Today -100: May 31, 1913: The Balkan War is dead, long live the Balkan War

Philippe d’Orléans, pretender to the French throne, is sued for divorce by his wife, who is the cousin of the Austrian emperor. The cause of the break is believed to be her inability to produce an heir to the lost throne, or maybe his inability to repay all the money he borrowed from her. The Duke lives in England, and recently turned down a gig as king of Albania.

The First Balkan War is over. Everyone signs a preliminary peace treaty. Second Balkan War commences in 5...4...3...

I wrote that before seeing this next story: Bulgarian troops open fire on Greeks in the Salonika area.

One Frank Diamon first confesses, then recants, to several murders, including that of Thomas Francis Meagher, the former governor of the territory of Montana who fell off a steamboat into the Missouri River in 1867, and who rumors always said was pushed. I would have ignored this minor story, but it’s a good excuse to mention Meagher, a Young Ireland leader who was sentenced to transportation for life in Tasmania after the 1848 rising against British rule, then escaped to the US and 13 years later was a freaking governor!

Headline of the Day -100: “King Leaps From Train.” King Alfonso of Spain, in an attempt to save a little girl lying on or next to the train tracks. She died. “The King was profoundly impressed, and endeavored to console the mother, who was the woman in charge of the railway crossing, and gave her a present.”

Don't see comments? Click on the post title to view or post comments.