The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-02-24
NAPoLEors AMERICAN
1REAa.
How JOSEPH Bonsparte Fled and
Has Bother Stayed.

The following deeply interesting
account, never before given to the
punlic. of the sscips at King Joseph
from Frasrs. All his VOYAGE 81
America, Wa, communicated Inv
AAioipa MAiIiiasd, ~ Ism Rafael.
Cal, the son If Louis NJ billiard. the
devoted secretary and % st con6.ien-
,ial friend Of the ex-kins:
"A lee hOure befnrs e,nbarkisg on
the French brig which was ~ take
him u the United States. Joseph
sent Nsilliard 10 the emperor. with u
letter urging again his brother la
exchange places aud max. hi. escape
from France in Ja-epi's vessel. Bat
Napoleon replied verbally 10 the.
messenger ''fell nv brother that
I have we'll considered his offer. AMI
that I cannot accept it. 1t would
seem like flying away from danger /;
besides I c,ul.i not leave behind me
80 many brave offi:ers. who have
sacrificed everything f,r the. Tell
my brother that hope he will
Escape the cruisers Of England aud
0bsei'n qua sS~~..--e
answer sailed Immediately for America
HID Napoleon accepted. he would
probably have reached New York
safely. IA every precaulion had been
taken 70 avoid detecii.n. The
vessel selected was a. small. common
looking brig. the Commerce. Of 200
tons, loaded with carg" of B,rdeaux
wines "r = market. She Was a fas,
sailor and was strongly built. and she
was cymmanded by u skilifui captain.
Messervey. a S~ede by birth. Al.
though three times ON the high seas
the brig was stopped and Sc ,rched BY
French frign'e, which were on the
lookout for Napoleon, the passports
aud papers Of the passengers on
b"ar} hal besn 81 carefully prepared
under fictitious names that they were
not discovered. The captain Of the
brig dill not even know who they
we're until q few DAYS after Joseph
had landed in New York.
"The newspapers having published
an account Of nis sacc .ssiul escape.
and given the name Of the vessel.
the p mr captain c'uid hardy contain
himself and called at orc. upon
Louis Maitland who assured him that
it was true and presented him in ell
formality to King Joseph. But
why did you net tell me!' said he.
i never would have b::rayei him
Maitland had 20 explain to him thai
it was thought hest to conceal the
real names and positions Of hi
nas.engers. for fear thtt he might
have shown some hesitation or less
assurance when b,iried bv the
English officers. i Think you were
right. said the captain Il wouli
have sank my vessel Father then LEI
them come on board /: yau were
right! Juseph was much amused by
this demonstration Of BDnaPartism.
and sent him a very handsome
present TO s!,ow that he hal nppre-
ciated his treatment on bard."
II is well known that some wears !
prior tolhe final abiica,ipn of Napn-
leon the Contingency Of his being
farced to abandon France and SEEK
refuge in Ameries sometime. presen-
led itself TO his mind. TIE late 1
Z 4quire El~ard Robbins stated To the
author that LOUIS NJ iil'isrd reiated Ia
him that once. when the Emperor
vas speaking upon this subject in the
presence Of joseph aud some Of hi.
'fficers. he unralied a map Of the
Cnited States. and placing his finger
Ipon spa, in New jersey. sail. in
substance If I ain ever forced 10
, 10 America. | shall settle SINE.
where between PailadeIphia and New
York where I cin receive the
,arliest intelligence from France by
hips arriving at either port" Thi.
lea probably governed the Count i,
lis location.