The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-12

Tragedy of the Time of Joseph Bona
parties SOjOurn Here Explained.

Bonaparte Lake IN. Y.) Letter
The mystery of LIE Sepulcre which for
many years has been part of the folk
lore of this section. seems at last to have
been solved. The finding of a boat of pecu-
liar pattern at the bottom of Green pond,
an arm of Lake Bonaparte, at last gives
a clew to the strange disappearance of
Jean Vallois, scion of one of the noble
families of France, and Marie Beausant,
daughter of one of the early French set
tiers of this section. 1t also revives in
terest in the doings of Joseph Bonaparte,
the ex-King of Naples and of Spain. who
came to the United States in 1875 and for
many years thereafter lived at Bordentown,
N. j., making annual visits to the then
magnificent hunting lodge. and residence
erected near the shores of the lake which
rev bears his name.
The first visit of Bonaparte to this sec
ton was in 1875 when he purchased $1,000
acres of land in this vicinity. Thereafter
the yearly gatherings q this hunting lodge
and mansions rivaled ii lavishness and ex-
cess the doings of the French courts of
earlier times. Other exileS from the first
families of France, who had purchased
large tracts of land and settled in northern
New York. gathered under his roof and en-
joyed his hospitality, while joining in the
revelries and intrigues of the time.
know that here ON the banks of this lake
plot was laid to rescue the great Napo-
leon from the Island of st. Helena and
bring him to the United States. Count Real,
with the advice and assistance of Joseph
Bonaparte, erected a house that was to be
the home of the illustrious exile, but for
success However, this only leads up to the
mystery of lie Sepulcre.
The last visit of Joseph Bonaparte to his
hunting lodge on Bonaparte lake was in
the year 1888. Among the large party ac-
companying him at that time was Jean VAL
lois, young son of one of Bonapartes
former councillors Young Vallois had ac-
companied the prince on former visits, and
during his stay had become acquainted
with the pretty Marie BeauSant. Much of
his time was spent in her company.
About three weeks before the time set for
the hunting party to break up and return
to Bordentown Vallois disappeared. He
was last seen on the lake with the young
woman For days search was kept up
for the missing pair, but not a trace of the
lovers or the boat could be found. Marie
had another lover, young trapper, whose
parents resided near her own home. He
was known to be jealous Of Vallois,. and
suspicion fell upon him. Nothing could be
found to incriminate him, however and the
affair remained MYSTERY for twelve years.
1t was not until 1850 that a clew to the
manner in which the lovers disappeared
dent
shores of Green lake, small body of water
connected with Lake Bonaparte by a mar
row channel, discovered cave at the foot
of high cliff. The cavern was explored
and in it they found the skeletons of two
human beings. They were the bones of
man and q woman. From that time the
cave has been known as LIE Sepulcre. The
skeletons were undoubtedly those of Val
lois and Marie Beausant Some coins, such
DIS the young fT6ncnndn WOuIO nave car
ried. were found near the skeletons, and
these were considered sufficient to estab-
llsh their connection with the strange dis
appearance of twelve years before. How
they reached this wild and secluded spot
and the manner in which they met death
was much a mystery as ever. Time
on and the story of lie Sepulcre became
little more than a local tradition. The re-
cent finding of the boat in which the lovers
rowed away to death and oblivion revives
interest in the event and causes much spec
ulatiOn among those cOnVerSant with the
story.
Mr.. Austin Harris. one of the oldest resi-
dents of the vicinity, remembers well the
disappearance of the lovers and its effect
on Bonaparte, who loved Vallois as his own
son. The ex-king was much cast down.
He never again visited his domain in
northern New York and later on returned
to France. Mr.. Harris remembers well the
boats used by the Bonaparte party and
recognizes the one found at the bottom of
Green lake as one of them. The opinion
of those who have delved into the romance
and the tragedy of sixty years ago is that
a double murder was committed They be-
lieve that the Jealous lover of Marie
Beausant encountered the pair in the cave,
killed them both. and by sinking the boat,
covered up all traces of his crime.