Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-14
Sonora de Degollado
of Maximilian's Time
in Mexican Republic

Mexico City, Nov. 2S-(By the AS
ISOLATED Press)-A shriveled. gray
haired little woman, almost blind
and living wholly alone. sits all day
in her chair before the window of her
tiny apartment in Mexico City and
dreams of the days of the Mexican
Empire when the Austrian Archduke
Macmillan ruled the destinies of the
nation from 1864 to 1857. She is Sc
nora Marie Othelia Jordan de Degoi-
lado scion of an old Virginia family
and wife of the late General Mariana
Deeollado, member of a family fam
Gus in Mexican history.
During the three tragic years of
Maximilian's reign she was lady
| in-waiting to Empress Charlotte, the
@sad Princess of Europe" and to the
correspondent she recently recalled
some interesting memories OF court
days during the Mexican empire.
Macmillan, the Inflated Austrian
Prince who was set up as head of the
| Empire by Napoleon III in 1864 and
three years later was shot as an
usurper by order of the Mexican
President Juarez. was described by
Sonora Degollado as "a beautiful
| character sympathetic and capable
but too amiabie to govern a nation of
indictments"
Empress Charlotte, daughter of Le-
opold I, King Of the Belgians, who is
still living in Brussels, according to
Sonora Degollado, was IAN ambitious
genius who was always striving to
advance her husband and whose
mind became unbalanced when she
found the path blocked Sonora De-
gollado has never seen the Empress
since she departed from Mexico City
in July, 1866, to plead the cause OF the
Empire before the French monarch
and later to go to Rome to attempt
| to secure the good Offices of the Pope.
SO far as she knows no direct word
has been received in Mexico from
Charlotte in moro than Is years and
| that only an incoherent' note to the
wife Of a former high Mexican off,
cial.
1.-THE Empress left hurriedIy on her
European trip" said Sonora Degol!a-
do, who despite her S0-odd years re-
tains a remarkably clear memory,
land was accompanied only by her
personal maids. For many days prior
to her departure there were evil
dences of her failing reason and we
were not surprised to hear Of her
acute afflictidh several months later.
! am positive that there is absolutely
no truth in the reports that she was
poisoned before she left Mexico. And
the Emperor! He was possessed Of
every kind element of nature. He was
too good. He listened to treacherous
advice and was shot. That day was
an evil one for Mexico"
Sonora Degollado was in Mexico
City when Macmillan was shot in
Queretaro and although she had an
opportunity to view the body before
it was shipped to Vienna she de-
cIned, preferring to remember him
as she knew him. Within few days
after the Emperor's death, she and
her husband fled to Guatemala where
they lived for several years until
Porfirio Diaz became president of
Mexico.
Born in Norfolk, Va, Miss Marie
Jordan went to Washington with her
father during the early days of the
Civil War and there met Mariana De-
golIado, who was attached to the
Mexican embassy. They were mar
ried in Washington and later came to
Mexico where her husbands father,
General Santos Degollado, was one of
the most prominent men OF the day.
A street and plaza in Mexico City
still bears his name.
Sonora Degollado believes that she
is the last survivor of the court IA
vorites of the Emperor Macmillan.