Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-10-26

Inc FAMILY Adhered to the Fortune
of King James II.
Paris, Oct. 17-MarshaI MacAIabon
died at 10 o'clock this morning, at the
chateau LaForet on the river Loire.
He was able to take food till yester-
day. During the night his strength
gradually declined until the end came
peacefully. Members of the family
were at the bedside.
But little has been heard of Marshal
MacMahon since he retired from the
presidency on January 30, 1879. 1t was
said at the time that when he cot
home to his own house in the Rue de
BeuechaSSe, and he had read the ac-
count of his upset in the evening pa
pers, he had the first sound nights
rest he had enjoyed since his accession
to the station in life to which nature
and habit lad fitted him; a certain
grace and even gradeur gathered round
his retreat. He had left the palace
where he had dwelt as lord of French
taxes with clean hands. Afterward he
returned to his life of other days
hunting, shooting and travelling. Round
his table he gathered many of his old
companions in arms, to whom the new
government had showed decided hos
tility, and became content to be a
simple spectator of the struggles Of
the newborn republic, while his wife
1it1 cd tn ho,. l.,
of charity, with no regret for her past
grandeur and no wish, to be called
from her poverty to a life that had
been at all times distasteful to her
simple habits.
1t was with surprise and sorrow
that Paris saw soon after his retirement
from the presidency large printed
posters announcing that a part of the
very home Of the old general, the mag
nificent hotel in the Rue de Bellechasse.
was to be sold at auction. Immense
yellow posters covered the walls of
the mansion, announcing a sale of half
the extensive property at a reserve
price of 100000 francs. The beautiful
grounds surrounding the hotel were
thrOnged with curious sightSeerS, and
the saloons, halls and galleries, rich
with paintings, statuary, furniture OF
every age, from the days of Henry ".
down to the present time, and other
evidences of a liberal taste, had a
crowd of eager visitors. The house
was the ancient hotel of the Due de
CaStrieS, minister of war under Louis
XVI. 1t was sacked by the mob in
1889, the minister having been accused
of bringing the kings troops to Paris
to massacre the people. Nine. Mac
Mahon, who is still alive, has the title
of duchess of Castries.
The MacMahons were always a fight
ing race, and the name is prominent
in French military annals, sharing in
glory and in disaster. One of his an
cestors was at Waterloo, and story is
told of the time when the battle was
lost and it was necessary to make des-
perate effort to cover the retreat of
the shattered army. Charge, keep
charging. boys" MacMahon shouted to
the third quirassiers. "Marshal,' said
the colonel, I'VE are so cut up it is GER
tain death for us to charge; you know
it, Embrace me, my FRIEND was
MacNIahon's only reply; and then the
two gallent soldiers led forward the
regiment which made those three terri
BILE charges that are recorded among
the great deeds of the French army.
Only 100 men of it's number remained,
and of these all but eight are wounded
A recent biographer, speaking OF
Marshal MacMahOn'S Irish descent,
says that he was a direct descendant Of
Brian BOru, the famous Irish king
who conquered the Danes at Clontarf.
He then goes on: There is much TO
nance connected with the story Of the
settlement of the Irish MacMahOns in
France. Away back in the seventeenth
century, it is told, one Terence Mac
Mahon was a retainer Of the famous
house Of Sarsfeld. He owned a farm
at Leadmore, county Clare, which had
belonged to his ancestors for many
wears. But he was fallen in fortune,
and was glad to serve the great SarS-
fields. He had son named Terence,
and this son married Anne Clarke, a
waiting maid who had served the
Castlemaines and had been brought to
Ireland by Lord Tyrconneu This
cO11ple went back to LeadmOre to live.
OF all their child1 en- only one, John,
lived tc grow up, and as companion
for him they adopted a nephew, John
Baptist MacMahOn.
'HThese two lads were sent to France
to be educated as physicians. Iney
GOT on uncommonly well and AFTER
graduation were appointed to fine posi-
tons in the public military service
Lord Tyrconnel was their friend and
patron and helped them nightly. john
went with Lord TyrCOnnel to Berlin,
where the latter was French amDasSa-
dor and the former physician to the
embassy. There he spent twenty years
and was close friend Of Voltaire.
He left one son, Patrick MacA1anoh,
who won the favor Of Napoleon Bona
parte. and was librarian to the facuI-
ty of Medicine in Paris for many years
As for John Baptist MacMah0n, he
was even more successful. Being d
stalvart. handsome fellow, with a fine
touch Of blarney, he was prime Ia
vorite among the ladies Of the French
court. One of them got him place
at the head of a great hospital at AutuI
/ and introduced him to a crippled Ole
woman there who was worth 3.J0O
0OOf. The doctor cared for the old wo
man until she died, and then founo