The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-05-02
YOUNG VICTOR soNApARTE.
The Pretty Roma ce which Surrounded
His Birth.

The Pretty Roma ce Which Surrounded
His Birth.
The efforts of the Bonapartists tc
place Prince Victor Bonaparte on the
throne of France recall the romance
which preceded his birth and played ar
important role in the shaping of his
destiny--a romance which begun in
America and the sequel of which tool
place IN Europe, showing how near he
came to being an American.
Prince Victor's grandfather was Je-
rome Bonaparte, the youngest brother
of Napoleon l. The story of Jerome's
first love and marriage to an American
girl is sad tale of romance, imperial
ambition and diplomacy. When Je
rome was but twelve years old Napoleon
]. had already won fame in Italy. Ma
poleon soon placed his young brother
in the French navy, his desire being to
make him formidable adversary for
Nelson. But an English frigate des-
troyed this plan by driving the French
frigate which bore Jerome into Amer
lean waters Jerome landed in Balti-
more, and there he fell in love with and
married handsome Elizabeth Patterson
daughter of Billy Patterson, of Irish
birth, and rich merchant of Balti-
more. Betsy, as she was called, was
very ambitious woman, and when her
friends told her she was about to take
an unwise step in her approaching mar.
riage, she replied:
II would rather be the wife of q
brother of Napoleon Bonaporte for an
hour than the wife of any other man
for life A reply which has become
famous.
Napoleon was now in power and
he was highly displeased with this
marriage, and when he became first
consul it was stipulated that Jerome
and his brother Lucien be debarred
from the line of succession for marry
rying against Napoleons wishes.
Jerome and his young wife sailed for
Lisbon in 1905, intending to ask for for
giveness Jerome was there arrested
and taken to France by order of the
first consul after pathetic au revoir
and protestations of eternal fidelity to
his wife. She was not allowed to land;
so, having already what is now denom-
mated as ''the big head" Betsy sent
the following message to Napoleon:
''Tell the emperor that Madame Bon
aparte demands her right as member
of the imperial family"
This simply ELECTED smile; so Betsy
then proceeded to England, where her
son Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte, was
born. Her husband went to Paris by
command of the emperor. little dream
ing that he would never see his wife
again, save with another wife upon his
arm.
The emperor refused to recognize the
marriage, but granted Betsy an annu-
fty of twelve Thousand dollars for re-
turning to America and agreeing to re-
nounce the name of Bonaparte. She,
however, returned to Europe many
times, where she figured as the center
of sensations at foreign courts, her
beauty and queenly bearing winning
her much homage.
Jerome, her husband, was forced by
the emperor to contract bigamous
marriage with Catherine of Wurtem-
burg, the kings daughter, and was
soon after made king of Westphalia-
He tried in vain to get Betsy's son, who
was called DO" for an abbreviation of
Bonaparte She declined an offer from
Jerome Of a ducal crown, with forty
thousand dollars yearly, on these terms.
National Tribune.