The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-21
FOURTH EDITION
MEXICO.
MaxaniIIan I'm Captivity at QueretArO-
Baron Lagos Official Report


terestiDg aud authentic account of the captivity
of Maximilian at Queretaro:-
After overcoming the great difficulties laid in
my way by the Lugsrteniente- General Mar.
quez succeeded in leaving Mexico on the 3lst
of May, and arrived, after three days journey
via Tuioca and Oelsya, at Queretaro on the
oeived permission from the Republican Com.
mander-in .Chief, General Escobedo, to visit the
Emperor whenever ! pleased immediately
went TO the prison in the COnventO de las Capu-
chinas, where found bis Majesty in bed suffer.
ing severely from dysentery out full of mental
vigor and courageous resolution On the stairs
and corridors leading TO the chamber of his
so that one had literally to step over them. The
chamber itself was cell at the end of a oorrf-
dor on the first hoOr about ten PAGES long and
six wide. and contained nothing but a camp
bed, a chest, two tables, an arm chair, and four
other chairs made of reeds; the floor was of
common brick, the door and only window
opened into the passage. Before the one stood
sentinel before the other an officer lay on a
straw mat. At night general and three colonels
stood sentinel before the perial chamber with
revolvers in their hands. On the same corridor
were two other cells, where Generals Miramon
and Mejia were i'm prisoned; they were allowed
to communicate without hlndrance with their
sovereign In two other smaller chambers
and the two European servants of the Emperor.
These three were not treated as prisoners. From
the time of my arrival at QuereterO was in
daily communication for hours together with
the Emperor, who treated me most graciously
snSre oondenoe H Majesty Sye asop 81 a
saw my colleagues, the Prussian Minister, and
the Belgian and Italian Charges dAffaiIes,
MN Hooriks and Curtopassi, to whom
he also showed himself most amiable
al gracious. We soon came to the conclusion,
in consequence of the most difficult and almost
hopeless state OF affairs, that the two lawyers
who had arrived with us from Mexico, NM.
Riva Palacio and Martinez de la Tore, could
do more for their Imperial client at San Luis,
the seat OF the Republican Government and
WneIe' ine1eiore 10 tne nnal 1ecislqn would pe
other two lawyers, Ortega and Vasquez, re-
mained: A short time after their arrival at
GoT TTIfu tuTr AnfI laIa had 10,
us that their endeavors had totally failed, and
especially that their chief demand-namely,
the declaration that the court martial was tn-
competent to decide the Imperial cause-had
been imperatvely refused. This Court consisted
of six Captains, with u Lieutenant Colonel as
President. The lawyers proposed that the
cause should be tried either by court martial
Congress- AT the request OF the above-men-
toned lawyers, who ln the course of the day
had sent us further details of the lament1ole
situation OF affairs, the Prussian Minister, M.
Magnus, Immediately left for San Luis in
order, If possible, to obtain better result, at
least a delay OF the proceedings. In order to
neglect nothing myself that might be of possi-
BILE assistance To the Imperial prisoner, offered
TO accompany the PruSsian Minister, as he ia
not acquainted with the Spanish language. and
his Secretary was compelled, by a severe attack
lawyers who had rema ned declared, however,
solemnly, i'll the presence of my colleagues,
a InaI asa as a &representa'lVe Oh Austrla snouAd
pearipg at San Luis, and 1 was thus COM
PEELED TO relinquish the plan, for which the
Emperor thanked me on the same evening, as
he urgently required my presence with him.
The Emperor mad DO hope whatever of any
negotiations at San Luis; and it appeared
afterwards he was right On the 18th and 18th
of June the proceedings commenced in the
town theatre of Queretaro. The Court Martial
and the accused were on the stage the audience
IN the boxes and stalls. The theatre spa.
ringly lighted up. Partly on account of his
serious illness, but more especially from pro
his Majesty refused TO appear under any con-
dition less than the application of brute force,
and the proceedings against him were for time
suspended; but Generals Miramon and MeJia
were compelled TO pear upon the stage
was taken up, the law ers for the defense nav
Ing proved that the presence of the accused
was not necessary for the legality OF the pro-
port 10 your Excellency more at length in re.
gard to the thirteen points of accusation and
the defense. Besides the usurpation of supreme
power, the kindling OF civil war, etc. one of
the chief points OF accusation consists in the
sanction OF the decree of October g. 1864, in con-
sequence of which, as the Liberals aserts 900
military executions took place throughout the
Forest date French Consul at Mazatian and CON
hdental agent OF the French Ambassador, and
myself were arrested ana tax en- to the b headuuar.
ters OF General Escobedo. Here, by order of that
General and without any reason being given 1t
was intimated that we must leave Queretaro
10 inform the Emperor of the measure taken
against us, and to collect our effects before
second order arrived from headquarters that we
were TO leave the town Immediately. A quarter
OF an hour afterwards We were on!our road, an
auJuJanI OF EscoDeuO glVlnR us on leaving
passport 10 Cuantltlan Tambaya for us all, and
informing us that the General had given orders
that II we did not Immediately leave QueretarO,
or II we returned during the next seven or eight
days, IL would cost us our lives (Los costdrG Ia
gtdGl. After very fatiguing journey we reached
Tambaya on the 10th, and here we heard that
General Marquee appeared TO have no thoughts
of surrendering the City Of Mexico, but con-
unued to plumber and torture the inhabitants
in the most shameless way, at the same
time daily proclaiming victories OF the
Emperor, and his near approach to the
city. The famine in that city had
habitRnts had already migrated to the villages
around held by the Liberals where they were
suffering extreme misery, and contagious dis.
eases were beginning o spread. In the Liberal
camp the evaporation against Marquez, the
other Imperial Generals, and the foreign
officers ana soldiers still serving in Mexico
was uDbounded, as they could not suppose them
TO be still ignorant OF the fate that had over
taken the Emperor They accused them, there
fore, OF prolongtng ooodBhed, without any
hope OF success, nom sheer Oostinacy and
haired, and all the higher Mexican and Euro.
peRn officers were in consequence on the list of
those who were to suffer death when the city was
taken. On the other hand, his Majesty the Em-
peror mad pointed out the Lugarteniente Gen.
Marques to me and my colleagues as the greatest
traitor, who ever since ne had left Queretaro
had constantly acted in direct opposition to the
orders which had been sent him. The Emperor |
told me that General MARQUEE had never been
authorized 10 20 10 Puebla, but that his orders |
had been to march With the garrison of Mexico |
and the funds in the Treasury there, to Quere-
taro, where the Emperor would then have
fought decisive battle with the chief army of |
Lhe liberals of the favorable result OF which he
entertained no doubt All these plans failed in |
conseduence OF the disooedience of General Mar
ouez who never sent one courier nor one CEN
taVo TO Queretaro After the return OF Gen. Mar |
0uez had been vainly expected for some weeks
and after many Invariably successful pa rtiai |
engagements with an enemy six times as nu-