New Britain herald., 1927-01-18
TRAGIC CAREER OF
 CHARLOTTE ENDING
Continued from First Page)

against Ills lnTOHt. tIdliotte, lOic- seing doom, fled to France to plead | with Napoleon to return his troops and support her husband.
 Her Tragic Headings. How she humbled her pride le- fore the French sovereign and sub sequently pleaded in vain for aid ! from the Vatican form the most dramatic episodes of her long life. Her interview with Napoleon was i held in secret, but at it's close an at i tendant heard her shriek: T ought never to have forgotten what l am | and what you are. l ought not to | have forgotten that there is Bourbon | blood In my veins I should not have disgraced my descent by lower 1 ing myself before a Bonaparte and being led away by an adventurer. Fails at Vatican Too. 1 Louis Napoleon left in the midst of her tirade, and attendants found | her swooning on the floor. Some | accounts have it that her mind fail- | ed her then, but the fact remains | that her will drove her to the Natl- can, where she also created scene.
 After this fruitless appeal in her husbands behalf she is said to have been found wandering the street of l Rome, washing her hands in the | fountains and babhling incoherently Tenderly Cared For.
 She was put under restraint and taken to Miramir, the scene ot her ! former happiness, and from there to ! Belgium where, known as the Mad Empress" she was tenderly cared for by her brother, Napoleon II. 1 This care has been continued by the Belgian royal family to the present.
 Accounts differ as 10 "hether i Charlotte has ever known that Maxi milan was betrayed and captured 1 or that he died with her name on i his lips before firing squad at | Ouerctaro. on June 1?, 1867.
 Kept Her Court of Five
 The fiction that she was still En- rress of Mexico was continued -py i rhe widow of MaXimilian and her i little court of five persons and also by the Belgian royal family during l all the time she remained reciuse at the Lael<cn Chateau.
 1 The question whether she really was insane has been a matter ot much speculation. For a long time i inc cS-empress suffered from hallu- , cinatiohs of persecution but these gradually subsided and eventually i disappeared. There have been many instances showing that her mind was clear Many friends maintained that she feigned deTentia through bride so that she could continue 10 act. talk and be treated still as an empress. Her relatives never took any action to have her declared Tn competent as the Belgian law re- ouires in cases of violent insanity. "The ex-empress some months ago startled her cntourage by showing Indications of independence and sanity. She summoned Colonel Van Eckhaudt. commander of the castle, and asked;
 T am entirely free, am I not''
 Certainly. Your Majesty re- piled the colonel.
 Walks Out After 90 Years.
 The former empress indicated that that being the case she would go outside the boundaries of the eX- tensiye forests surrounding the chateau. In the course of her GUS tomary walk she requested the guard at the great iron gates leading to the main road to let ner pass. He did so and for the frs, tlme in more than 50 years the former empress walked about 100 yards beyond the domain in which she had lived in such seclusion. The laGies in charge remained at a distance observing her. Charlotte returned with pleased air and several times after ward repeated the experience, but never going far on She road.
 Her chateau was situated several miles outside Brussels in a park Of about 400 acres, which was sur rounded by high tror fence. In her latter years the members Of her household kept up the imperial court maintaining every form of respect and difference, much as though Charlotte were a reigning sovereign.
 The former empress continued her practice Of rising about seven in the morning, and after making care- fu' toilet. went for walk in the gardens or for a drive 10 the moro remote parts of the domain. After dinner It was her custom to talk with members of her court or 10 listen to music of the piano or phor- ocraph. both of whicn s-,e was very fond. She treated everyone near her with lofty courtesy.
 Never Mentioned Death
 Never in the 50 years or mor' was Charlotte known 10 have men toned her deposed and "XocuteS emperor husband Na7imilian. ana never in all that time was the word "doath" spoken in her presence, Shc was never known 10 have spoken or written anvthing that r"ttled def nitcly whether she Was sane or ir- sane or realized that she had lost hrr title.
 Neither WIS fl known whether ah, left will
 When the Germans swept through Rigium at the hcs.nning Of thc European war they left the asylum Of the eN-cmpTess uuscatched by shot and shell, for the Austrian flag foatcd over the gateway of tn" rounds. Later, however, the Governor General at Brussels was obliged to order the following notice placed at the entrance 10 the grounds to prevent annoyance of th" empress by the increasing numhrr of trospasscrs curious to see her:
 This hahitation. the property o' tha Belgian Crown. is occupied h- Her Ma iesty of Mexico, Archhuch MaTimiiian of Austria. and sister-jr