New-York tribune., 1921-12-27
Court Favorite of
Mexican Empire
RecOllnts Old DAYS
Marie Jordan de Degollado,
Once Virginia Belle, Is
30 Years Old and Lives
i'll Solitude i'm Mexico City

MEXlCO CITY, Nov. % (By Mail TO
The Associated Prcsa).-A shrivelel.
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.
ian ruled the destinies of the nation.
from 1864 to 1857. She is Sonora Marie
Othelia Jordan de Degollado, scion OF
an old Virginia family and widow of
General Mariana Degollado, member of
family famous III Mexican history.
During the three tragic years Of
MaXimilian's reign she was q lady-in-
waiting to Empress Charlotte, the "sad
princess OF Europe" and to The CORE
spondent she recently recalled some in
teHesting memories OF court days dur
ing the Mexican Empire.
MaXimilian, the ill-fsted Austrian
empire by Napoleon III in 1864 and
three years later was shot as ar
usurper ny order of the Mexican Presi-
dent Juarez, was described by Sonora
DeSollado as ga beautiful character
sympathetic and capable, but too amia-
bic to govern Il nation Of malcontents. ;"
Empress Charlotte. daughter Of Leo
pold J. King of the Belgians, who ;s
stlll Evlng IN BRUSSELS, according to
Sonora Degollado, was "an ambitious
genius VINO was always striving To ad-
vance her husband and whose mind be
came unbalanced when she found the
path blocked Sonora Degollado has
never seen the empress since she de-
parted froni Mexico City in July. 1865.
to plead The cause Of the empire before
the French monarch and later TO 90 to
Rome to attempt to secure the good
o111ces OF the Pope. SO tar as She
knows. no direct word has been re-
ce'vcd III Mexico from Charlotte in
more than sifteen years, and that only
an incoherent note to the wife of :.
former high Mexican official.
The Empress LETT hurriedly o.. her
European trin," said Sonora Degollado.
"no' despite her eightyodd years, re-
was accompanied only by her personal
maids. For many days prior TO her
ncpoaatu'e there were evidences of hey
failing reason and VIC were lot. sur-
prlsed TO hear of her AGATE sffiiction
several months later I am positive
that there is absolutely no truth in
the reports that she was poisoned be
fore che LET'S Mexico. And The En-
peror! tie was possessed Of every kind
eleiuent OF nature. lie was TOO good
He listened to trcacherous advice and
was shot. That day was an evil ono
for Mexico.'
Sonora Degcllado was in Mexico City
when Maximilian was shot in Quere-
taro. and although she had an oppor-
unity to view the body before it vas
shipped to Vienna. she declined, prefer
ring to remember him as she knew him.
Within a few days after the En-
peror's death she and her husband aed
to Guatemala. where they lived for sew
eral years until Porhrio 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
Degollado. who was attached to the
Mexican Embassy. They were married
in Washington and later came to Mex
ico where her husbands father. Gcu-
eral Santos Dcgollado. was one Of TIE
most prominent men OF the day. A
street and plaza in Mexico City still
bear his name.
Sonora Degollado believes that she
is the last survivor of the court ia
vorites of the Emperor Maximilian.