Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-11-14
BONAPARTE'S OLD HOME.
The Old House in Philadelphia
Where He Once Liyed-Empress
Josephine's Coronation Robes

The dilapidated old building, No.
260 South Ninth street, has a history.
1t was at one time the home of Joseph
Bonaparte, King of Spain and Naples,
and contains number of relic; of the
eldest brother of the first Napoleon.
When the conqueror placed his hand
on the name of one of the two colossal
lions that flank the magnificent white
and black marble staircase of the
Piazza del ORIENT, in Madrid, and,
turning to the brother whom he had
made KING of Spain, said: Thou
wilt be better lodged than l." he
scarcely anticipated that the words
would also hold good of Joseph Bona
parties quiet Philadelphia residence
on Ninth street, while the founder of
the family fortunes was eating his
heart out st. Helena.
This house was built about 1900 by
wealthy 1rishman, John Meeny,
who owned the property between Lo-
Gust street and the alley. 1t was then
supposed to be on Spruce street, but
when Spruce street was surveyed, the
line was run 100 feet further south.
This is the reason the house fronts on
the alley.
JOSEPH BoNAPARTE IN PHILADELPHIA.
Not long after the house was built
1t was purchased by Chandler Price,
great shipping merchant of those
days. After the battle of Waterloo,
Joseph Bonaparte babe his unfortun-
ate brother sorrowful farewell and
sailed for the new world. Before do
ing so he offered himself as substi-
tute for Imprisonment at st. Helena.
1--WE do not care to cage the cat when
we have captured the royal tiger"
was the sarcastic comment of an Eng
lish officer.
Joseph Bonaparte arrived in Phil
adelphIa some time IN 1915. Among
his faithful friends was Maillard, his
private secretary, who afterward
bought the great 400-acre farm near
Bordentown. Few residences In Phil
adelphia were fitted for king, even
an exiled one, who, though his wife,
Mdlle. Clary, daughter of an enor-
mously wealthy merchant of Mar
settles, was still possessed OF ample
means. After some dickering Chand-
Ter Price gave up his house for hand,
some consideration to the exile.
The beautiful daughter of French
man in humble circumstance, touch
ed, no doubt, by the noble exile's
misfortunes, listened to his tale of
love. The little intrigue was discov-
cred. The irate father removed his
erring daughter to another city, and
Bonapare, IN disgust, purchased a resi-
dence at Bordentown, and, after a
residence there for some years, diver
sified by shooting excursions to the
Adirondacks, returned to Europe. He
took up his residence in Florence,
where, after a number of years wasted
ia intrigue against the Bourbons that
came TO nothing, he ended his varied
and adventurous life in 1874
The present owner of tbs house, Mr.
Henry G. Potter, has lived in it for
many years, his father having pur-
chased it of Mr.. Chandler Price, who
rented it to Bonaparte. la the spacious
dining room is mahogany sideboard,
with marble top, that was once
Joseph's property. On the walls are
frescoes Ia two colors in the style of
the First Empire, representing the
loves of Venus and Psyche. To save
the corner of the house from carriage
wheels, an old bronze gun was half
buried in the earth, custom common
enough in Earope but very unusual in
America.