The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-05
"reminiscences Of JOseph's Major Domo
and Barber.
FAMOUS PEOPLE OF THE TOWN
The Hopkinsons kirkbrdes, Tom Paine
and Other Celebrities.

| Railroad stop a. Trenton. To the average traveller
shis bit Of Instruction suggests nothing more than
would the coll 70 change for Bungvilo. but to the
knowing traveller, to the traveller has studied
history In mis- youth and read biography In his man
| hood the name OF Bordentown suggests a hos, Of
pleasant thoughts Bordentown, y. j., which Is pro-
nouuced Birdsntown by rs Old families. boasts that
| every famous mao who has trod American soil
has at one time lived within ITS hospitabie borders
This town, or city, a. now Is, celebrated for four
thingsnrst as having been the Of Joseph Bona
pare during his exile second for It's pretty gr!s third,
TOR its big recs and fourth for tue superior quality
Of Its wniskey The town itself Is Old and very pretty
and carries air Of comfort about that one fails to
mud in modern villages Everybody and every house
has It's history. There have been romancss about
this place than any other in the State apd might say
IN the country The very fact THAT the Bonapartes
and MuPats lived here Is enough to havo created
romantic interest in tho place The town teens OF
Bonaparte, ana during the late troubles IN France
there was no quarter of America where the from
that much revoluonlzed country was more
eagerly discussed than In Dordentown Every
house here has Its Bonapar,e relics and every old IN
habnant is ready at a moments notice with an anec'
dote Of the exsd King OF SPAN, Joseph Bonsparte
or sthe Count" as he and Is still called here, was
great favorite with the townspcope He patronized
their shops literally and threw open his magnificent
park for their benefit great many Of the people
now living in Bordcntown know The Count dc Survll-
Tiers by sight and have spoken with him. but there are
only two who members OF his household. These
two are Alexander carman aud Philip Bellemcre The
TIE COUNTS RIGHT HAND NAN,
that is he acted his TO all parts OF the
country kept his accounts and paid his bills The latter
his barber and lived IN his palace for two years.
Your correspondent found both Of these men, from
whom he gained considerable Information as to the
personal character and habits Of the King OF Spain
Mr.. Carman, well preserved mau of some sixty odd
years Of age, with long beard flowing nearly 10 his
waist lives OF Main and Church Streets
| where his keep 1sh and vegetable market and
where his family have followed this same business for
upward Of 100 years Mr. Carman's house is next door
TO his market and when stated tho object Of my visit
| he conducted mo into his comfortably furnished
| parlor and showed u generous readiness TO mpart
| any Information concerning the Bonapartcs
| in Bordentown that lay Ia his power. The
hall we passed through contains handsome mahogany
pier table, ornamentsd with BRASS that came from the
palace, and oldfashIoned eght-day clock, an heir
| loom in his own family portrait OF Joseph Hop
kinson, whose home was in Bordentown, ddorns tho
| walls Hanging between the windows IN the parors
Is an exquisite cameo white figures OH blue ground
representing Diana and her nymphs surprised at the
bath. This was presented TO Mr. Carman by the Count
when he LETT Bordentown the last time, and very
valuable work Of art The cutting is 30 fno that "
will bear the scrutiny OF the most powerful magnify
ing glass On tho mante are TWO French china vases
Sevres ware. also from tho palace; aud hanging
in plain gl, franc tho wall Is water color draw
ing made by the late Emperor ol the French when
| prisoner az Fort Ham 1t 10 really clever drawing,
though IN the conventional school, and until you bring
to the night and examine II you might mistake 1t for
| u Autograph.
