The Washington herald., 1907-09-08
AGREAT MESALLIANCE
Prince of the Greeks to Become Through Marriage
Part Owner of Monte Carlo.

Roland and Jeanne. now married TO the
Marquis de Villeneuve. There has always
/ heen cerlSin amount of doubt and
mystery as 10 the nature of the union OF
Prince Peter with Justine Rufflin. Ac-
coFding t. the laws of France which
were IN force throughout the reign OF
Napoleon III no member Of his family
could contract valid marriage without
MS sanction. Peter made no attempt 10
OBTAIN any authorization 70 marry Justine
Ruftiin, knowing full Well that the neces-
sary permission would be refused by the
| Emperor. But he is said TO have married
her after the downfall Of the empire
variety Of dates have been given 10 this
alleged marriage. even in the various is
sues OF the Almenach de GOtha.
But the fact remains that IS long as
Prince Peter was alive and had any say
in the matter he figured in the pages of
the Almanach de Gotha as "a bachelor.
and passed officially as such. Any refer
ence 10 the Almanachs de Gotha prior 10
1850 will show this. 1t was only several
years after his death, not indeed until
Roland had secured through the interven-
Trobriand the hand and fortune Of Marie
Blanc, that the Almanach de Gotha con-
descended TO take sany notice of his ex-
istence, or 10 intimate that he was the
son OF Prince Peter, or that the latter
had ever been married That Prince
Peter would not have tolerated any such
assumption on the part Of Roland. il he
had been alive, IS perhaps best shown By
his attitude toward Justine Ruffin, after
ne had abandoned ner and her two chill
dren in London, declining to have any
thing more to do with her, or TO contrib
ute 10 her support Thrown On her own
resources. she started a millinery shop
at 81 Bond street, in London with the
imperial arms OF France and the name
Princess Pierre Bonaparte" figuring con-
Spicuously over the door and on the shop
window, the object OF the venture being.
OF course, TO induce either the eX-Em-
peror or Empress Eugenie 10 make some
allowance, or 20 buy her out at a large
sum. No attention was paid to the mat
ter by the imperial eXiles at Chislehurst,
and as the English public chose 70 see
IN the enterprise an attempt to cxt0rt
money from the unfortunate ex-monarch
rather than a bona-fide commercial ven
ture. it was not long before Justine Ruff
fin became involved I'm bankruptcy. ana
when she further associated herself with
some dishonest promoters of a London
concern. entitled The COmtoir d'Es-
compte de France" Of which she accept
ed the presidency, and which necessitated
the Intervention of the police. she was
compelled % make 4 hasty and secret
departure. and seek refuge in France. /
Prince Peter, on that occasion. wrote
very uncOmplimentaTy letters concerning
her to the English newspapers, not mere
ly Tepudiating all financial responsibility
for the Liabilities which she had incurred. /
but even denying her right 70 use his
name, and the title Of Princess Pierre
BOnaparte. When he died in 1881, it was
found that he had left all his belongings
20 the dame .Whe had taken Justine's |
place In his affections. and TO his son. by |
this woman.
Justine. after returning with her
children to France, lived 10 a great ex- /
tent on charity, and in 1874 was re-
duced TO such a state Of destitution /
that she dispatched her son, Roland. .
to Marshal MacMahon, at that time 4
President of the republic, with the I
pawn tickets Of everything belonging |
20 her two children and herself. en-
treating him TO help her. MacNahon. /
who was generous to q fault. not only 4
redeemed all the pawn tickets, but 4
likewise gave young Roland a couple /
cf thousand francs. and managed 10 /
bring the matter 70 the knowledge Of I
Princess Mathilde Bonaparte. first
cousin Of Prince Peter. Princess Ma /
thilde. while declining TO 90 anything
for Justine, or 10 hold any communica-
ton with her, undertook TO contribute /
two or three thousand francs a year to 4
the schooling and maintenance Of the
two children; and Roland. who was a
good-looking lad, after graduating in
due course from school, and winning
a commission Of sublieutenant in the
ThiTty-sixth Regiment OF Infantry.
to secure. through old Nine.
de TrObriand, the hand Of Marie Blanc.
one Of the two daughters and heiresses
Of the founder Of the great gambling
establishment at Monte Carlo The
countess knew Marie Blanc. and liked
the. girl, and her sympathies had been.
since several years, actively interested
IN behalf Of Roland BOnaparte and his
sister. to whose maintenance. indeed /
she had contributed.
Roland Bonaparte left the army on /
his marriage. which transformed him
from a penniless man into a multi-mif-
lionaire. and into one Of the principal
owners Of the gambling establishment
az Monte Carlo. His wife died a few \
days after giving birth 10 the daughter
who is now about TO wed Prince George
Of Greece. 1t cannot be said that Jus
tine showed an overwhelming sorrow
at the death of her daughter-in-law
hgd MD Rar / {
above want For il seemed at the time 4,
to pave the way to the realization Of
her ambitions. which were that Roland
should marry Princess Letitia Bona
Darte. widow Of the Duke of Aosta. and
hen. by buying of the Princess broth
srs. Victor and Louis Bonaparte, place
himself forward as a pretender to the
imperial throne of France.
This little project was. Of course. i
frustrated by the refusal Of King Hum
TT and Of King Victor Emmanuel 10
)ermit the marriage of Princess Letitia
o Roland The latter has endeavored.
Ike his business associate and part owner !
# the gambling tables namely. the Prince
Il Monaco, to obtain indulgence for the /
ainted source Of his wealth by devoting
portion thereof, as well as much of his !
ime and energy, TO the cause Of science.
ind While the ruler of the rouge-et-noir
'rincipality has undoubtedly contributed /,
much toward the advancement OF. ocean
graphy, Roland Bonaparte has been
ctlve IN behalf OF geography. and has
urnlshed the initiative and the. means
or many interesting explorations. In fact
e has, in some respects, been a useful
member of the commonwealth, the princi-
al objections TO him being the sordfd I
nd shameful origin Of his riches. the
fashionable character Of his birth. and {
rs assumption of a princely title. to I