The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-01-02
RECALLS DAYS OF
MEXICAN EMPIRE
American Widow of a Diplomat
Talks of Days of Macmillan
and Charlotte.
is MORE THAN 80 YEARS OLD
Former Lady in Waiting Describes
Emperor as beautiful Character,
Sympathetic and Capable, but
Too AmiabIe."

Mexico City.-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
I of the days of the Mexican empire
when the Austrian Archduke MaXimi-
liam ruled the destinies of the nation
from 1864 to 1867. She is Sonora Marie
Othelia Jordan de DegOllado scion Of
an old Virginia family and wife Of the
late Gen. Mariana Degollado, member
of a family famous in Mexican history.
During the three tragic years Of
MaXimilian's reign she was a 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.
Praise for Macmillan.
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 usur-
per by order of the Mexican president,
Juarez, was described by Sonora De-
gollado as "a beautiful character, SYM
pathetic and capable, but too amiable
to govern a nation of malcontents."
Empress Charlotte, daughter of Leo
still living in Brussels, according to
Sonora Degollado, was IAN ambitious
genius, who was always striving to adj
vance her husband, and whose mind
became unbalanced when she found
the path blocked" Sonora Degollado
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 beer received in Mexico from
Charlotte in more than fifteen years.
and that only an incoherent note to
the wife of a former high Mexican
Official.
1.-THE empress left hurredly on her
European trip" said Sonora Degollado.
who, despite her S0-odd years, retains
4 remarkably clear memory, land was
accompanied only by her personal
maids. For many days prior to her
departure, there were evidences of her
falling reason, and we were not sur
orised to hear Of her acute affliction
several months later. / am positive J
hat there is absolutely no truth in
a. e,l.o j,ap 4
'ore she left Mexico. And the en-
)eror! He was possessed of very kind
element Of nature He was too good.
lie listened to treacherous advice and
vas shot That day was an evil one
or Mexico"
Fled to Guatemala.
Sonora Degollado was in Mexico
yity when Macmillan was shot in
lueretaro, and, although she had an OPP
,ortunity to view the body before it
vas shipped to Vienna, she declined.
,erferring to remember him as she
new him. Within few days after
he emperor's death, she and her hus-
and fled to Guatemala, where they
wed for several years until Porfirio
)iaz became president of Mexico.
Born in Norfolk, Va, Miss Marie Jor-
an went to Washington with her
ather during the early days of the
ivil war, and there met Mariana De-
ollado, who was attached to the Mex
AN embassy. They were married in
and later came to Mexico,
here her husbands father, Gen.
antos Degollado, was one of the
lost prominent men of the day. A
rect and plaza In Mexico City still
ear his name. II
Sonora Degollado believes that she X
the last survivor of the court favor \
es of the Emperor Macmillan. Il