The San Francisco call., 1897-05-20
BETSY BONAPARTE.
An Old Romance Revived by Recon
Wedding.

An Old Romance Revived by q Recent
Wedding.
Ninety-three years ago q small French
man. of-war, cruising about the North At.
lantic, fell in with AL English frigate. and
ran for shelter to the harbor of New York.
Among the officers on board was Jerome
Bonaparte, the youngest brother OF Napo-
leon l, and while the British fleet lay of
Sandy Hook waiting for the Frenchman to
leave his harbor of refuge young Bonaparte
made himself merry with his Yankee
friends and sympathizers. and fell in love
with Betsy Patterson, the youngest daugh-
ter OF a Baltimore merchant, who was
beautiful and bright and gay. His atten-
tons were SO ardent that NJ. Pichon. the
French Consu!-General at New York,
thought it necessary to warn him that his
brother would not approve mis- marriage
with the daughter OF an American mer-
chant, and he also notified Mr.. Patterson
of the consequences that would likely fol-
low such a match. But young Bonararts
would heed no admoni,ions, and Mr.. Pat
terson considered his daughter the equal
of her royal suitor, whose family had not
been many years upon the throne. The
marriage took place on Christmas day,
1903, the ceremony being performed BY
Arc bishop Carroll of the Catholic church.
The wrath OF Napoleon soon burst upon
the young couple. He ordered Jerome to
return 10 France forthwith, but forbade
the "young person." as he called his
brothers. bride, to accompany him. All
French vessels were forbidden to give her
transportation and she was prohibited
from landing upon French soil.
For several months young Bonaparte
detied his brother, but finally sailed for
Europe, accom- panied nv his bride. Being
forbidden to land in France. she went TO
London, where she renamed while her
husband visited Paris in hopes OF effect
ing a reconciliation. But Napoleon was
inexorabe, and by method which was
availa ble 10 the royal families OF that day
the Emperor declared a divorce, and per-
suaded his brot her to marry the Princess
Catherine OF Wurtemberg. Napoleon
offered Betsey Bonaparte large SUM OF
money and pension II she would recog-
nize the divorce and discard the name OF
his family. But she declined to do so,
and tedious diplomatic negotiations.
After parting from nIm in London she
never saw her husband but once, and then
accidentally i'll a picture gallery in Wur-
tenn berg, where she came face to face with
him and his new wife. There was no in
terview, but natural recognition, and
Jerome remarked to Catherine, in tone
that was heard by bystanders:
THAT is my American wife.
A son was born to Betsy Bonaparte
while she was waiting for justice in Lon
don. He grew to manhood, inherited the
property that had been bestowed upon
her and married Susan Williams. by whom
he had two sons, Jerome and Charles.
The latter is a resident of Baltimore, a
most estimable citizen and quite active as
a reformer in political affairs. The
younger Jerome resides in Washington
and married Louise Edgar, a grand
daughter of Daniel Webster. His daugh-
ter, Louise Eugenia Bonaparte, was
married the other day at St. PauPs
Church in this city to Count Adam de
Moltke Huitteldt of Denmark. whose ac-
quaiatance she made in Paris, where
Count Moltke's father was for several
years the Danish EN- mbassador.-W Washing
ton correspondent in Chicago Record.