Querétaro, in central Mexico, had fallen to the Liberal troops of Benito Juarez on May 15, 1867, and the Mexican Emperor Maximilian I, along with his staff, had surrendered at a convent in the city to Liberal General Mariano Escobedo.  On the orders of the central Liberal command, the Emperor and his two main remaining military commanders, General Miguel Miramón and General Tomás Méjìa, were tried before a public military tribunal at the Itirbede Theater in Querétaro.  They were each found guilty of bearing arms against the Republic and given the mandatory sentence of death.  The sentence was carried out by firing squad on the edge of the city on June 19, 1867 before a large crowd of onlookers.  (By John Osborne)

Querétaro, in central Mexico and the last refuge of the forces loyal to the beleaguered Emperor Maximilian I, had fallen to the Liberal troops of Benito Juarez the day before. Maximilian himself, along with his staff, made an attempt to flee the city but surrendered at a convent in the city to Liberal General Mariano Escobedo.  They were held in the city and the Emperor and his two main remaining military commanders, General Miguel Miramón and General Tomás Méjìa, were tried by military tribunal the following month and executed by firing squad there on June 19, 1867.  (By John Osborne)

Querétaro, in central Mexico and the last refuge of the forces loyal to the beleaguered Emperor Maximilian I, fell to the Liberal troops of Benito Juarez. Maximilian himself, along with his staff, made an attempt to flee the city but were captured the following day.  The Emperor and his two main remaining military commanders, General Miguel Miramón and General Tomás Méjìa, were tried by military tribunal the following month and executed by firing squad on June 19, 1867.  (By John Osborne)

An American experimental life raft, approximately thirty feet long, constructed principally of rubber cylinders, and named the Nonpareil, arrived safely in England after a forty-three day journey from New York City.  Sheltering under canvas on the deck, Captain John Mikes and two others had made the crossing without serious incident under sail rigged on their two small masts. Reportedly, the success of the Nonpareil's voyage drew instant interest from commercial shipping interests. (By John Osborne)

On this day, the French Government abolished the ancient law decreeing imprisonment for debt. In Paris, the ninety-seven inmates of the Clichy Debtors' Prison were promptly released. (By John Osborne)

Sultan Abdülaziz of Turkey had begun an unprecedented European tour in France, visiting Emperor Napoleon and attending the Paris Exhibition.  He crossed the English Channel and was welcomed at Dover by the Prince of Wales. He was to remain in England for ten days, was hosted at a State Dinner at Windsor Castle, and reviewed the British Home Fleet at its base in Portsmouth.  (By John Osborne)