The evening world., 1894-01-20
FROM LOUIS XVI. DAYS
Mrs. Plain Seeks the Solution of
an Interesting Mystery.
ROCKFORD Children Struggled Here
During the "Reign Of Terror"
She Married the Descendant of One
and Property Is In Litigation.

Mrs. Rosalle Plain. OF 900 briggs ave
nue.. Brooklyn. has been trying for just
a week to see Supt. Byrnes to ask him
to assist her In communicating with Il
family of the nobility OF France, possibly
some branch of the descendants of Louis
XVI. Up to this morning she had not
succeeded. Her story is strange and in
teresting.
In 1890, just at the beginning of the
Reign of Terror in France. two children.
brother and sister, were brought to this
country. The boy was seven and the
sirl was six years of age. With the
children came an old servant of their
parents. who took the children to Phila-
delphia and gave them in charge to the
Quakers there.
The information which the servant
gave regarding the children was meagre.
They were children Of the ROCKFORD
family. strict Royalists. Their parents
had been beheaded for clinging to the
falling fortune of Louis XVI. The little
ones had only been saved 10y the efforts
of relatives. VINO mad %suuIggled them
aboard "a vessel in baskets that were
covered with willow boughs.
Fearing that harm might come to the
children it was thought advisable to
change their name. 50 they We're given
that of De Ford.
In 1893 Suzanne DE Ford, or Roche
ford. the girl. being then in her sixteenth
year, was married to bartholomew Plain
of this city. Mr.. Plain, at that time, was
the proprietor Of the only art store in
the city. 1t was located on Il high hill,
where Chatham Square Is now.
Mr.. Plain was in the habit of going
through the different cities to receive
rorted paintings. 1t was while on noe
of these trips that he met Suzanne. with
the Quakers, in Philadelphia. ~ son Was
the result of this marriage.
Tit year after the marriage Il sum of
money was received by the young wife
from a Baltimore banking house. With
1t came Il communication stating that
this was "a portion OF II trust lund left In
the bank, the interest OF which was TO
be paid annually.
The Plains wrote asking for more def
mite Information, but were told none
could be given under the conditions of
the trust.
The interest was paid regularly, but
nothing could be Learned as to who had
placed the funds with the bank.
In December. 1903, jerome ~Bonaparte.
the youngest brother of Napoleon. came
to Baltimore on u French man-of-Mar.
In tina same month he married Eliza
beth Patterson.
Just at this time the Quakers witt
whom Mrs, Plain had been living wrote
" e "a ms Nhat h"N' ~
making inquiries at the bank relative TO
the two children. He had also endeaN-
ored to get from the bank certain pa
saying that II these were not delivered
to him it would involve international
complications. Mrs. Plain was advised
Alter a long consultation it was
early part of 1904, only to find Jerome
Bonaparte gone. He had not succeeded
In gaining possession OF the papers.
In 1895 MIS-. Plain made another effort
to find out something regarding the year
ly allowance. She went to the Balti-
more clearinghouse and demanded to
know.
After a lengthy consultation 1t was
finally decided that she should return
home and Information would be sent
her If the bank could be relieved of its
secret.
1t was several months before she
heard. Then 1t was by II letter, direct
ing her to go to IL house in Newark,
where she would be given information.
To Newark she went. There at the
house named, she met tive women and
priest. He spoke to Mrs. Plain sternly;
telling her that the allowance would
continue during her life, btu that she
Six years later the wife followed him.
During all these years nothing had
been heard OF the brother. ~ few years
later. however. the first news came of
him to the son of Mrs. Plain.
In 1856, when John {. Fremont ran
for the Presidency. he published FOX
campaign purposes an autobiography. ,lI
that he said his father had married
the daughter OF Judge Ford, OF Soutl
Carolina. The Judges name had been
De Ford. but he had never used the
DE
Continuing. It said that Judge Ford
was a French refugee and told the story OF
how he, with his sister, had been brought
10 America at an early age. That lie
had, after many attempts, gained pos
session OF papers, and been ,recosni2eo
by the Bonapartis;s as OF noble blood.
The son OF Mr.. and Mrs. Plain, who
was born In 1890. and Mas named John
Peter Plain, had meanwhile married
His son was named FrAncis b. Plain
Il is the wife of his latter gentleman
who now tells the story. r. X. flain Is
q retired merchant.
During the past Year a gentleman CIV
ing the name of the cunt Mort Nor,
ence called upon +. Il. Plain, lie said
ne Was in sea rch OF the heirs OF Suzanne
De Ford. There Was property III lilsa
ton in France. There was Il conference
and the Court was TO return in IA week
He did not come back.
Mrs. Plains object in desiring to SEE
Supt. Bvrnes WAS to see whether he
could not assist her In clearing up what
Is still a mystery.