The Penn's Grove record., 1882-04-15
Is He a Lafayette

is he a LafayeIle
Remarkable Story Of a Man Confined in
Bellevue Hospital-Fondled by the Mar
oues De Lafayette, yet Suffering form
Poverty and Sickness in New York,
A remarkable story was told last
evening by an old mar claiming to be
a nephew of Lafay cite, which, If true.
would seem to open to those revering
the name of the French Marques an
opportunity for rescuing from poverty
and want q direct descendant Of the
illustrious Frenchman. Francois
Charles Lafayette, as he gives his
name, is confined in the cells OF Belle
u Hospital, where be was seen by
the Rev. Father Brown, OF 81
Stephens Church, whose interest was
aroused by his name and his story,
and who reported the case to the
Herald. Lafayette is a venerable
looking man, with long, white beard.
He gives no outward indication OF
having been addicted TO drink or
other evil habits, and has the speech
and manne of al intelligent, superior
workman. He speaks French with a
decided German scct Mt, but explains
this by having received his education
from his fourth 20 his twelfth year In
Germany. He also speaks German,
but with such a strong dialect as TO DE
hardly ineligible. He says that
although he is a son OF Alexandra
Joseph Lafayette, q brother Of General
L .fayette, he has been passing under
the name of Louis Elizabeth Biilen
(his mother having been a Countess
Won Riller), rather than expose Lafay-
cites name to shame. He was born
in 1911. in New Orleans, while ois
father, he SAYS, vas in command of
one of the ships of the French deet.
After the war, during which his
father was killed, he was taken back
to Paris, where he and his mother
lived at General Lafayette's house,
and where General Lafayette often
took him on his knees. lie called the
General "uncle." These scenes, he
said, he remembered wildly, although
he was then only four or four and a
half years old. He has no ~reeollec-
tions tf General Lafayette after that
time. His mother ha ing died, and
he having been placed III charge Of a
lady in Germany, the latter, he says,
robbed him OF all his money, so that
he was apprenticed at the age OF
twelve to a sculptor in ivory, meer-
schanm, etc., in Paris, whittier he
was sent at that age. AT eighteen he
entered the French army, Fifth regi-
nent infantry, as a common soldier,
remained in it till 1S49, and then came
to this country, where he has 81 &c
worked at his occupation in New
Orleans, st. Louis and other cities,
and been a tr PIPER and an Indian
trader on the Plains. He has been ia
New York for the last fifteen months,
living mostly in cheap lodging house,
and finding no work to do, go hat he
suffered greatly and was compelled to
sleep in ball ways. For d week be
hardly touched food and was in such
a starving condition that he asked o
policeman TO arrest him, which wa
done. Being committed to the Fifty
seventh street police station As a va
grant, he became very III and was cent
TO Bellevue Hospital, and ftelingly
complained that while only sent TO
the hospital On account o. Illness, he
h&d been committed 20 the drunkards'
celia Hhs wife died FIVE years ago.
his two sous have g9as % Chill, since
yAIch sinse he h@ heard nothing
tcon them and ais 70 dAczhters are
married, Gue u 3 GrGnx&.d and the
other 70 a xaTnaisr 80 that he can
hope for no ajd f.sua ;hsa. When
aske3 Il hs haAi AZ r5aloy b show
DraviuH a3s ssiarlonaa ? y LAfzystte,
he EeDiiest N0ghia2 s6 ALL H
via a,so asked 1aEv 3 was that the
Lafayette lanay tid s0s Esss a. inter
szD IA A&s a9ueagon sd.6 cssveHt his
entering 1ae sr~aY "a a a1s4l-f. bat ex-
1ls.nssd mat aas ssHsaqa - Germany
ss sooh Al sagy sgs eag severed his
-siac,oas VS. 1he sgasF Lafayette.
= a hu4e hlaser goa VA z0.'en %
hr Aan ~ a~sef&tsf IS you'd enable
A-@ - ooCsa asaaa a faaeboid for sup
corNag uasff be TO sa ever 70 hun.
Sic = ftsa5oG-I r HerqLi.