The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-07-19

Belgium, and the stone Chateau
many years.
Empress Carlotta, widow of EN-
Aperor Macmillan of Mexico, her
hurses and doctors are the courtiers
and gallants surrounding the geor-
geous throne she once knew; she is
still-to herself--the empress of Mex
leo. Somewhere, beyond the portals
Of the rooms that shuts her in young
Macmillan, her emperor husband, she
believes, is waiting. and will come to
her.
King Albert OF Belgium, her nephew,
hurried to her bedside Wednesday
night when physicians reported she
might die at any moment. To her he
was but another official of her court.
Through the death watches she cried
always for her husband who. they told
her, had gone away"
Relic of Nineteenth Century
Fate has, perhaps, been kind to Car
lotta, frail relic of nineteenth century
dynasties long since faded into his
tory. Since that burning dawn June
1e, 1869, when rebel Mexican troops
shot Miximilian against a wall in
Mexico, her mind has lived only IN
the past. She has no knowledge of
the days that followed Of her wan.
derings throughout Europe. her vir-
tual Imprisonment as a lunatic. the
days Of the World War whose thun-
ders reached her windows without her
knowing their significance. To her
the night that Mexico rose In rebel
sion Is yesterday" She is still en-
press, and her husband viii return.
The story of Carlot-a. the mad en-
press" goes back beyond the memory
of this generation. Born in Belgium
In 1S4o she wed the handsome and
:. dashing Archduke Maximilian Of Aus
tria, and went with him co she gay
~court of Vienna, where her youth and
beauty made her a leader in its life.
MaximiIian Selected
When Napoleon III of France. Ma
poleon the Little" dreamed of an
empire IN the new world and began
his war on Mexico. he selected Max
imilian as the ruler Of his new en-
pire.
IORSLn6T Ln6Y came 10 ln6A1CO anu
surrounded by European ceurtiers. set
up a gildea and regal regime. France
backed the project with money and
men.
The Civil War was in progress in
America WhenHt ended, however.
the United States announced it could
not permit empirical adventures in
the Western Hemisphere. France
saw the North equipped with stand
ing army of 100000 Civil War
veterans, ready to fight. Napoleon
III, busy on his own European war
: ventures, left Maximilan to work
out his destiny as best he might.
Bloody revolution followed Gen.
Benito Juarez. victorious, captured
Macmillan, and decreed he must die.
Macmillan was shot against a wall
in the Mexican village Of Queretaro.
Escapes to Europe
Almost simultaneously the princes
escaped to Europe, despite the fact
rebel warships followed in hot pur-
suit. She arrived in Paris alone,
weeping and dissonsolate. She hur-
ried to Napoleon, and later to Rome,
where, she was received by Pope
Plus TX.
. There she declared poison food was
Ybeing fed her and insisted on drinking
out Of the Popes cup at meals. Ply
sicians were summoned, whereat she
refused to leave the Vatican. Driven
insane by worry, she insisted on
spending the night there. establishing
the record of having been the only
woman in history to do so.
Later she was taken to Belgium and
placed under guard in the Chateau.
A small court was placed at her dis
posal, its members being instructed to
huInor her in her belief she was still
empress of Mexico. The grim regal
farce has been continued until this
day.
Princess Carlotta is immensely
wealthy, her estate being estimated
at $40. 100000. This viii fall to the
royal family Of Belgium on her death.