ii believe that you know great deal about Joseph
Bonaparie Mr.. Carman," said seating myself on
high back chair brouaA. over BY tho Casmans from
Holland some $50 years ago
Yes sara ne oid.nS MS s srms over ns oea.a NJ
been his employ from the time was boy OF twelve
years until after was married" s,,
''What your position IN the Counts family ~ l
Il don't know exactly what you would call IT," said
he II used buy all the things tor the house. keep the
accounts ana carry messages when grew up. When l
was a lad l accompanied the Count on his rambes
through the park. He used 10 30 out every morning
before breakfast to hunt for RABBIT traps that town
boys set 10 catch his raUbhs | went with him TO
be couldn't go. In all his rambles the Count always
carried little Ratchet, with which he used to trim
the trees aud bushes along his path He never went
without it, and when he lett here Tor the last time he
gave 1t 10 Mr.. MailIiard, his bosom friend"
wirH Tho LARK.
s'Was the Count early RISER 2"
''Ycs, Tor man Of leisure. In winter he arose be-
tween seven aud eight O'Clock, when colee and toast
were brought TO his Then he dressed aud went
out TO superntsnd tho worKmen on the place He was
always doing something IN tho way OF improvements
repairing The palace Ho was public spirited man.
ana always ready with his purse He bult that bridge
|
near The park gate. lie wus always around with The
worRmeD, and kept them up 10 time What there
100 much slow he would say. He did not speak very
good English, but he wanted to learn and nothing
made hun 30 angry as 10 have any one speak broken
foreigners. He out all the time except when en-
gagged with his correspondence aud 1t Is my opinion
that be didn't want TO give himself line 10 thnk.
| When II WAS TOO wet Tor the men to work about the
he mad the carl come 10 the palace and
he worked with them all day hanging and rohanSihs
| piciurcs--anything to Keep busy"
.Was there much formaity az the palace"
'Not great deal, although there was always an air
OF arstocracy about tho place that you could no, help
but lecl still no put on airs, as the yng Is, un-
less II Prince JOSEPH tue Counts grandson, who
here live alter his DEATH There were always
four meals day al the palace besides The early break
fast OF coffee and toastthc regular breakfast between
haif.past niue and ten, luncneon at two, dinner at
seven eight, and supper az ton or eleven. Dinner
was the most formal meal OF the day; tho amiiy al
ways dressed Tor IT and had Two men wait table
The cooking was very nno aud they always had all the
dcIcaccs Ia aud out OF season aud choice wines The
Count never drank any wines or liquors. although no
kept the best Of both Tor bis guests Ito was u very
temperate man. and did great deal to help the tenn
pernncc cause"
.Did he Keep many servants?n
Yes, quite large number. They all French
Except his valet, who was Hungariau) when the
Count first here's after that he other nations
among his household. HIS steward English
man, by the name OF Flood and he employed num-
Der OF Americans He always Kept a FRENCH
cook, however The Count was very KIND to those he
employed aud just master. remember once that
man by the name Jeffrey doing some painting
for him on saturday. The Count expected company
on the ioiowiDg Monday aud Was ANXIOUS 10 have the
WORK DONE He SAID To jeffrey that he would have 10
sunday and inisn the work. Il could not do
that, said jeffrey. And why could not do THAR
SAID the Count because my religion would allow
H. replied the painter Nonsense, SAID the Count,
you must get that done, aud you must come sun
day or you never pant FOR me more. 4 am very
sorry Count SAID jeffrey, Tor like TO Tor you,
but cannot come on Sunday; oui | VIII work as hard
as up TO twelve O'Clock Saturday night and per-
haps ! eau finish IL The Count turned away very
angry, and jeffrey went on With his painting aud got
done before mldaighL When the Count saw inn again
he said Jeffrey, tell me true why you
Sundayp For the reuson | gave FIRST, said
jeffrey, because my religion would not let mo 4
very glad you did not do 1t, then, tor should be
AFRAID OF you II yon had only bad sell their
iision replied the Count, AMI Immediately gave him
an Il, 500 job aud always regarded him with high
favor, although at the TINE he was very angry with
him for refusing to WORK on sunday"
THE sEORET PASSAGES
"What about these secret undeIg ground passages the
Count nad built ABOUT the placer