The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-09-29
Louis Napoleon's Friend d.

\ remarkable man has Just passed
away IN the person of DIR. Conneau, the
private physician and most intimate
friend of Napoleon III Few men haze
in their day enjoyed so much occult iu-
6uence as he did. or used it with greater
discretion. DIR. CDnneau was born at
Milan liz 1903, and when a very young
man became Secretary to Louis Bona
parte, the deposei King of Holland.
Afterwards he graduated in medicine,
and was appointed physician to the
household Of Queen lIertense He was
TINS, from the onset Of his career, close
ly identified with the family of the fu
ture Emperor; and being the latter's
senior by five years, he was in posi-
tion to assume toward him somewhat
the position Of tutor. The young
prince from the first took kindly to
him rs n companion. AS long as Prince
Louis elder brother was alive, Queen
Hortenses 3 favorite son dreamed hope
fully indeed. but rather lazily Of the
prospects that might be in store for his
family. No sooner. however, did he
find himself heir to the Bonaparte dy-
nasty than his energies were aroused
with electric suddenness, and the raid
upon Strasburg in 1886 testified to the
new spirit that had been kindled in
him. IL is we'll known now what great
alarm the Strasburg affair cast into
the family of Louis Philippe. and
how very near it was to succeeding
However. it failed, and DR. Cenneau
counselled Louis to try again. The
result was that four years later. new
expedition WAS attempted upon Bou-
logne, but this time the failure was
more complete and disastrous than the
frs. time. and Prince Louis, tried by
the Chamber of Peers. was sentenced to
imprisonment for life. DIR. Conneau
had not been actually implicated in the
sedition, but he begged to share his
friends prison, and was admitted to the
Castle of Ham on the understanding
that he must submit to confinement and
prison rules exactly "a though he were
himself under sentence.
1t wns magnanimous act on Louis
Philippes part to allow DR.. Conncsu to
continue the prisoners companions; but
it was equally generous and touching
in the Doctor to submit to captivity
which he must have found ut times wO-
fully tedious. Certainly, when he was
first shut up in the fortress. DR.. Con.
nesu must have reckoned that. with the
money and influence which were set at
work, it would be easy to effect the
prisoners escape; but he was not long
in discovering his mistake. and the
joint captivity Of the Prince and him.
self lasted six weary years.
When Napoleon III. subsequently
alluded to this period-which he did
more often than might be supposed he
said that hc should have often
despaircd if it had not been for DR..
Conneau"s constant cheerfnlness. The
Doctor spurred him on to study history
and political economy, just as though
he were TO walk straight from the
prison to the th'o:e. He acted as Sec
retsry, writing from dictation the num-
erous articles which the Prince was
suffered to contribute to the journal du
Pas de Calias. and day after day, hour
after hour. his master found in him
those mo>t precious Of consultations. an
imperturbabiy even temper and hope
fulnrss which nothing could dash. 1t
has often been rumored that when the
prince at length escaped. the authori-
ties had connived at the fact: but NJ
Guigot 10 the last denied this. and said
that the Government had intended
keeping the Prince in confinement until
Louis Philippe was dead and the
Crown had passed 10 his heir; so that
the Princes flight caused the Court
much uHeasiness. It was DIR. Conneau
who acted as chief instrument in the
escape. procuring for the Prince the
clothes Of the workingman Bsainguet.
who WAS effecting some repairs in the
castle. and afterwards making up the
dummy of a sleeping figure in the
Princes bed. so that when the Cover
nor came on his nightly rounds, he
believed, as the doctor affirmed. that
the prisoner had gone to bed early. be-
ing unwell. For this gallant act Of
devotion the doctor was put upon his
trial. and sentenced to two years inn
/ prisonment--a part Of which sentence
! was. however, remitted.
Napoleon Ill. after having assembled
the throne. could not fail to prove his
/ gratitude towards one whose friend
ship had stood the most severe of tests;
and if DIR. Connesu WAS not loaded
with honors it WAS because he wisely
declined being made too signal object
of favor. He was offered the title OF
Coun, and scat in the Senate; but he
preferred to sit as an official Deputy in
the Corps Legislatif; and it was not
until after fifteen years Of loyal legis-
lstive service during which he naver
made a speech nor voted against a
Ministry that he accepted bis promo
ton to . more august House. without
consenting. however. 10 be ennehi-d.
In ;he meantime he had married. and
his son. Louis Conneau. who Is about
the same age as the Price Imperial
had become the companion of the lat
tsr's studies and sports. insosnoch that