Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-15
From the Chicago + ~
The JumeI VIII
THE CURIOUS HISTORY OF q
cELEBRE.


Your readers have doubii \
time within the past six or
heard of the fJumel WI
New York. 1t has just take.
phase, and, as ID is likely Il
tention for a good while to
and ever remain a cause ceBe,
+ proper for me to give yo1
mary Of its most remarka9
Madame Jumel, the widOwf
time French merchant, dice
/ giant residence on Washing
on the 10Th of July, 1865, \
/ ertY now valued at between
millions of dollars. She was
ter Of a common fisherman
Bowen, his wife, a woman 1
age of - years had given big
legitimate child, and who Il
her life, was a yagrant andlt
+ houses of ill-fame. MADAME
born Eliza Bowen and hf
"Betsey Bowen" is found
frequently in the records a
Courts Of Providence. She,
one or two of her sisters, fc
same course of life as the
herding with Migrants
tutes, gave birth to eli
Of wedlock. 4 boy
Betsey Bowen, whose fafl
posed to have been Major R
lou. a Revolutionary officer,
George Washington Bowens
was reared in the family Of u
father, and to-day, at the
years, is a respected citize1
dence. and a man Of considera
SHORTLY after his birth, his ~
to New York, and lived as ID
of d sea captain, and duringI
consorted with harlots and
male companions. Finally s
an illicit alliance with Mr.. j
after living with him for a tin
him to marry her. Mr.. u
wealthy, lifted his wife fror4
of the city, and installedI
of his household. son
wealth could buy he sctk
neither his money nor 1 90
ness could gain her adnles.
able circles. Still, she 70 -
a great show. and on Fine,p Us
the then fashionable dIng
dust from her carriage IN
faces of those who darern
representative of money a.
anne Jumel adopted as hece,
daughter, a girl named M&n9
Bowen, who was the der
woman who had been coz
ion of Madame Jurnel il
days Of profligacy. Thew
issue Of the marriage with ]
but he took kindly to the sc2
after his death she continueEol
with his widow. During -
prosperity. Madame JumeI III
many intrigues, and in her gar
age delighted to talk Of theses
her list Of lovers many nail1f
tinguished men. Among Il
General Washington, Benjamt
lin, and. having visited Fral
claimed an intrigue with Loud
No doubt most Of the stories "
inventions, suggested by hera
with men Of lesser note. Man
her niece" finally married
Chase. and she and her husta
tinued To live with the widow
an eve to her property all the n
the widow. who did not ike Clss
on To spite him. only dying in IS
age Of ninety years. During !
time she knew little on nOthif
her son. George Washington
hut occasionally spoke Of him {.
innate acquaintance and her Il
Ii was rumorcd that General Y
ton was his father. and the old
not seem to object to such a rub
inc currency. On the death of
Jumel. Nelson Chase at once q
on all her real and persona
claiming title on the grous
the old lady having left 1
his wife, the adopted daughter
he now claimed was a b0Ra IA
was the nearest of kin. This II
been contested by the childreD
widows sister; but the legalt
Charles O'COnor has defeatel
claimants. and Mr.. Chase has
possession of the property. y
comes the new phase of thl
George Washington Bowen. thel
mate son of Madame Jumei, f
'Betsey Bowen" the yagrant an
titute. comes forward and con
proceedings to dlspOsscss Mr.. On
To establish his right to the prof
the rightful heir. There is n law
York. passed in 1855. providing
the absence of legitimate heir
estate. illegitimatc children ma
the property. The question now
who Is the father Of George Was
Bowen. but. is he the offspring
"Betsey Bowen" who afterwal
came Madame Jumel. the rich an
ing widow. well knownin -socie
at Saratoga a few years ago
far. several witnesses have 7
amined to prove bis case,
them some old colored servants
widows who identify him as {
SON whom their mistress rccogni
several occasions. as her son.
defence has not been heard, a
Charles O'C0nnor has his bate
prepared to open on this new anC
pected enemy. lie las the enti
at his fingers ends. and VIII d
trace ..Bctsey Bowen. through
phases of her romantic and ch
career-thrOugh the dens Of
which She inhabited to her man
splendOr and luxury-but VIII
low the cratic and vagabond pa
The widow through their career
with a view 10 showing that .
was not the motherof George "
ton Bowen, but that lie was illeg
" born of another woman. Il
will be watched with great int
the city, because the old lady
well known a few years since,
cause there is so much propel
volyed. There is a great array {
sci on both sides. and there is
sympathy for the claimant, who
his claim, as is alleged, not S,
from a desire for the property
wealthy-as from a determine
wrcst it away from the niece
husband, who are said to have r
miserable the last years Of his
No case that has been tried in Il
for many years viii so stir up Il
and slime in ''low life" in the cit
A jocund California farmet
whisky-soaked wheat, and a
wild geese ate the kernels and
disgracefully intoxicated there
Well bet two cents to fl
that II ig that ray ol1 frorlha4