Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-07-07
Jerome Napoleon Bonaparie-The Ro-
nance Of his Parentage.

Jerome Napoleon Bonaparie-Tne Ro
nance Of his Parentage.
Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, eldest Sol
Of the Emperor Napoleon's youngest bro
ther, Jerome, died yesterday at Baltimore
This event will probably bring to close
one of the most remarkable lawsuits of the
age; it is another important chapter in th,
strange romance of which that remarkable
lady, Madame Patterson, still remains the
central figure. 1t is story which many
of our readers will be glad to recall.
Sixty-seven years ago Jerome Benaparte.
the youngest brother of Napoleon, arrived
In New York. He had joined the French
naval service, and accompanied his broth.
er-in-law Gen. LIE Olerc to San Domingo
While LIE Clerc was fighting Toussaint l.
Ouverture and the yellow fever the first OF
whom, it will be remembered, he over
came by treachery, while the other over
came him by surprise, Lieut.. Jerome was
driven by the English navy to take refuge
IN New York harbor. While his vessel
was lying in the bay watched by
English cruisers, Jerome made a tour OF
the Eastern States as far South as Wash
ington, where he was presented TO Presi-
dent Jefferson in October, 1903. At Balti-
more he met Miss Elizabeth Patterson,
daughter of wealthy merchant of that
city, young girl of Is. Her uncommon
beauty attracted the attention of young
Bonaparte. and won what little heart he
possessed. The family position aud con-
nections of Jerome Bonaparte fired the
ambitious heart of Miss Patterson, and, a
few days after their first meeting, she read.
lily accepted his offer to make her at once
Madame Bonaparte aud n member of the
civil family of the Emperor. The betrothal
was completed after strange fashion of the
day at grand ball given by young Bona
parte, at which Miss Patterson was his
partner. During the dance he threw over
her head q gold chain to which was at
tached q miniature likeness of himself, set
in diamonds, and the lady bore il of in
triumph. Thus the engagement was made
Miss Patterson's father, however, disap-
proved, and sent her away to what was
then known as the "wilds of Virginia. :"
But as Bonaparte gave further evidences of
his attachment by sending letters to that
secluded spot, her father relented, and
brought her home. The Spanish envoy
was charged with the formal demand OF her
hand, the French Consul attested the con-
tract, and Bishop Carroll celebrated the
marriage ceremony on Christmas Eve, 1903.
jerome BOnaparte remained in America for
fully year, visiting with his wife various
parts of the country. When they were
ready to 60 to Europe, MIR. Patterson fitted
out the Erin, one 0 his own vessels. and
in the spring of 1866. they embarked for
Europe. and arrived safely at Lisbon.
The happiness of Jerome and his bride
was here suddenly brought to an end by
the information that Napoleon l., who had
advanced his brother with the design of
making him useful in some matrimonial
alliance with European royal family, WAS
very much disgusted with his marriage.
He refused to recognize the marriage, and
forbade the admission of the wife to French
territory. The husband left her at Lisbon,
and repaired to Italy to see the Emperor
1t is probable that the young Lieutenant,
still enamored of his beautiful wife, made
some efforts to obtain her recognition, but
they were probably not very strenuous,
and were certainly unavailing. He
did not return to his wife, but,
yielding to Napoleon's orders, he mar
ried, Aug. IL, 1917, Frederick Catherine,
daughter of the King of Wurtemberg, and
as a reward was made six days after, King
of Westphalia. His subsequent fate was n
fitting sequel to the story. He offended
his brother by some neglect which disar-
ranged the Russian campaign of 1912, and
was severely repremanded and practically
dismissed the service. Two years later he
had to fly from Paris, leaving his royal wife
under arrest, and Was forced to retire to
Vienna, where he lived AS Prince de Mont
ford. When the empire was entered. he
returned to Paris, and died there in 1860.
Forbidden to enter France, Nine. Pat
terson BonapaIte went to Holland, but
shortly after retired to Camberwell, Eng
land, where, on July z, 1866, Jerome Ma
poleon, the subject of the present sketch,
was born For years she haunted Europe,
finding no opportunity to obtain, but never
failing on every occasion to assert, her
rights and those OF her son. Once, in the
Pitt Palace at Florence, she encountered
jerome and his new wife. but the oontempti-
BILE fellow sneaked from the presence of
the proud woman he had wroneed, and
Immediately left Florence.
Madame Bonaparte returned to the Uni
ted States with her son during his boyhood,
and he was reared at Baltimore. He enter
ed Harvard College, and graduated from
that institution in 1926. He studied for
the bar. but never practiced law. He was
married in early life to Miss Williams,
daughter of Benjamin Williams, originally
of Roxbury, Mass, whose wife. by strange
coinc 'dence, died also yesterday. During
the reign of Louis Philippe Mr.. Bonaparte
was permitted to soiourn for short time
in Paris. Mr.. Bonaparte acquired large
fortune with his wife, and devoted himself
since his marriage to the management of q
large estate.
On the re-establishment of the Empire,
in 1852, the indefatigable mother again put
forward her claims for recognition. Prince
Napoleon and his sister Mathilde appeared
as defendants in the suit. An Imperial
family council, claiming to be ''the only
competens tribunal" decided that while
young Jerome Patterson, as Prince Napo-
leon insists on styling him, was entitled to
the name of Bonaparte, he could not be
considered as one of the family. He was
permitted to visit France, became very in
innate with his father. who made him a
handsome allowance, and was received at
the Court of Louis Napoleon. No recogni-
ton of the mother was, however, obtained.
In 1860. the death of Jerome gave his
wife an opportunity for again presenting
her claims, and, with Berger as her advo-
cate, she demanded, in the Imperial Court
Q6r bO0 b bQ3Ic VI Blb IdtutI
his rights. The suit has never been decid-
ed. we believe.
In his features. the nephew, now just
dead. bore q striking resemblance to Napo-
leon /. He possessed the same shape of
the head, and perfect regularity OF fea-
lures, bronze countenance and dark eyes
of the peculiar tint which distinguished
Napoleon l. whom he also closely resem-
bled in department. The deceased leaves
a son. Jerome Napoleon, who graduated at
West Point, and is now an officer In the
French army.-M y Tribuns.
ANRRIcANs IN EGYPr.-Can any one ac-
count for the eastern pilgrimaees of the
twenty or thirty ex-officers of the Federal
and Confederate armies who have gone to
Egypt2 Within the last month we hear OF
Charles e. Stone; Rhett, of South Carolina;