor escaped and neither the Russian police nor the Servian agents could declare with certainty that Marie Dragomlr was with him. In July Obrenosky's agents located Fedor In Berlin and again Obrenosky followed. Again the two men fought with swords. Fedor was only slightly wounded, but his opponent received a painful thrust which sent him to the hospital for a week, during which time the lieutenant escaped. 1jS Fifth Duel Fought in Two Nations. In October Obrenosky tracked Fedor to Paris and was Jeered and taunted by his rival The two men fought for the tifth time, but before they could finish they were surprist-d by the gendarmerie and forced to take flight. They escaped across the Belgian frontier and finished their combat. This time Obrenosky receded a sword thrust that nearly grazed the heart. His death was looked for as a certainty, but strangely enough he recovered and after a convalescence of a month returned to Belgrade, too weak to pursue the Btarch for' Marie Dragomlr. Last week Col. Dragomlr, who had abandoned all hope of ever seeing or hearing from his daughter, received a pathet ically worded note from her. It was only a few wfcrds scrib bled on a scrap of brown paper. All It said was: "Dear papa: Come. I need you. I am In trouble.'but by the memory of my dear mother, I can look into your face and Michael's without shame. Believe me, your un happy. Marib." There was no date. But the envelope, addressed In a strange handwriting, bore a Paris postmark. The pollcp of the French capital were notified and a patient search I being made for Lieut. Fedor and Marie Dragomlr. 3 am iery xmfappjr " Pa wound tor .CwmojRy toe tore open the lieutenant's coat and suddenly pulled out a thick package, carefully scaled. " if you care to stop long enough oft your Journey to meet ins sword In hand." said Obrenosky, " you may continue our Journey to Vienna if you are able to travel. If not you will return and explain to the minister of war Just why you are carrying to the Austrian capital the maps and plana of the secret defenses of the Danubian frontier of Bervla." The meeting took place and the duel was fought. Neither man, however, was seriously wounded, when their friends insisted that the demands of the code haj been compiled with. Lieut Fedor went to Vienna and soon gained an unenvia ble reputation, more as a gambler than as an officer on ex tended leave. One night at a gaming tble he boasted of his conquest of the heart of Marie Dragomlr. He felt secure In Vienna. But again the swret agents of the Servian po lice, set to watch by order of the minister of foreign affairs, reported the Insult to Obrenosky. and two days later the lieutenant and tn dlplomatlo attache fought their third duel. In this meeting Obrenosky was so baUy wounded that be was carried from the field In an unomnsclous condition. Tbsn Lieut Fedor Tedorovlch play eda4 gambler's chance. 1