The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-09-18
RED DEATH OF WAR
Tragic Fate of Macmillan at the
Hands of the Mexicans.
HIS PENALTY FOR FAILURE

Vengeance OF the victors was Sat.
isfed-Coolness Of the Unfortunate
Prince.
No more tragic incident is recorded
10 history than the execution OF Maxi
milan. half u century ago a younger
brother of the Emperor Francis Joseph
was sent to rule Mexico. Together with
bis wife, be 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 a
In q volume written some years ago
Major John N. Edwards pictures graph
icaIly the closing hours of the tall,
handsome prince who would be king
as follows:
The morning broke fair and white In
the sky. and ut 6:3O O'Clock three car
riages drew up In front of the main
gate of the convent Of C%apuchins.
The bells rang in all the steepIes. 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 Macmillan
and Father Soria. ii priest In the Sec
ond carriage there came Miramon and
his priest. in the third Mejia and his.
Then the solemn cortege started. 49,
AL the people we're in the street On
the faces of the multitude there were
evidences OF genuine n 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 II of the
Liberals. fell upon their knees and
wepL
The place OF surrender was to be
the place of execution. Northwest OF
the city q mile or more the Hill of the
Bells lei Cerro de las Campunas) up
reared itself. 1t was inclosed on three
sides by G.OuO soldiers of all arms, leav-
ing the rear or uncovered side resting
upon q wall.
1t was 7:3O 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 bis pocket and his hat from
bis bead and beckoned for n of his
Mexican servants to approach. The
man came.
''Take these" the emperor said
''They are all ! 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.
In front Of the dead wall three cross
es had been firmly embedded in the
ground. On each side was u 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
upon the left for the grim old stole and
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
hand upon bis heart. /
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.
tly by the arm and led him to the GEN.
ter cross, embracing him for the last
time.
Escobedo was not on the ground An
aid-de-camp. however. brought permits
sion for each of the victims to deliver
a farewell address. The emperor spoke
briefly. MiramOn drew from his pocket
q small piece of paper and read.
When MiramOn had ceased reading
Macmillan placed his hand on his
breast. threw up his head and cried in
a %singuarly calm and penetrating
voice. "Fire!"
Eighteen muskets were discharged as
one musket. Mejia and Miramon died
Instantly. Four bullets struck the EN-
peror. three in the left and one in the
right breast. Three of these bullets
passed entirely through his body, COM.
ing out high up on the left shoulder;
the other remained embedded In the
right iung. The emperor fell q little
sideways and upon his right side, ex-
claiming almost gently and sadly:
"Oh, hombre. hombre! oh. man! Oh.
man."
He was not yet dead. A soldier went
up close to him and fred into bis
stomach. The emperor moved slightly
az II still sensible to pain. Another
came out Of the firing party and, put
<Ano tho ~u11lo If hia mnakof nm rlnao
to his breast, shot him fairly through
the heart.
The tragedy was ended Mexican
vengeance was satisfied; the soul Of
the unfortunate prince was with fs
God. and until tho judgment day the
blood Of one who was too young and
too gentle to die Will cry out from the
ground even % the blood Of Abel
~ G>~A sF7