The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-04-17
MADAME BONAPARTE.,
GFrom the N. Y. Evening Post.l


| lFrom the N. Y. Evening Post.l
"I would rather be the wife of Je
rome BOnaparte one hour than tn
wife OF any other man for life" 81
the estimable Madame Bonaparte, o
Baltimore, is reported to have saii
when, soon after her brilliant marri
age to the brother of the first Napole
on, her friends suggested that perbap'
trouble was in store for her. Th'
trouble came. It was on the Oath o
December, 1903, that James Bonaparte
commander Of French frigate, wal
married in Baltimore to Miss Eliza
beth Patterson, the beautiful daughte,
Of the wealthy ship-owner, William
Patterson. Before the marriage hel
father opposed it, and cent his daught
or to Virginia to get her away from
the fascinating foreigner. After the
marriage the Emperor Napoleon op.
posed it, and ordered that the young
wife should not be permitted to sci
foot on the soil of France.
Betsey Paterson was 18 years old
when she first saw jerome Bonaparte
Her beauty was remarkable, and SC
were her accomplishments. Nobody
was surprised that the young French
man, then on a visit to Captain Jo.
seph Barney, of Baltimore, with
whom he had served in the French
Navy, should surrender to her charms
of person, of mind and fortune. In
deed the fact that at an evening party
his gold watch chain became entang-
led somehow or other in her hair was
very generally mentioned IS pretty
and favorable omen. He seemed to
have loved her with Gallic ardor, and
even to have resolved to give up all
hope of preferment under the Empire,
in order that he might stay in this
country and maintain his relationship
to her. Napoleon's snimosity, how
ever, was on the increase, and the
resolved to go to France and plead
their cause before him. Meanwhile
Jerome's supply of money was cut off
and the following communication was
received from his Imperial brother:
"I will receive Jerome if, leaving
in America the young person in ques-
ton, he shall come hither to associate
himself to my fortune. Should he
briog her along with him, she shall
not put a foot on the territory of
France. If he comes alone l shall re-
call the error of q moment aud the
fault of youth. Faithful services and
the conduct which he owes to himself
and to his name will regain him all
my kindness"
At the same time the youthful
bridegroom was informed that, 80 far
as France was concerned, his marri
age bad been annulled by the follow
ing decree of the French Senate:
By an act of the eleventh Ventose
prohibition is made TO all the civil
officers of the Empire to receive on
their registers the transcription of the
act of the celebration of a pretended
marriage that Jerome Bonaparte has
contracted in a strange country dar-
ing the age of minority without the
consent of his mother aud without
previous publication in the land of
his nativity"
Commander aud Mrs. Joseph Bona
parte nevertheless tried to set sail for
France. They we're unsuccessful.
The French man-of-war lying in New
York harbor was afraid of some Brit
ish craft outside of Sandy Hook, and
would not venture down the bay. The
American vessel which took out Cen
eral Armstrong, our Minister to
France, they failed to reach. At
length they embarked in a ship bound
for Cadiz, Spain, and were wrecked
on the coast of Delaware, Jerome and
his young wife being saved with diff
ficulty. Not in the least daunted, they
finally, on the 11th of March, 1905,
about Is months after their marriage,
took passage in the Erin, one of Mr..
Patterson's packets, for Lisbon. After
various vicissitudes they arrived at
that city, found French man-of-war
in waiting, and learned that its Cap
tain had been for hidden to receive
s'the young person to whom Jerome
had attached himself" -} fin
1t was q critical hour in tho lives Of
the travellers. They resolved to separate
I )r time, Jerome to go to France and
appeal to the mercy of the Emperor !;
his wife proceeded to Amsterdam and
await the result of his mission. They
never saw each other again. The Erin
proceeded to Holland, but was not al
lowed to land her passengers, French
men-of-wa again being IN the way.
She put back to Dover, whore the
young wife, about to become moth
or, dlsembarked and went to Gambler
well, near London. Here, on the 7th
of July, 1905, her son, Jerome Napo-
lson Bonaparte, was born. His faith
er's entreaty was spurned by the EN-
peror. The first Napoleon had name
to make, and did not propose to see
his brother allied to an untitled Amer
lean damsel. "Your marriage" he
wrote to Jerome, ''is null, both In q
religious and legal point of view. l.
will never acknowledge it. Write to
Miss Patterson to return to the United
States, and tell her it is not possible to
give things another turn. On condi
ton of her going TO America, will
allow her pension during her life of
6O,OOO francs per year, provided she
does not take the name OF my family,
to which she has no right, her marri-