The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-04-28
The Worthless Nurats.
From the Washington Republic.

The late Princess Murat was one of the
many links which matrimony has forged be-
tween the United States and the Imperial
Court of France. She was more fortunate
in her marriage with Bonaparte than was
her countrywoman, Madame Jerome Bona
parte, for she was acknowledged as the wife
of prince of the blood, which recognition
| was never accorded the ambitious Elizabeth
Patterson.
Miss Caroline Fraser, the wife of Prince
Lucien Murat, was born in Philadelphia
Her father, Scotch general of great wealth,
settled in America early in this century. He
died in 1920, and was buried in lot adJoin-
| ing Benjamin Franklin's, in Christ Church
burying-ground, Philadelphia. His property
was divided between his three daughters and
Caroline's twin brother, William. Between
this brother and sister there existed warm
| ansction until after her marriage with Murat.
At the time Of the marriage Murat was teach
ing French in Philadelphia for livlihood, as
the fortunes of the Bonaparte family were in
their decadence. Help from his once pow
erful family was out of the question; what so
natural as marriage with the daughter of a
wealthy American to repair his rayished
finances? The match was said to have been
one of romance, but that seems hardly pos
| sible, on his side at least, as Caroline is
| described as "imbued with the prose of the
| Quakers, very prim and reserved and sharp
woman about money matters" Shortly after
their marriage, Lucien's brother, Prince
Achille [who married Miss Willis, of Virgin
| la, died, leaving the moneyless title to his
younger brother. Lucien had already squan-
dered his wife's property and left her sister
Jane penniless. He now turned his rapaclous,
selfish eyes upon the unincumbered estates
of William Fraser. Through the persuasions
of his sister Caroline, William was induced
TO mortgage his beautiful estate to the Mount
| Holly Bank, to raise sufficient funds to enable
her and her spendthrift husband to return to
| France in amanner beftting their new station
and where afterward Murat was made Prime
Minister. The settlement of the money
| transaction William left entirely to the honor
on the amount at irregular intervals, much
| to his embarrassment, as he had become,
through the vicssitudes incident to American
life, poor man. At the breaking out of the
war William enlisted as private soldier.
He was captured by the enemy, imprisoned
for many months, and returned home broken
in health and in want. At this time long
expected and overdue remittance came from
Princess Caroline, but the amount was for
500 only. The insulted brother tore the
check in two and returned the fragments to
his unfeeling sister. Communication between
them ceased from that date, and further re-
mittances have never been received by any
member Of the Fraser family. In. 1872 Min
lister Washburne presented letter from the
Frasers, to the Duchess de Mouchy, daugh-
ter of the Princess Caroline Murat. The
letter stated the destitute condition of the
family and asked, that the money due them
| might be delivered through the medium of
the American Minister. Silence. complete and
utter, was the only reply vouchafed to this
| righteous appeal. The widow of William
Fraser, lives, or lived several years ago, In
Washington, where she and her daughter
supported themselves by the needle. One
daughter, named Caroline, for her undeserv-
ing aunt, married Senator Nye's son Charles.
All the children were refined, well-bred,
high-minded and thoroughly honorable and
respected.
| Of ba Dr;noazs tIa
contrary, were thorough scamps, extracting
the vices of their several nationalities, with
out possessing any of their saving virtues.
One of them escaped the constable of France
only to burden his wife's relatives with the
support of his worthless, vicious person. An
ether served as a soldier of fortune in Alge-
ria, and won more opprobrlum than laurels.