The morning call., 1893-01-23
VICTOR BONAPARTE.
The Pretty Romance Connected With
His Birth.
New York Press.

New York Press.
The efforts of the Bonapartsts to place
Prince Victor Bonaparte ON the throne OF
France recalls the romance which preceded
his birth and played an important role in
the shaping of his destiny-ar0mance which
begun in America and the sequel of which
took place ia Europe. showing how near he
came to being an American.
Prince Victor's grandfather was Jerome
Bonaparte. the youngest brother Of Napo-
leon l. The story of Jerome's first love and
marriage TO an American girl Is sad tale
of romance, imperial ambition and diplo-
macy.
Wien Jerome was but II years old Napo-
leon had already won fame in Italy. Ma
poeon soon placed his young brother in the
French navy. his desire being to make him
formidable adversary for Nelson. But an
English frigate destroyed this plan by drIy-
ing the French frigate which bore Jerome
into American waters. jerome landed In
Baltimore. and there he later fell in love with
and married handsome Elizabeth Patterson,
daughter of Billy Patterson, OF Irish birth
and rich merchant of Baltimore. Betsy. as
she was called, was very am bilious
woman, aud when her friends told her she
was about to take m unwise step In her aP-
preaching marriage she replied:
81 would rather be the wife OF brother
Of Napoleon Bonaparte for an hour than
IL
reply which has become famous.
Napoleon was now on the throne and he
was highly displeased with this marriage.
and when he became First Consul 1t was
stipulated that Jerome and his brother
Lueien be debarred from the line Of success
sion for marrying against Napoleon's wishes
Jerome and HIS young vile sailed for
Lisbon in 1895 intending to ask for forgive
ness. Jerome was there arrested and taken
TO France by order OF the First Consul after
pathetic au fevoir and protestatlons of
eternal fidelity to his wife. She was not
allowed to land, so having already what
is now denomiDated as ''the big head"
Betsy sent the following message TO NapO-
leon:
'TeIl the Emperor that Nine. Bonaparte
demands her rights as member Of the i'm
perlal family"
This simply elected SMILE so Betsy
then proceeded to England where her son.
Jerome Napoleon BoDaparte, was born.
Her husband went to Paris by command of
the Emperor. little dreaming 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 annuity OF
$4,000 Tor returning to America and agree
ing TO ren0unce 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
Quteuty DcdItuB WiHuIub Hcl HuCH uuuidScs
Jerome, her husband. was forced by the
Emperor to contract bigamous marriage
with Catherine OF Wurtem6erg, the Kings
daughter, and was soon after made King of
Westphalla. lie tried in vain TO get Betsy's
son, who was called "Bo" for an abbrevia-
ton of Bonaparie. She declined an offer
from Jerome of ducal crown with $4,000
yearly on these terms
"Westphalia is too small for two queens
Besides, | already receive $4,000 yearly
from the Emperor, and l would rather be
protected by the wing of the eagle than be
dependent on the bill of goose"
''Bo" later frequently visited his father,
and was we'll treated by the family. princ-
pally by Princess Matilda, his haf-sister.
After marrying, against his mothers
wishes, Baltimore woman, he visited En-
peror Napoleon LII. his cousin, at the lat
ter's invitation. He was legitimized and
received as member of the family. His
half brother, Prince Napoleon, the son of
his father by Catherine, and father of Vie
tor. having quarreled with Napoleon III,
'Bo" came near being heir-presumptlve,
but he was declared Ineligible. So Napo-
leon and now Victor became the recognized
heirs to the throne.