The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-12-31
MR.. CHARLES J. BoNApARTE.
The Only Republican Presidential Elector
from Maryland-Some Traits Of
the Farmer-IaWyer
baltimore Nescs.

Baltimore Neps.
Mr.. Charles ]. Bonaparte, the only Republi-
can elector successful in Maryland at the last
election, will journey TO Annapolis shortly
with his seven Democratic colleagues and cast
bis vote for Theodore Roosevelt for President
of the United States. 1t will, perhaps be an
other case of "politics making strange bed-fel-
lows" but Mr.. Bonaparte usually manages to
hold his own end up pretty well, and he will,
doubtless, be able to give good account Of
himself.
Early in the Roosevelt-Parker campaign the
question of Mr.. Bonaparte's politics was raised
by a reference in an out-of-town newspaper to
the effect that Mr.. Bonaparte was one of the
prominent independents in the country who
intended supporting Roosevelt for the Presi.
dency. This led reporter for the Neacs to go to
Mr.. Bonaparte and ask him to explain for the
benefit of the public just what his politics was.
He replied that he was Republican. but
that he always reserved the right to vote Tor
Democratic candidate, provided he was better
man, more competent and more desirable from
the standpoint of rendering public service than
his Republican opponent. To this extent, he
said he was an independent.
Although Mr.. Bonaparte has been proml-
years, his present Office of Presidential Elector
is the only one to which he was ever elected,
and is the only one for which he was ever
candidate, although he has accepted several
important positions by appointment. These
have all been thrust upon him somewhat in the
nature of civic duty, and in cases where
high degree of 6rmness and integrity were re-
quired in the correction of established abuses.
Among them were his selection by President
Roosevelt to investigate the alleged Irregular,
ties in the Indian service and the recent postal
frauds.
In the memorable State campaign of 1895.
when the Supervisors of Elections of the city of
Baltimore were under fire and the Republican
representative on the Board was removed, Mr..
Bonaparte was appointed by Mr.. Frank Brown,
then Governor, to fill the vacancy. Mr.. Bona
parte accepted the position, and the anti.ring
victory of that year is believed to have been
largely due to his efforts to secure q fair cleo
ton. Mr.. BOnaparte was not appointed until
about the middle of October, and as soon as
the votes were counted and the returns certified
he resigned, but the object had been accom-
plished, and the machine, which was tumbled
to the dust, has never looked the same since.
Mr.. Bonaparte was one of the charter mem
bers of the Reform League, and has ever been
time and means toward the accomplishment
of its objects. His work along this line has
been far greater and more important than that
in the narrower field of Republican politics,
and he has not hesitated, when the occasion de-
manded, to subserve the latter to the former.
Though few men in Baltimore have received
more newspaper attention than Mr.. Bonaparte,
people generally have little knowledge of the
personal side of the man. He is reserved in
his manner, and does not mingle great deal
in public. He is in no sense s'clubman,"
but sticks to his business in the daytime, and,
for the most part, to his home at night. He is
an ardent churchman, and a great friend of
Cardinal Gibbons, and those who attend the
Cathedral can see him occupying his pew on
Sunday with regularity.
Mr.. Bonaparte is now So years old. He was
born in Baltimore, and was graduated from
Harvard in 1871, and from the Harvard Law
School three years later. The following year
he married Miss Ellen Charming Day, of New
port, r. l. There are no children. He is a
grandson of Jerome Bonaparte, King of West
phalia, and has in hisveins the same blood as
the great Napoleon, but this is subject that he
never discusses. - = 5g7H 10
1t should not be gathered from this that he
is without family pride. He doubtless appre-
ciates the fact that he is descended from wor-
thy stock as much as anyone could, but be has
too much innate refinement and good taste to
discuss family"
Mr. Bonaparte lives the "simple life,' and it
is pity Pastor Wagner did not meet him dur.
