The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-06-06
wAxlmILlAN's LAST MOMENTS
Recent DtScIO sures Regarding the AA~sN
Hours OF the Emperor.


ICor. Boston Hera'd-l
Il was in Queretaro that Maxlmliian
made his final stand after the WITH
drawal of the French troops at word
of warning from Mr.. Seward. 1t IS q
lovely old city, with splendid aqueduct
in the oman manner, many ancient
and picturesque churches, and sou
and genial climate. Then, rs now, IL
was a stronghold of the church party
the very citadel OF Catholicism IN
Mexico. Macmillan was here beSlegeo
and overthrown. and imprisoned in the
convent of the Capuchinos, and thence,
after the famous court martial, led out
to the Hill of the Bells to be shot. he
cent disclosures regarding the last hours
of the emperor will destroy many
legends of the fatal day, and | will here
relate the contents of q document when
| the priest SOria lately dictated shortly
! prior to his own death. sOria was the
| emperors confessor, and was Win
| him during his last few days, and what
he here says must pass into history as
! the true account of MaXlmhans last
moments, an account not yet prlnVeu
| in English. 1t was of SorIa that MAXI
| milan said: 1T is | who must console
this good priest, and not let MN oecOiiie
utterly overcome.
Tie night before his death, says
the confessor Soria, 1.-The emperor wrote
two letters, one to the pope and the
| other 10 his mother. He cOnnded OoJO
to me, together with handkerchief for
| his mother.
ION the following morning / accom-
Danied him to the place OF execution
The cortege was composed OF three
wretched coaches / got into the hrst
with the emperor, while Miramon and
Mejia occupied, with their contessors'
the other two.
''Hardly had we left the convent OF
Ehe CaDuchinOs when l was surprised to
see Macmillan strike his breast, say
ing: ,,,-.I;os.
here to keep the blood from staining
my uniform
IAN the rest of the way the emperor
busted himself with praying and
recommending his soul to God. But
on seeing the Hill of the Bells he ex'
: ,laimed:
"SThere is where I had thought tc
most the standard of victory, and there
S where l am going to die. Life II
! 0ley'
Le added: what a beautiful view
And what beautiful day to diep
Z execution it was found difficult to OpeI
. the door of the coach.
Then Macmillan, being impatient
, leaped out of the window, knocking OF
his hat.
He handed me the crucifix, embrac
ny me. He also embraced Miramol
nd Me ia, diSss buted some gold coin
nong the soldiers who were to shoe
! i'm. and then, in a strong voice pro
/ nounced in Spanish these words:
forgive everybody apfzsz. - - a
7. may forgive me, ara desire that IN
blood, which % going to be shed. ma
he for the good of Mexico Long liV
,e Mexico! Long live her independence
immediately he placed his hand O
his breast indicating the spot for tn
n soldiers To take aim at. Then til
drums sounded, and in the presence q
the 1000 soldiers assembled it was pre-
claimed that whoe er should raise hi
Voice in behalf of the condemned ma
would be made to suffer the same pei
alty. Not q murmur was heard anon
the immense crowd standing behind th
troops.
T. ''At a given signal the three platoon
~ fred. Miramon and Me la fell dead a
once, but Macmillan did not die at th
first discharge and uttered three groani
Then they gave him the coup dc grace.
The priest Soria denied that Max
milan, as the legend 'oes, gave the POI
of honor at the exc ution to MiramoI
saving: "A brave IL N merits the r
IL spect of his sovereign; take the place ,
honor" The placin of the cOndemne
. was bv accident Thus a picturesql
legend is dissipated