Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-20
"The Pseudo Ney Legend.

published originally in the October. 1888.
No. of the Ddridson On. c. College Monihly
is given here at the request of North
Carolina correspondent. Ii is of special
interest at this time, in view or the fact
that a booHon the other side of the cues
ton is said shortly to be forthcoming, The
author of the article is native OF Switzer-
land-a scholar and q man OF letters me
book above referred to is from the able
pen Of the Rev. j. 4. Weston, OF Hickory,
NC:
"A legend, and l trust to show nothing
but legend, has gained ground in this
State about the identity of a certain teacher
by the name of Peter Ney, who died IN
North Carolina about -, and was buried
at =, with the celebrated Michel Ney,
Prince of Moscowa, Duke of Elchingen, ala'
Marshal of France, who was executed on
December II, 1915.
II is alleged that the soldiers ordered to
shoot him took the bullets from the cart
ridges, and that after that mock execu-
ton, he sailed to America, hid himself IN
North Carolina, and there made his living
IS all instructor.
IL must be noticed that according to
some papers left by Peter Ney. which l
have been permitted TO look over. he was
decidedly a scholarly man, though, in my
opinion, q crank, whereas the great Mar
sslldl, IQt SUI VI u NOOItls nav DAh 'NAf ANN
opportunities end no classical training at
all, and made his way exclusively az
soldier from his nineteenth year, and
mainly by his natural gifts end courage.
/ may add also that for any one even SUI
perfcially acquainted with the general
data of graphology, Peter News hand
writing shows unmistakable evidence OF
mental arrangement, and great probability
of that special disturbance known as
monomdnid Of greatness.
III the generous motive, which Is gwen
bv enthusiasts to explain Ney's silence
through so many years, in case Peter and
Michael were one-viZ., that he would not
draw a punishment upon the head of the
soldiers who spared him-if this motive
could keep some faint probability as late
as 1890, that means as long as the branch
of Bourbon remained on the French
throne, it would have been exactly inverted
since that date. Louis Philippe was eager
for popularity's sake to honor the Rapo-
leonic tradition Gas the translation OF the
Imperial ashes by the Kings own son.
Prince Of Joinville, 1910. amply demon
strates), and would have certainly vel
coined the resurected Ney and layishly
rewarded those who saved his life.
This is still more evident for the later pc
Rod (lS52), when after short republican
interregnum the Napoleons supplanted
the d'0rleans. Even before this last event
full date, in 1913, when Government pro-
visoire" erected a monument on the very
spot where his execution had taken place
to the memory of the = Brave des Braves"
the reader may imagine what delirious
enthusiasm the reappearance Of the be-
walled hero would have called forth in his
native country. IL may be remarked that
the right arm of Louis PHILIPPE, in the
Revolution of 1880. and mis- Premier IN the
cabinet of November 3, 1880, was the we'll
known tnancier. Jacques Laftitte, whose
daughter had married, IN 1923, the Prince or
Moskowa, Michel Ney's eldest son. The
latter was then, at the time, summing
himself in the very focus of ministerial in
huence and royal favor. He led a grand,
aristocratic, but also military and scholarly
life, and nothing allows us to suppose that
he would wickedly deprive his father of
his wealth and estates. which, had he been
the scoundrel to plan 1t. he could by no
means have achieved in case of the Mar
shal's return. He died in 1857 and his
younger brothers. the Duke OF Elchingen,
distinguished officer, and Count Eugene
Ney, diplomatist, died-the first in 1854,
the second in 1875. All enjoyed the high
est social standing and were wealthy.
They all deplored as far as is known their
fathers cruel and untimely death. IL Ney
had reappeared in France after the third
Napoleon's coup sPefdt in 1852 he would GER
tainly have stood on the very steps of the
throne. and his return proved little short
Of an hypothesis.
Now if anybody can explain to me what
reasons Ney, if living, could have to keep
his existence unknown ina country where,
from 1880 TO the date of the North Caro-
lima teachers death, his memory was lite
rally idolized. shall be ready to carry the
discussion on another ground. | shall
only add for the present that generally
when man wishes TO conceal his identity
he rather changes his family name, espe-
cially such an illustrious one. than his
given name, if not both; that, on the other
hand, the name Ney is commonin all French
speaking countries, and that should there be
the possible coincidence of scar on the
same spot Of the skull. which has been
talked Of, 1t would afford but seanty certi-
tude in period when. among a5le-bodied
men, but a few had not been wounded.
What remains then of the whole story, but
the half-cunning, half-iocose boastings OF
a crank on his occasional sprees l--boast-
ings for which he probably had no other
foundation than his morbid self-impor-
lance. lured and helped by very few
analogous and merely fortuitous circum-
stances. A.Du FouB, A. B., j. L.,
Corresp. No. inst Nat. Geneo.