The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-20
TX.
ny RICHARD spILLANE.

=
Where once stood Bonaparte House
beautiful in its graceful lines, rich in
Its memories Of great men long since
dead and gone. an ugly. sour-looking
dwelling now affronts the eye. What
was once Bonaparte Park, a fairyland
in which princes and princesses might
be met at any turn. there Is little nova
but evidence of neglect and decay. The
rose bordered walks are rank with
weeds, tho lake on which the swan
boats once were numerous has dyied
ZIP and gone. The swanhoats have
crumbled to dust. as has the belvedere.
where once the sentries stood to watch
tho Trenton Post Road. a few, only a
few, of the group of houses that once
made up the American establishment
Of Joseph Bonaparte. King of Naples
and King Of Spain, remain.
In all the United States there prob
ably never has been more charming
country home than this one Napo-
Icons best loved brother had at Point
Breeze, Bordentown, N. ]. No Won
der he was reluctant to leave it. No
8 wonder he declined the crown of Next
co when delegation from that country
came to Bonaparte House to offer 1t
to him.
81 have worn two crowns, he told
the visitors. 'grhis now is my king
DOM" and he indicated with wave
of his hand the broad expansc Of
Bonaparte Park.
All Started Wrong.
II iS9 1i1Sely that the years Sncnt at
Bordentown were the happest of Joseph
Z Bonaparte's life. He loved tran
4 guilty. but circumstances made his
career tempestuous. AT heart he was a
democrat. but in obedience to the will
3 of his imperious brother he became q
King. His early ambition was to be a
bishop. but Napoleon decided he should
take up the profession OF arms. He
was an able man. by far the ablest Of
Napoleon's brothers, gentle, kindly and
philosophical. and resembled his father
as fully as the great Emperor resem-
bled his mother. &,
Queer how the Bonapartes all START
5 ed wrong. Joseph. who wanted to be
q spri est, never wore a cassock; Napo-
leon, who longed to be a sailor. never
went to sea except as a passenger, and
Lucien, who was ambitious for fame as
a soldier. never wore uniform. Louis,
trained as a military man, gave up
the service, and Jerome, who distin-
guished himself on the sea, became
general of division.
AS Joseph was dominated by Napo.
leon living. so he was dominated by
Napoleon dead. Ior with the death OF
the Emperor he became the head OF
the house, and upon him devolved all
the duties Of looking to a restoration
of the dynasty.
After Waterloo.
1T was in the spring OF 1916 that
Joseph Bonaparte bought the property
at Point Breeze. AS he drove over
from Trenton to Bordentown he was
charmed with the country. And well
he might be. for the region is one y
rare beauty. Like all the Bonapartes
he was provident man. and he
brought to America, after Waterloo,
not only fortune In money, but jew
els aud state papers and objects OF art
Or 1ncalculable value. He had a house
in Phlad elphia, but he wanted coun.
try estate which would be haven for
the scattered branches OF his family.
Nothing could have suited his purpose
better than the property at Point
Breeze 1t was on an eminence over.
looking the Delaware River and had
heen the home OF stephen Sayre, who,
Il
woman Of great wealth. and who
served for many years as secretary TO
benjamin. Franklin
There were only 200 acres to the es-
tate when the King bought it. but he
gradually gathered in adjoining prop,
critics until he had 1887 acres, or about
three square miles Of territory. lie
bought too. an estate On the Black
River in the Adirondacks This was an
Immense affair Of 100000 acres. In each
case the State Of New Jersey and the
State of New York had TO pass a special
law to enable him, foreigner. to own
real estate. The King spent an inns
mense sum laying out roads in the
Adirondack forest tract, and the land
itself cost him 100000 francs For the
Point Breeze property he paid for the
original zoo acres $4,000, but for the
additional land he paid various prices,
until his total outlay there for land
amounted to s106.3S1.51,
For two years Joseph Bonaparte de-