The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-16
The Proceedings Before the
Tribunal at Paris.
0per'rl, speech Of Nj. Berger, Madame
oraparte-Patterson's Counsel.
M. AllOn's Reply for Prince
Napoleon.
1he Most Interesting Romance Of
the Age,
&C., &C. 10.

The following Is full report q this remarkable cAse
Tho Presidents chair occupied by N. Benost Cham
p and the having been called Berger, counsel
for Madame Patterson Bonapate and her SON. rose and
his speech BY reading to the Court his con
Illusions which In the folio wing words
May 1t please the court declare valid the marriage
the cath December 1903 between the late
Prince Jerome and Miss Elizabeth Patterson to take
(dofWer 0e) that NJ B0nnparte, whilst demanding that
the marriage of the oath De0ember 1903, be deIared
hid intended question, and does not question,
1907 by his father with Princess Catherine of wur-
temberg, may produce. Gentlemen, the authority OF
where respected, sufficient guarantee that in the
conduct OF this will not allow myself to be in
duenced BY considerations foreign to tho question Of
idity which Ia submitted TO your decision The crowd
of hearers which throngs this hall that
seeking to crafty empty feeling Of curiosity,
carefully adhere to the simplicity OF legal discussions
And yet there ia much be said, there are many de-
iicae questions TO be touched upon in this great law
suit will touch upon them us briefly and delcately
as consistent with my duties viii endeayor TO for
get the elevated position Of the defendants and viii
eOdeayor 10 obtain for client only that justice which
wou1 expect II pleaoed only against private citizen.
published tew days ago. according TO the time honored
custom OF our bar, memoir containing statement OF
facts, which was not premature in any way. Before
my seat all doubts viii be removed from your
minds teaching the authenticity OF these Documents
whatever Anonymous writer in the Molisur rashiy
ventured to assert the contrary 1t is Impossible for
me, gentlemen not TO feel deeply moved when / reflect
on the suernes which Mrs Patterson has endured for
nearly sixty years, during which she has anxiousiy
awaited this day Of justice this day which to decide
whether she is to hold the position which is denied
her, and which she has never been unworthy TO fill.
This lady her seventy fifth year present in this
court gentemensho asks to pronounce the houor
Of her lfe on tho Legitimacy OF her only la the
beginning OF october, 1903, NJ. Jerome Bonaparte an
nouncsd his matrimonial intentions to his family by lot
ters which were entrusted to a Mr. Barney The French
Charge dAfiares in the United States, ~ Pchon in the
month OF October informed the FreD I'll government
negotiations which taken place his dispatches
deposited in Paris in the archivcs" Of tho Foreign
Office. Among the letters which exchanged on tho
subject between the two countries find one from Presi
yno att
Der 1903, 10 Mr. Livingston, the United states Minister
in Paris
is the wcathest man in Maryland and possibly IN the United
% NJ The or he H. ne n'nSse
s s e o. 81 s n Has saes saoh
poson replaces rank in country where hereditary dissnc
lions unknown.
This letter. gentlemen shows the position Of the Paiter-
family Miss Patterson only daughter, ten
derby loved by her paien very regiously brought
she makes the acquaintance young French Off
md opponents will give you TO understand that
abe became his mistress. Towards The end OF 1902 Je
rome Bonaparte had left France in the squadron under
Admiral Villeneuve, which ordered 10 recapure the
West India Islands; he had the rank of Lieutenant bis
commission according to the very documents put IN by
opponents described him twenty two years or
He bore name which then oiled the world with its fame
abe glory OF the Immortal campaigns in Italy and Egypt
the report of which had reached America, cast halo
round the brother Of the First Consul of the French
pubo, and naturally no attracted much notice In Amer
was the psrsoaa and civil sstats to Which as French
citizen, he was subject ut the period Of his sailing
France. IL the law september DO 1872 And
what says that law That French subjects free 10
marry the at fifteen, the women at thirteen years
Of age; that French subjects OF age at twenty one
and that minors alone require the consent Of their Pr
rents. Jerome Bonaparte naturally thought himself
quite at liberty to marry and sought TO obtain the hand
oC Miss Patterson All the ties that bound France and
America the cooperation Of France the War OF Inde
pendence nay, tho recent cesson OF louisiana rendered
IN moro respects than the suit OF NJ Bonaparte
Cep,abe; and IL was in short, accepted Now, how
IL be pretended that this marriage cindesiineg
Here ara The circumstances under which il was con.
