Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-04-08
Madame Patterson BOnaparte.
A RoMANTIc LIFE CLOSED

Madame Elizabeth Patterson BOnaparte
died at Baltimore Il little after one o'clock
Friday afternoon. Madame Bonaparte had
been sinking slowly for some time, and her
death was expected at any time since March
81. She had no disease and did not suffer
much but died Of senle decay. Her indom-
liable will kept her alive. Last Wednesday
she ceased to open her ewes or to notice any
one A few days before her death She refused
nourishment, and was sustained by the use of
the strongest stmulants. Thursday evening
she was apparently in a comatose condition,
with no voltion, and no ability to take even
the moisture from cloths placed on her lips.
Her two grandsons were with her during her
last days. There were present at her death
bed beside her two grandsons her physician,
DIR. J. s. Mckenzie. Mrs. George Patterson,
widow of her brother, the late George Patter-
son and Mrs Clark relative. who has been
"A faithful attendant and nurse for the past ten
years or more. Madame Bonaparte left an
estate valued at more than 4 100000.
Miss Elizabeth Patterson was born at Bal
timore in the year 1885. She was the daugh-
ter of William Patterson, son of farmer in
Donegal County. Ireland. Her father, at the
age of fourteen wears. was sent to PhlladVl-
phia. and employed in the contingencies OF
Samuel Jackson. He was n born money
maker. during the Revolution trading to
France and bringing back cargocs of gun
powder and arms. He soon acquired Il large
fortune. Miss Patterson was remarkable for
the beauty of her person, for her intellectual
powers, fascinating manners and uncommon
wit In 1903, jerome Bonapartc, then in
command of a French frigate, landed in New
York. He was, as the brother of Napoleon
l., Hospitality received. While at Baltimore
he met Miss Patterson, fell in love with her,
and on Christmas Eve, 1908, he married her,
with the entire consent of her ambitious faith
er. though her mother had grave misgivings
of the alliance. The ceremony was per
formed by Bishop Carroll of the r. c. Diocese
of Baltimore. At Washington, whittier Je-
rome and his wife proceeded, they attracted
much attention. Aaron Burr wrote of her as
ga charming little woman" Meanwhile there
was wrath in Paris. Napoleon, as the head
of the family. was exceedingly eXasperatcd at
his brothers American alliance, and gave or
ders that NJ. jerome and his wife should be
permitted to land at no port controlled by the
French Government. Notwithstanding this.
they set sail from Philadelphia, but before
reaching the Capes were shipwreckcd. Again
in a few weeks they embarked for Lisbon.
Here she was left by jerome, who went to
Paris to make. if possible, his peace. He
did not find it possible. Napoleon refused to
recognize the marriage. Madam B0naparte
went to Amsterdam. but there she wa, met by
Napolcon's order forbidding her to land. She
then sailed for England, and took up her res
| idence at Camberwell, where her only child.
Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, was born ON the
| 9TH of July, 1905. Two months after she
sailed for the United States Her father re-
! fused to pay the income stipulated in her mar
riagc settlement upon the ground that the
First Consul had nullifed the union. The
marriage Of Jerome with the Princess Ere
derica. of Wurtemberg, soon followed. lie
/ is said to have offered his discarded wife the
principally of Smalcand, with an annual in.
come of 100000, her reply being "Wcst
phala, no doubt, is considerable kingdom
but not large enough to hold two queens
The reply pleased Napoleon, who dirccte,
the French Minister at Washington to intimat,
his desire to serve her. She replied Tel
the Emperor am ambitious; | wish to b,
made duchess of France" 1t is said tina
the Emperor promised to confer this rank up
on her, but offered Immediately gross sun
OF $4,000. This She accepted ''proud to b,
indebted to the greatest man of modcrr
times She stipulated, however, that til,
receipts for payment should be signed bv heI
as Elizabeth Bonapartc." TO this the En-
peror accedcd, and until his dethronemen
the annuity was regularly paid. Her nus
band was angry because she refused aid from
him and accepted it from his brother. but ,h
merely retorted that she ''preferrcd shclte
beneath the wing of an eagle to suspension
from the pini0n If d goUSc.' The sunmis
sion of jerome to the unreasonable com
mands of his brother was amply rewarded
He received high command in the Navy G
of France and showed himself competcr
officer. In 1906 he was made Brigadici
General in the Army, and in 1907 was create
King of Westphalia.
Nine. Bonaparte applied to the Marylan
/ Legislature for divorce, which was grantee
without difficulty. Her motive for takini
THIS step is not easily comprehended. Tn
Pope, as a matter of course, had refused t.
annul a marriage which had received the opcI
sanction of the Church. The social position
of Nine BOnaparte had never been in Tho
least compromised by her domestic misfor
tunes. Under these circumstances, her rea