ing his recent visit to America, as an affinity
would have perhaps, been established. He is
moderate and temperate in all things, and one
of bis notices is EARLY to bed and early to
rise.' Seven months of the year be spends ct
Bella Vista, his country place on the Hartford
road, Is miles from Baltimore. He moves out
there in May, and returns to his town house,
COL Park avenue, corner of Centre street. on
While in the country he drives into the city
every week day, usually in yellow with
a top. His coachman is q colored man. Like
Teddy in the LITTLE Tycoon" Mr.. Bona
parte never minds the weather." and, rain or
he ka1zo &c mil 30
residence at Bella Vista. Just before moving
in town for the present winter he encountered
some cold weather. but he did not discontinue
c ais ont on the train Of the Maryland and Penn
sylvania Railroad.
When he is living in the country Mr.. Bona
parte gets to his Office on st. Paul street about
$50 in the morning, and leaves for home be-
tween 4.30 and O'Clock in the afternoon.
Now that he is in town for the winter he ar
rives little earlier and remains until o'clock.
He is busy man all of that time, for though
he does not appear in court great deal, he has
a number of private interests in the way of
real estate holdings and rentals to demand his
attention, in addition to the affairs of clients
that he looks after.
Mr.. Bonaparte's offices are in brick build
ing on st. Paul street, near Lexington, at the
corner of an alley. The visitor climbs fight
of steps to the second floor, and in a Gagged off
affair in the rear room he will find Mr.. Cleve-
lduQ VnduuluSs Ills BCutlCkkldu PIOUuDly
knows more about Mr.. Bonaparte and his af.
fairs than any other living person, but Mr..
Manning is born diplomat. What he knows
is one thing, and what he tells is another.
When Mr.. Manning is thoroughly convinced
that the caller has some good reasons to see
Mr.. BOnaparte he communicates with the lat
ter in one of three ways-he either goes him
self to the third floor, sends an Office boy or
whistles up tube.
If everything is all right, the visitor is usher
ed by passage way to the front of the second
floDr to an inclosed stairway, which he mounts
and lands in the third.story back room. There
his credentials must again be presented to
lady, who is Mr.. Bonaparte's stenographer,
and if he receives the password he goes to the
front room, where the lawyer and noted civil
service reformer sits at fat-topped desk
writing. His desk is covered with legal doc
uments, and near at hand are copies of the
Baltimore newspapers. Naturally, his book
cases are stacked with law books and with the
works of his favorite authors on more or less
complex subjects.
summer, spring and fall. His linen is immac-
ulate, and he affects the starched white Shirt
with frills. He wears "turn.down" collar,
to the invariable accompaniment of black
bow of the variety that was formerly described
as ''shoo fly" His face is always freshly
shaven, and his skin presents healthy glow,
set off by his coal-b black moustache and hair.
He is full of gestures, and in this respect
shows his French blood, although his pronun-
citation is of the good, clear, distinct Anglo
Saxon type. He talks about everyday sub.
jects exactly as he writes an interview. and he
is, therefore, an exceedingly interesting char
acter Every word he utters and every idea he
advances bristles with originality. and is of
his own mold and pattern. Mr.. Bonaparte in
conversation and mannerisms, is unlike any
one else, and his style is of the individual kind
that no one can initiate.
During his stumping tours in the recent fall
election, Congressman ]. f. G. Talbot "open-
ed up several times on Mr.. Bonaparte, whom
he referred to as "Souphouse Charlie" and who
was championing. with his accustomed vigor,
the cause of Mr.. Robert Garrett, Mr.. Talbott's
Republican opponent for the House Of Repre-
sentatives. Mr.. Bonaparte is never afraid to
'shit back"-in fact, he enjoys nothing more
than spirited tilt in court or on the hastings
and in letter published in the News he ex-
planned the origin of the term 'Souphouse
Charlie"
He said that the expression alluded to a re-
mark he made during lecture delivered in
the early $685. and that for all he knew Mr..
Talbot might have been originally responsible
for the sparkling witticism."
A School Teacher Without Arms.