Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-03-24
MARSHAL NEY. PERHAPS
DID NAPOLEON'S HEROIC GEN.
ERAL ESCAPE?
The Life story OF Peter Ney. the Hand
some North Carolina Teacher,
Horseman and Fencer--
Singular Condolences.

Rev James A. Weston of Hickory,
n. c.. has won considerable notoriety
by asserting in the most positive
fashion that Marshal Ney was not
shot, as history alleges, but escaped
to America. and died at "a good old
age in Rowan county. North Carolina. |
That there was Peter Ney. I
schoolteacher. is certain. He APP !
peared about 1918. and established !
his school in small village in West |
crn South Carolina. One day in she !
autumn of 1919 a number of French
refugees came to the village and were
introduced to the school-teacher.
Afterward they confessed that they
had recognized Ney as the great mar
shall. Hearing of this, Ney hastily
left town and went to Cheraw. where
he opened another school. All went
well until 1929, when Ney rode on
horsebac into Columbia Riding
in procession through the streets
Ney attracted applause by his mag
nificent horsemanship As he passed
along he was deserted by some French
veterans in the crowd, who shouted
in uncomfortable excitement:
at is Marshal Ney! 1t is Marshal
Neyn'
Hearing their shouts Ney rode rap
idly forward, telling his pupils to fol-
low him. and, dropping from the line
Of the parade as soon ; possible, he
left the city in such haste that he
forgot gold watch which he had
brought in to be repaired, and moved
into North Carolina, where for many
years he taught school, and finally
! died, November 10, 1916. at the housc
of Mr.. Osborn G. Foard, OF Rowan
county, in that state, says the Balti-
more News.
As is we'll known, Marshal Ney's
father was named Peter Ney, AS was
his brother who was killed in battle.
This may account for his choice of
the name Peter. 1t is also we'll
known that the great marshal him
self was known as peter the Red
by his soldiers. This name of 1.-the
Red and his other title of the "Red
Lion" were given Ney because of his
fiery red complexion and hair. The
same rcd complexion and hair were
noticeable characteristics of Peter
Ney, the school-teacher.
Napolcon's death was Il great griel
80 the school-master. He always ad
mitted having been in Napoleon
army, and held firmly to the belle
that Napoleon would escape from st
Helena, as he had done from Elba
After the death of Napoleon it APP
pearcd the dream of Peter Ncy's lif'
to see the young Napoleon on the i'm
. perial throne from which the fathe
had been driven.
When, therefore. the death of TIN
young Napoleon occurred i'll 1872, al
: the hopes of Peter Ney were blasted
and those who knew him at the tim
say that his grief was terrible. Fo
three weeks he lay dangerously il
with fever and dclirium. and when h
finally recovered he declared agai
and again:
My life is ended.
Peter Nev is described by those VIII
knew him as u most lovable and eA
emplary man. but he had one grea
fault, he would occasionally drink
i excess.
Upon one occasion he became ovel
come with drink and lay down by tn
roadside to sleep. Some friends lai
him on the back of horse to TAX
him home. Waking up, Ney erie
with indignation:
What, Put the duke of Elchinge
on a horse like sack. Put me dow
at once.
1t will be remembered that Ma
shall Ney held that title.
] But most remarkable of all wei
Peter Ney's words upon his deaf
bed Loving friends had gathert
about his bedside when one of the
pr said to him:
'f Before you die, Mr.. Ney, tell
n who you are.
With the stamp of death upon h
- brow. and the light fast fading fro
Y his brilliant eye, Peter Ney sa
v slowly and decidedly:
~ II am. or was. Marshal Ney
It. France and in very short time
f, was dead.
:, But history says that on the MOI
inc of December Z. 1915, Marsh
al Ncv was taken to the LuXembou
- gardens. there shot by a squad
soldiers. his body taken TO the III
ss pital Maternitie, near by, and burr
r.. that night. Hon. Quentin Dick
~ chance witnessed the supposed e'
cution. and wrote an account of
his memoirs.
An account of the execution v
published at the time by the Lond
TX papers from Paris corresponds
IN who co.roborates Dick in every p
rs ticular. Neither of these accoul
an an intimates any belief that Ney
-, capped, and it is probable that
ck idea never occurred to either of
IN IN writer's Sir William Frazier in
yer yer Words ON Wellington quotes thu
accounts. together with many oil
do, facts. and states "a his deliber
AMI opinion that Marshal Ney was
. shot. Yet Frazier had never he,
of Peter Ney.
an. As has been said before. the ia
the stated and many others relating
nd the later life of the remarkable IN
are Peter Ncy, are well known in
CIV Carolinas. and it would be hard
-, find one of the many who knew
nm. who doubts for an instant that Pc
rv. Ney and Marshal Ney were one
,e;,. the same pargDi