The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-09-29
SAD FATE
OF An Empress And Tragedy
OF Her Life
Believed Her MiSerieS viii
Soon Be Relieved By
Death

London, Sept. 25-In all the news
that has come out of Belgium during
the past two months. telling of the
great battles, the destruction of cities,
the fall of the capital and the fight of
the royal family. not one word has
been said concerning the fate of the
Insane Empress Carlotta, who for
many years has been kept i'm close
been rumored, indeed, that the widow
Of the ill-fated Macmillan of Mexico,
was dead. Recent arrivals from Bel
gium, however, state that these rum
ors were false, though it was current
report in Brussels that the former EN-
press was SO i'll that only faint hopes
we're entertained for her recovery. Ac-
cording TO a story circulated in the
Belgian capital the German armies
were given special orders, at the re-
quest of the Emperor of Austria, not
TO modest the insane Empress in her
retreat and to take steps for her pro-
lection if necessary. The Emperor of
Austria, il will be remembered, is a
brother-in-law of Carlotta, the Emper-
OF Maximilian having been the young
est brother of Emperor Francis Jo-
seph.
The story OF the poor insane EN-
faI I.sN he,
tragedy of her life is so interviewer
with one of the most thrilling chapters
Of New World history that it will bear
a repetition at the present time, when
it is believed to be a matter of only a
short time, perhaps of days, until her
earthly miseries are relieved by death.
Born a princess, and educated to
wear a crown, Carlotta has passed
forty-eight of her seventy-three years
within the walls of an asylum for the
insane. Married at II, a queen at "a
and lunatic at 26, she was bereft of
father, husband, empire and reason in
the short space of IS months, and
then. by the irony of fate, forever ban
ished from human memory. Her ca
raer was almost kinetOscopic in the
rapidity of its promising in
its inception, magnificent in it's rise,
pathetic. dramatic. tragic in its decline
and fall
Although Carlotta was more poteD-
tial in Mexican history during her
short reign in that country than was
her imperial husband himself, the rec
Ords OF that time ignore her efforts.
belittle her achievements and refer to
her eEdowments of executive ability,
political sagacity, mental culture and
strong womanly character in the most
impersonal and incidental manner AS
matter of fact it vas her regal train
ing, her dominant sp'rit. her constant
iRsistenee. which. prevailed over the
weak, yacillating, easily influenced
and almost effeminate character of the
Emperor Macmillan.
carlotta was exactly "a years of age.
MaxiEcilisn 32. when their eyes beheld
for thc FIRST time the land across the
water where they hoped to regenerate
: nation. Their entry into the city of
Mexico was triumphal one. The
splendors of their court were unpre-
oedsnted, for Carlotta knew well how
to be an Empress. But the Mexicans
fought brayely for their freedom. the
United States interfered in their be-
half. and the Emperor Napoleon was
ordered 10 withdraw his troops. Here
agair Carlotta was dominant. She
would go herself to France and inter
eede with Napoleon.
What could be more pathetic than
The spectacle of the girl Empress
pleading with The Emperor OF France
and the Pope of Rome for the means
and soldiers TO save from ruin the en-
pire of her husband, at a time when
Macmillan had been already many
weeks dead. Carlotfa's ambition and
pride were crushed. her heart broken.
Young. beautiful. ambitious, loving, on
the very threshold of youth and hope,
she Was seized and torn from the
world by the relentless hand Of unrea-
son, and east into the midnight Of Ut
ter blank
For nearly fifty years she has been
banished TO an Oblivion that is worse
than death Those who recall her to
mind as a proud and imperious beauty
would fail to recognize her in her later
years, ali bent and broken. her snow
white hair framing a face waxy white
in complexion and deeply furrOwed
with lines of pain and grief
BY arrangement made with her broth
ct. the late King Leopold OF Belgium
the former Empress was placed in thS
old royal castle Of Bouehout, a few
hours drive from Brussels Here shs
has remained these many years, doubt