iuda Tho hand ~ WA fprn do
mandcd Cor Lieutenant Bonaparte by the Spanish Ambas
ssdor The Cd Of November 1909 fixed for the ere
person the President OF the Unted States and inform
him Of his marriage lie started from Baltimore for
Washington, aud presented by the French Ambassl
dor NJ Piclfn. NJ. Pchon told the President that the
brother OF the First Consul about TO have the
honor OF marrying tho daughter OF Of tho frat citizens
81 America 81 Pichon was, therefore, pcrfec ~ aware
Though he says he was but vaguely in letter which
our opponents put in ovidence) Of what going
He was AT the same time invited TO be present at the wed
ding mus, however, state that the 26th OF Oco-
acr n NJ bcnaparto was about to return 10 Baltimore,
81 fchcn Informed him that after two hours search
TIC had discovered number 2of tho Noricu Of the 10Th
81 May, 1905 which contained the pronunciation of the
law N France relative 10 the celebration OF mar
riage, aud no wrote To HIM; Your age is not legally
proved BY your commsson-noreoycr, according 10 the
new legislation YOU are minor as FAR as regards mar
riaye until tho arc Of twenty-five W. pichon also no
ned the fact ~ Mr.. William Patterson, the father OF the
bride On hearing this declaration Tho venerable Mr.
Patterson declared that the marriage be given up
Jerome Bonaparte him declared that under these cir
cumstanccs be would not press his suit WHAT took place
but et the end OF that period NJ Jerome Bonaparc, in
obedience TO the law OF the country provided himself
with marriage liocnsc. What Il licenseY ] cannot
DO better, gentlemen than quote the opinion Of one of
tho first urists in the States Mr. Mason who represented
untu very iatey his country in France Rerryer then
read Judge Ma 5ons definition Of license aud proceeded
70 argue that from the possession Of that document by
the bridegroom the marriage could not have bccn
clandesline. lie then proceeded 70 read the mlrragc
contract which drawn mp in presence Of the French
Consul at Baltimore and o. the Mayor or that city.
He read the declarations the Mayor and the Consul
leealing the signature TO said contract He then read
the certacete u the marriage, which Ia signed % Bsh
op Of BALTIMORE and then proceeded follows -
'fThs, gentlemen is the first documcnt-e docu-
mont which BY its very context seems calcu.
lated TO set aside amy imputaton Of secresy. The
marriage ceremony took place in TIE evening general
custom among pcrons o. rank, and which l. still prac
tset IN some OF our provinces IN Brittany FOR instance,
where IL looked upon diminishing the solem
nifty the publicity Of the marriage. The marriage was
ALSO duly recorded tho registers Of the cathedral
will take for granted that have shown that there
nethirg candesRe about the uniou and leaving ths.
point viii the statement Of the facts OF the
After the celebration Of the marriage year ELAPSED.
This brings 20 the close OF 1901 VI. jerome Bona.
partewhcthcr in obedience 10 iniunCtous We arc not
arquairted with, whether daz1cd and attracted Ivy
the new born grandeur Of his imIy in france, where
the Empire had just been proclaimed, unable to
say-M Jerome ormel the design Of returning 20 France
Ito wss unable1 TO embark ut once, oSing to the
presence OF an English frigate In the cfu,; but IN
March 1906, he took passage on board an American
ship whose neutral Tag afforded him protc ;tion, and
safely arrived al Lisbon OF his stay in the Portuguese
capital We have documentary evidence. our oppo.
ncnis, although they had the public records placed At
their disposition which denied access 20, arc
ne badly On IN that respect rs ourselves IN the 5th ~
April, however NJ Bonapartc suddenly left Lisbon with
~ I0oaInus, leaving his wife bohinl him, With orders
40 meet him at Amsterdam. Before bis departure hr
wrote " his wife the following letter written ~ pen
rh -
1oy IfsBoS, April Z, 1896
10 MApAMr !. RoNGpkpYp
n ass We ase on, good Wife Danish AZ gloomy pre-
i'n ttotn Your nina Have confidence In hns
Danal sna we worst thing ha bofal i've quietly
~. . ountty But ~ long together
ls e W. my s, S5e n s, hspry There several lhng
First You must not Ciylep sll do No oo4 mae
do great deal OF liz " W ' 7N'A' '''1 nv
Secondly Take hat rnsa... 49,.
any vista and aw,ys 70 have he Doctor ma wiliafas
hand - well rs M. Anderson. Thirdly. M 80 All
there iS 10 be seen. FOR looks ike fnni On, M
leaves country without having what WOrr 100.
their. kiss you "a love YOU, aud you how n1h
ioye1oh J.B
IL H. the original OF this letter produce Tho writ, ~,
Ia pencil which was beginning Il iado has baca trlf.i
IN ink but it's authenticity IS not 10 no questioned
Tits The nfst letter which passed botwc,n III d.
and his wife en- the l5t Of April ~ wsotc nv.
other letter 70 Madame Bonartre, dated from Mirit
-L.L-L 49, L.. -. ....lL - u L.L