Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-11
Mer5co's Four SorrOW Queens


Mexico has a record for unhappy rulers
wives As they are named in the account they
include First, the mad Csrlotta, empress oil
Mexico: then Carmen Romero Rubio de Diaz
the widow OF the Iron Man" OF Mexico; Mrs
Francisco |. Madero, the widow OF the, little
dreamer widowed by assassination is the third
and the last of the quartet, Sonora Emilia
Aguila Huerta, widow OF General Victoriano
Huerta. the "old Indian" dictator. who
died a prisoner in this country and lett ms
widow an exile here. Probably ii would be din.
cult to say which OF Mexicos four queens OF
sorrow is the most miserable
In the case OF the poor Carlotta, insanity
kindly cast curtain over her mind. She, at
least. may not be able to realize Just how iull is
her cup OF sorrow. For more than nifty years
now the mad Empress Carlotta has sat upon her
throne OF make-believ in the Chateau de Bou-
Brussels. where she was left unframed when the
Germans swept through Belgium,
The second member OF the quartet OF the
queens OF sorrow is Sonora Carmen Romero
Rubio de Diaz the widow OF Porhro Diaz, die
tator of Mexico for more than thirty years, and
who died an exile in Paris last July.
Today Sonora Diaz is without country She
is the former "Carmelita," beloved Of all Mexico
and in whose honor the organization known as
the Daughters of Carmelita" was named. =,
The aged Diaz, yielding before the forces OF
Madcro, put Victoriano Huerta, his trusted gen
cral, in charge OF his military escort on the
tram that took him TO Vera Cruz. When TINS
train was attacked the old Iron Man and his
general fought side by side. Huerta finally saw
Diaz safe on board the ship which carried him
and his "Carmeta" into exile.
A few years before the Diaz government was
overthrow a very close friend Of General Por-
6rio Daz. who calls himself "a soldier of the old
guard wrote the biography Of I'VE former Mexi-
can dictator, in which he paid the following trib-
ute to Sonora Diaz:
During the afternoons well setup and dis
notwithstanding gentleman, accompanied by
a stately and noble lady, may often be seen
walking together. alone in the shady avenues
which surround the castle of Chapultepec. Both
are dressed simply ~,
1.-THE correct attire and neatness in every
detail show the former to be a soldier and a
commander of the army in civilians clothes. A
glance at his companion is sufficient to indicate
that she is in every respect grande dame, and
her irrcproachable good taste is evident IN the
most trivial detail Of dress and manner. We're
it not for the noble aspect OF the gentleman and
the distinguished appearance OF his companion,
it would be hard to realize that here, before one S
eyes, were one Of the grandest and most powerful
men of the times and his worthy consort.
Madame Diaz rules in the hearts OF the Mex
lean people, who love and admire her for the
noble example she has set and for her many
quiet and transformations acts OF real charity.
Assassination made Sonora, Sara Percy Ma
dero the third member Of the queens Of sorrow
quartet She is now an exile in New York She
is the woman who has been called the Mexican
Joan OF Arc She sold her own jewels to pay
the soldiers who rose against Porhrio Diaz. She
followed her husband tirelessy from camp to
camp through the long campaigns nursing the
wounded solacing the dying, holding up the
hope OF freedom to the fighters who were left.
Then came the decena tragica tragic ten
days. in February, 1918, when thousands were
slain in the streets of the City Of Mexico. Ma
dero gave his defense into Huerta's hands. After
| frightful bloodshed, Huerta turned traitor, and
Madcro was imprisoned in the National palace,
Within few days Madero, while his frail wife
| was pleading on her knees for her husband 8
| life, was shot while trying to escape" all OF
| which was according to the Mexican ley fuga
or law OF flight
| Sonora Madero is small and slight in stature
| She does not look strong, and has strained
startled look of questioning misery in her eyes,
Upon the death Of Madero, Huerta seized the
| Mexican presidency, but after stormy career
| OF less than two years he was forced to flee the
country. He and all the members of his family
| managed to escape from Mexico to Spain from
| which country they came to New York in May
| 1915.
| Huerta then purchased home at Forest Hills
! Long Island. but last July decided to establish
his home in FL Paso Last June he was arrested
on the Texas border on the charge Of being in.
| voived in conspiracy to violate the United
States neutrality laws by planning revolution In
| Mexico.
Huerta was imprisoned in Fort Bliss, near E
| Paso and his wife FASTENED to his side 1t wa:
said that as result Of his arrest, Huerta aged
twenty years within few days, and his iron con
stitution began to break. A fatal malady de-
veloped, and after number Of operations, he
died last January, a prisoner IN an alien country
General Huerta's wife held his hand to tn,
last The windows of the deathchamber opened
toward Mexico, and in his last moments Of con
scousness, Sonora Huerta held her dying hus
bands head in her arms and turned his face SC
| he could look off to the Mexican mountains ant
4 the land Of his birth, where he so recently rues
As the end came, the life companion of thu
| "Old Indian" sat quietly. She shed no tears, fo
| long ago her well OF tears had gone dry.