The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-03

7 to the utmost. But the discovery OF his
cheating al ecarte led 10 his expulsion from
his PATROLS hospitable mansion, though he
was not permitted to want, and am ng the
| gilded youth Of the Quaker City fifty years
ago his title of prince was a ricn Inherit
ance. He borrowed right aud left, and his
card-piaying ade him a comfortable in
come. He had peculiar way of shutting
the deck in his pudgy hands that
at first passed without notice, but
on one occasion Virginia gen
tleman named Robert Digges, who was
playing with him at noted gaming saloon
in Fourth street, below Chestnut, noticed
several peculiarities about the game that
that could only be explained on the theory
that some one was cheating. He soon
assured himself that Murat was playing
brace game, and. going 70 billiard table
near. he got cue and astonished the spec
tAtors by laying it ever the princes
shoulders with an earnestness that made
that gentleman howl with anguish. and
then, laying his card on the table, left the
room. This, in a measure, ended Murat's
social career here.
PRIsCELY HORSE DEALER.
About 1886 he had married Miss Caro-
line Fraser, a member of an old South
Carolina family. She had some property
in land and slaves, all of which the noble
bridegroom quickly spent. Thenceforth
this unfortunate lady's life was one of toll
and sorrow. She moved to Bordentown,
and did everything possible to support her
children; kept a clearinghouse, taught
school, and did her best to keep up the self
respect Of the family. After the Digges
affair in Philadelphia, Murat dis
carded all pretense to responsibility,
aud became peripatetic horse
dealer, and was better known than re-
spected through Southern and Western
Jersey. For time his suave and ELUSIVE
manner and magnificent capacity for lying
enabled him to do good business with the
hard-headed farmers, and even with them
his title was talisman.
AT this time he was a huge mass of flesh,
weighing close on to 300 pounds, and de-
lighted in adjoining himself with cheap
snowy jewelry, all of which he was ready
to sell or trade in connection with his
numerous horse transactions. He was
skillful handler and an excellent Judge of
horse-tesh, and was always ready to give
boot, in the shape of a promissory note,
and in the course of time there was
enough of his promises to pay in West
Jersey to have papered the rooms in good
sized house.
He was utterly without shame or scruples.
and would borrow of hostler or wander
ing tinker, but he sometimes met his match.
In 1912 man named Abel Goings lived on
and his business was dealing in canal teams.
de had a son who was not considered very
bright, and who was under age His father
had given him a fine sorrel mare, and
Murat met him at tavern near Trenton.
The poor hayseed was pleased by the
attentions and fiattery literally bestowed
by the prince, and finally traded his mare
for plug worth about $40, getting besides
Murats note for 5000. Old Goings was a
man of few words. and he started out on
horseback to look for the prince, and found
him at tavern few miles north of Bor-
dentown. He at once hauled Murat out of
his buggy and gave him a tremendous
lashing with horsewhip, and soon affected
an arrangement for restitution more to his
own advantage than it was to Murat.
MURAT's S11 BILL.
In fact the stories told about this man
and his career in Jersey, are innumerable,
many of them, no doubt, exaggerated, but
all having some substratum Of truth. One
of the best is this: There had been circus
in the town of Salem, producing the usual
excitement among the country people. A
short distance from town a man named
Solely kept little store. which on this par
ticular day was left in charge of his son
Sam. He was dull young fellow, but at
the same time was much elated about see
ing the circus A very stout dark COM
|
information about the roads. He had
hugh watch chain hanging on his
vest and pin in his: shirtfront as
big as a cockade. Sammy at once
recognized him as circus man. The
stranger admitted the fact aud invited the
boy to come to the grounds, and he would
get a free admission. Sam was fairly be.
side himself at the idea, and delighted to
change a bank note for $11, which the
hald in 10 han ha nlJ b;ll
had two ones on the right-hand corner and
the numeral two ON the left. This the
urbane stranger covered with his thumb.
Sam went through the drawers and finally
made out the Sill, when the supposed circus
man laid down the BILL and ambled into
his buggy and drove off. Old Solely came
in shortly, and looking in the drawer said,
Where's all the money, my SOM" "Why,
pop, changed $11-bill for circus man,
and I'm to get in for nothin'."
Changed a 'leven dollar bill Oh, Lord
Put up the shutters, Sammy; you've done
enough for to-day.n And this was Murat's
princely way Of doing business,
AN UPWARD TURN OF FORTUNE.
After 1874 his circumstances seemed to
improve, and it was known that he received
considerable money in remittances from
Europe, but his creditors were no better off
There was one resident of Bordentown
who despised Murat as swindler and snob.
| and met his silken advances to intimacy
with contempt, and that was the late
Henry Beckett, who lived on the old Bona
parte estate. On one occasion Murat at
tempted to speak to Beckett but was met
! with uplifted cane and vehement asser-
ton that frightened the Frenchman and he
| quickly SUNK away. When in 1910 he and
his children were invited to France by
Louis Napoleon, the poor wife was left
| behind and ended her unhappy life on a
small place near Jacksonville, in Florida.
| friendless and alone