The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-31

in civil action for money unlawfully de-
tanned since his majority. The naughty
and still handsome dame won a legal vic
tory, and when confronting the magis-
trate saw her son for the first time since
his babyhood. She died three years
later, and her fortune was disposed of by
will to charitable objects.
The child Leon vas taken from is
mother at the time of the Fontainebleau
rupture and consigned to the care of
Mime. Loir, the nurse of Achille Murat
His resemblance to the emperor was very
marked, and Napoleon conceived for him
an extreme affection. He often had the
nurse bring the lad to the palace and en-
gagged with him in childish games.
He even thought of acknowledging and
adopting him, and went so far as to pro-
cure list of precedents, showing the
course pursued by previous French mon
archs under similar circumstances. But
he finally abandoned the plan, and in 1872
Leon was placed under the tutelage of M
Matthew de Mauvieres, mayor of San For
get, baron of the Empire and father-in-
law of Meneval the Emperor's private
secretary. Two years afterward-Jan-
uary, 1S14-Napoleon settled on his son
fortune of l00000f, in bonds and an in
come of 1900 livres.
Before departing for st. Helena the
emperor contided the child to the guard
ianship of Cardinal Fesch By his will
he left Leon 100000, with which to buy
an estate, and the thirty seventh para
graph of the instructions to his Tesla
mentary executors reads
81 will not be angry if little Leon en-
tiers the magistracy, should that be his
choice"
REsEMBLED THE EMPEROR.
Leon, however, turned out to be any
thing but the material from which good
judges are made. Not in features alone
did he resemble his renowned father He
had Napoleon's restless ambition and a
feeling that he was capable of great
things. But his limitations deprived him
of opportunity, and his spirit, barred from
achievement, sought relief in dissipation
When less than % years of age, he was
a gamester, losing at play in a single night
$4,000 francs. Cardinal Fesch paid his
debts. Then the young nun turned his
attention to politics, and mixed with
them duelling. He grew noted for his
domineering manner and undaunted
bravery, and earned the sobriquet of
''Spadassin,' or the fighter.
In 1884 he was elected captain in the
National Guard, commanding the Span
ish battalion of St. Denis. At his first
review he told superior officer that,
Napoleons son takes no orders from
tradesman, and chased the frightened
confectioner from the field. For this he
was dismissed the service.
Six years later he tried to kill Louis
Napoleon. He first attempted to force
the willy adventurer into duel, and that
falling planned an ambuscade, which
also proved abortive. This, however did
not prevent the two uniting their fortunes
in 1848, at which time there was serious
talk of putting Leon forward as a candi-
date for the presidency of the republic.
The succeeding year he became conspic-
uous for the suit against his mother, and
for his prominence in the reception of the
great Napoleon's remainS-the Return
of the Ashes, a" as the French call the
transfer of the conqueror'S body from St.
Helena to the magnificent tomb in the
Invalides. Crowded Paris hailed the
living image of the mighty dead, and
Leon had a veritable ovation while the
ceremonies lasted. Then he stood for a
seat in the Chamber of Deputies, and pub
lished a manifesto which began
Citizen Leon, eX-Count Leon, son of
the Emperor Napoleon, director of the
Peace Society, to the people of France"
But he wasn't elected.
wGGED WAR FOR MONEY.
When the third empire began Leon
y
AS his political manifesto indicated, he
was no longer duellist or an advocate of
war, but he had to fight for something,
and so he fought for money. First he got
a pension of 6,000f. and the payment of a
balance due on his fathers legacy,
amounting, with interest to, 255, 3l9f.
Then he unearthed three DEGREES of the
hundred days, which gave him the shadow
of claim on the public funds. The
shadow became substance in 1858, when
he secured 672, 670f.
His cash gave out in 1857, and
once more he knocked at the
treasury doors. This time he sued the
minister of public works for 500, 0O0f., due
for preliminary survey of the railroad
of the north. He won, and plunged deep
ly into the fierce joys of litigation. The
courts were burdened with his actions,
appeals and petitions. He scattered gold
with prodigal hand. He projected rail
ways, he urged the modernization of
Paris, and was the father of the scheme
which Napoleon entrusted to Baron Hauss-
man, and which, at enormous expendi-
ture, has made Paris the most magnlt1-
cent capital in the world.
He suggested new laws, and printed
several books and numerous pamph lets,
among others one issued in 1859 entitled,
peace; a Solution of the italian Cues
ton" lie spent his time and money in
futile graspings at the mighty and the I'M
attainable. Six times were his debts
paid from the civil list, but with the
downfall Of Napoleon all his resources
vanished, save the pension of 6,00Of
year.
The last decade of his life he spent at
Poutoise, and there he died, declaring
that, "Coessin had solved all the prob
lens of the epoch and of the future"
Coessin was a forgotten idealist who
flourished when Leon was boy.
Funeral Sermon For the Wrong Per-
son.