The New York herald., 1873-08-05
Modern improvements i'm a
BOnaparte Palace.
A Female Claimant to the Jersey
Throne.
How a Virginia Descendant Of the
Bonapartes Takes Possession of
the Bordentown Property.
A CASE OF EMOTIONAL INSANITY.


brothers. disaster, from his grand court in Madrid
he established himself in B0rdentown, New Jersey.
On heavily wooded hillside. just touching the
outskirts Of this lovely little country retreat, he
built himself a new palace, laid out park around
1t in the style OF the Escurial grounds, planted
statuary every knoll, levelled winding crves
through clustering oaks, embellished little Jersey
lake to look like his loved Lake Of Geneva built q
little navy OF pleasure boats for 1t, and here in the
midst of the most intensely free, liberty-loving
State Of the Union, reigned over
HIS LITTLE ARIsToCRATIC COURT
as grandly as If exile were but word that had no
meaning, and courts and courtiers were Indigenous
to Jersey soil. With him were his wife, Prince Mu-
rat, his brother-n-aw Monsieur Maillard. his Sec
retary; one or two other gentlemen who remained
faithful to his fortunes, and large retinue Of SER
wants. This was as long ago as 1878, and, however
stormy may have been the fate OF the Bonapartes in
Europe, one would think that in this lar western
wild, right among scenes that were still fragrant of
the great struggle OF 76 for human liberty, Joseph
BOnaparte need have had no apprehension OF
Bourbon Vaccinations or schemes Of the allies.
Nevertheless, such fears seemed to have compassed
him about In his waking and sleeping hours. He
seems, indeed, to have brooded despondingly over
the possibilities Of his abduction assassination,
and not even the cheering counsel Of his American
wife could relieve him from
HIS APPREHENsIoNs.
On the highest point of his "palatial" estate he
built an observatory-a tall tower, hidden among
the Delaware River up and down. for many miles,
for the French frigates Spanish war that
might be despatched to secure him. He also dug
subterranean passages oil through his grounds,
the doors of which of iron, and could be closed
and bolted on the inside, and which led SEEM
ingly, into the bowels OF the earth and
had no egress. Signs OF these caverns still
remain. The entrances are mostly bricked
up; but in one or two cases the roofing has
been broken through, and the narrow roadway,
walled all round with brick, high enough for tall
man and wide enough for three to 60 abreast, are
still plainly visible to the curious 1t strange
to US that such precautions could ever have been
deemed necessary, but we must remember that in
those days news travelled slowly. There were
railways. no teegraphs and no NEW YORK
HERALDs. The first insimaton Joseph Bonaparte
might ever have Of demand for him by his allied
enemies was quite likely to have been the sailing
Of hostile frigate up the Delaware.
THE PALACE OF THE ExILED KING
land old men about Bordentown still call it the
Palace) was brick mansion covered with white
plaster. 1t had It's grand hall and staircases, its
great dining rooms its marble mantes. with sculp-
inch of their fronts; its hangings and tapestry,
and, indeed all the regal appointments Of kings
court except men-at-arms The loyalty of New
Jersey was not to be shocked by any such imperial
display: The place in sorrowful remembrance Of
the exiled home OF the greater brother, was called
is now said TO be worth 500, 900: Prince Murat
small plot OF land adjoining it, and Mon
sieur Maillard built himself a mansion quite
ma hSso o@
long since ceased TO own the property The Pal
ace'' has been pulled down and modern resi-
dence, "with gas, and hot and cold water" has
taken its place; the statuary on the grounds have
been removed and sold most OF them under
are half Overgrown with wild grass, the lake Is
shabby weedcovered frog pond, and the Park 7"
town @ Rhe ' old GARDEN house Of Yi lis Majesty remains
intact, with its plastered brick walls its antique
cornices, its wide doorway, and Its narrow heavy,
shuttered windows The very cupboard OF the old
BOnaparte remains In 1t and now serve to hold the
homeiy dinner service OF the gardener and his
wife; and an old painting cracked and nawed with
age, which the royal oxie prized as a rare speci-
men OF the old masters, now hangs in the gar
deners hall and accumuiates on its aged surface
the dust and smoke that happen to escape from
the cleanly kitchen OF the gardeners vile. The
marble mantels serve to adorn the new owners
residence, and the lake house which the King OF
Spain built for his boatman remains intact unten-
antcd and useless. The Maiard residence has
AS Tor the mansions Of Prince Murat, alas they
are diminutive tenement houses The prints Of
greasy nanuS are on their door pOStS ana garbage
barrels stand in their fronts
HISTORY OF THE ROYAL RESIDENCE.
For about fifteen years Joseph Bonaparte and his
friends held their court on this beautiful spot
About 1882 he and his wife went Florence, Italy,
and there he died. In his will the property here
lard, who was also his E nephew. Many Years later
the son OF Monsieur Mailard, falling heir TO the
property, sold 1t to a Mr.. Beckett, Philadelphia
broker and departed for California, where he Is
supposed to he still living. Mr.. Beckett died about
two years ago. leaving a son, who is in Er gland
erty, which had meantime been divided up some
what by sales, was lett in charge OF q servant, who
dence, and a gardener. a Scotc6man named NC
Lean, who occupies the Old garden house, culti-
Yates potatoes and corn, and quietly weeds his
way.
BoNAPARTrsT CLAIMANT.
;, Last Friday week little woman, dressed IN
this station. gave her trunk check to an express
man and asked him to take IL and her with II 10
what place was meant. psm tSat desiSnation OF the
place having passed out OF the memory OF almost
tne Oldest nhabitant. When she said the Bona.
parte place, however. the expressman knew what
she meant, and very promptly carried her and her
trunk to the Beckett mansion. Before the servant
ment at this apparition the little woman and her
trunk were landed IN the hallway, and the servant
the settees in the rotunda, that she owned all the
properly and had come to take possession. Here
"You own all the property ?" said the servant in
cnarge, terror stricken.
Yes, said the little woman, with an almost i'm
perceptible French accent. and with quite
noticeable air Of French dignity and grace. ~ am
heir OF the Bonapartes and own this property
"But Mrs. Beckett now owns It,, said the man
In charge. 'The Bonapartes sold 1t long ago.n
"The false heirs sold it," replied the little
woman, land they had no right to do so. Pray,
understand me. l have nothing to say against
your occupancy OF the house, as you labored under
o mistake. But am here TO take possession, ana
will bring on my proofs at once. want You 10
rcman-you and your wife and children. BE sure
feel hostility to you. Now, please bring In my
trunk.u
THIS WINNING SPEECH
was accompanied by such an air OF dignity and OF
seli.confdence, and, indeed, with such graceful
condescension, that the man in charge was be-
wdered aud mechanically hauled In her trunk q
rude, brass nailed old fashioned affair, and put
himself apparently, entirely under the orders OF
the nc W nrnnriafnr' Ne made her comfOItahle In