The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-04-20
PETER STUART NEY
An Interesting Lecture by Rev.
7. A. Weston.

y. a. " 6StoA.
Rev. J. A. Weston delivered his IN
tensely interesting lecture on Marsha
New at the City Hall last night to an
audience not at all commensurate with
tho merits of the lecture.
After a brief biographical sketch OF
the Marshal, the lecturer proceeded 10
discuss the execution of Ney. lie was
convicted OF treason on December d,
1915. and sentenced to be shot at =
O'Clock or shortly after the next n ornlng.
The official report says Ney was shot
by GO veterans doubtless men he had
led TO victory, said the speaker) IN an
unfreunented part of the yard OF the
palaca of Luxembourg. He proceeded
TO within PAGES of the wall and crying
out Comrades, straight to the heart;
fire." he fell dead. His body was exposed
Is minutes on the place OF execution, as
was customary.
Other reports by eye witnesses, how
ever, show that the body was instantly
covered with cloth and carried away
to the hospital An account by Sir VII
liam Frazer, NJ. p, shows that Ney
own soldiers loaded their own guns anu
fired at him. While the official report
went to show that the face and body
were mangled, an eye witness said an
officer made a sketch of the marshal
after death and that Ney's countenance
wore a placid smile Another body could
easily have been substituted for Ney S
after the human execution, said Mr..
Weston.
Because of the lack of space only a
| little portion of the lecture can be re-
| produced by the Observer.
Marshal Ney four days after Waterloo
expressed an intention of going to the
United States. Peter Stuart Ney told
Mrs. Mary G.. Dalton, who is still living
| in lredel that he whispered to his sol
diers calm high,' as he passed them
going to his place at the execution. lie
left Bordeaux for Charleston and landed
there in January, 1916. Three years
| he was in hiding and preparing himself
to teach
Every characteristic of Peter s. Ney
were shown by Mr.. Weston to have been
possessed by Marshal Ney. Ney was
called by his soldiers "Peter, the Red.
Perhaps this was the reason he assumed
the name of Peter in this country. His
fathers name was Peter. His mother
was descended from a family oil Stuarts
The iron frame of the greatest o
| NapOleOn's marshaIs could DEFY wind
and weather. Peter 5. Ney commonly
made out with four hours sleep. tic
never sat near fire.
He was too fond OF his cups but nc
drunkard. He commonly drank more
after hearing bad news from France.
Peter S. Ney wrote very good poetry
There is no record that Marshal NeN
ever did, but that doesn't prove h'
couldn't. The Marshal played the flute
Peter S. Ney owned and played Il costly
flute.
Peter S. Ney is known to have haC
every wound on his person that th'
great Marshal had, except one on the
neck His acquaintance cannot ne
member as to that. He had Il severe
sabre wound on the left side of his head
which he said he received at Waterloo.
Marshal New was the best fencer in
France: Peter S. Ney the best in America
The latter told Burgess Gather, of Davit
county. that he and Murat used to fence
with each other in Napoleon's presence
Marshal Ney could speak English. An
expert told Mr.. Weston that two speci
mems of the handwriting of both the
Marshal and Peter S. Ney were undOubt
edIy the same. Both Neys were marked
with the small pox.
Peter Stuart Ney tainted in the school
room at Darlington, s. G., when thenews
of Napoleon's death reached him: He
told COL Benz Rogers afterwards: "Witl
the death of Napoleon my last hope is
gone
He was recognized several times by
foreigners as Marshal Ney. On one OF
these occasions at Statesvile a German
named Barr created a sensation by say
ing. "Theres Marshal Ney." On his
death-bed Peter s. Ney solemnly affirmed
in the presence of DR.. Matthew Lock and
others, that he was the French Marshal
He died in 1916, and was buried at Third
| cranl -CharlOtte Observer