The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-09-28
RED DEATH OF WAR
Tragic Fate of Macmillan at the
Hands of the MexiCanS.
HIS PENALTY FOR FAILURE.

Was Consummated and How the
Vengeance of the Victors Was Sat
isfied-Coolness of the Unfortunate
Prince.
No more tragic incident is recorded
In history than the execution of Maxi
milan. Half a century ago younger
brother of the Emperor Francis Joseph
was sent to rule Mexico. Together with
his wife, he sat upon the frail throne,
even then tottering. How he failed is
another story, but when he was taken
prisoner he prepared himself for death
the red death of war.
In a volume written some years ago
Major John n. Edwards pictures graph
ically the closing hours of the tall,
handsome prince who would be king
as follows:
| The morning broke fair and white in
| the sky, and at $50 o'clock three car
riages drew up in front of the main
gate of the convent of Capuchins.
| The bells rang in all the steeples, there
were soldiers everywhere, and long
| lines of glittering steel that rose and
fell in yet the soft, sweet hush of the
morning.
In the first carriage got MaximiliaL
and Father Soria, priest. In the sec
ond carriage there came Miramon and
his priest, in the third Mejia and his.
Then the solemn cortege started :
All the people were in the street On
the faces of the multitude there were
| evidences of genuine and unaffected
sorrow. Some among the crowd lifted
their hats as the victims passed along
some turned away their heads and
wept. and some. even among the sol
diers and amid the hostile ranks of the
Liberals. fell upon their knees and
wept-
The place of surrender was to be
the place of execution. Northwest of
the city q mile or more the Hill of the
Bells Gel CerrO de las Campanas) up
reared itself. 1t was inclosed on three
sides by G.OO0 soldiers of all arms, leav-
ing the rear or uncovered side resting
upon wall.
1t was 7:30 o'clock when the car
riages halted at the place of execution
Macmillan was the first to alight. He
stepped proudly down, took a handker-
chief from his pocket and his hat from
his head and beckoned for one of his
Mexican servants to approach. The
, man came
Take these the emperor said.
"They are all l have to give"
The faithful Indian took them, kissed
them, cried over them, fell upon his
knees a few moments in prayer to the
good God for the good master and
arose a hero.
4 In front of the dead wall three cross
= es had been firmly embedded in the
- ground. On each side was 4 placard
bearing the name of the victim to be
inundated there That upon the right
was where the emperor was to be shot,
that in the center was Miramon. that
2 upon the left for the grim old stole and
q fighter Mejia
: Macmillan walked firmly to his
: place. The three men embraced each
= other three times. To Mejia he said:
: I'VE will meet in heaven"
: Mejia bowed, smiled and laid his
l. hand upon his heart
o To MiramOn he said:
{ Brave men are respected by sover
= eigns. Permit ME to give you the
- place of honor"
- AS he said this he took Miramon gen
g tly by the arm and led him to the cen
+ ter cross, embracing him for the las
> time
2 Escobedo was not on the ground. Al
aid-de-camp. however, brought permits
sion for each of the victims to deliver
s Il farewell address. The emperor spoke
U briefly. MiramOn drew from his poke
u a small Piece of paper and read.
When Miramon had ceased reading
: Macmillan placed his hand on hi
breast, threw up his head and cried il
singuarly calm and penetratin:
voice, Fire.
Eighteen muSkets were discharged a
one musket. Mejia and Miramon diet
instantly. Four bullets struck the EN-
peror three in the left and one in tn
right breast. Three of these bullet
passed entirely through his body, com
ing out high up on the left shoulder
the other remained embedded in tn
right lung. The emperor fell littl
sideways and upon his right side, eS
claiming almost gently and sadly:
"Oh. hombre. hombre! oh. man! OF
man."
He was not yet dead A soldier wen
up close to him and fired into hi
stomach. The emperor moved slight
as if still sensible to pain. Anothe
came out of the firing party and. pu
ling the muzzle of his musket up clos
TO his breast, shot him fairly throug
the heart
The tragedy was ended. Mexica
vengeance was satisfied: the soul {
the unfortunate prince was with IL
God, and until the judgment day th
blood of one who was too young an
too gentle to die will cry out from tn
ground even &c tho blood of Abel