New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-05
RELICS OF NAPOLEON.
The Princess Murat Writes an Inter
esting Letter.

From The London Daily Telegraph.
Princess Eugene Murat, whose maiden
name is Ney d'Elchingen, sends a very
interesting letter 10 NJ. Calmette, the
editor Of the Figaro" on the subject
Of the relics left by the great Napoleon
on his death at St Helena. She states
positively that the bed which was bought
by an American for presentation to the
Malmaison Museum was not, as has been
asserted, the bed on which the Emperor
expired.
This" she continues. belongs TO US.
| 1t figures in the front rank among our
family souvenirs. We even possess the
last clothes worn by Napoleon, the shirt
in which he died and the linen used at
his autopsy
Princess Nurat adds, among other
noteworthy particulars, that she has a
copy Of the inventory OF the articles left
by the Emperor, who in his will dated
LongWoOd. April II. 1921, instructed per-
sons whom he knew well to give his son,
when he attained the age of sixteen, sew
eral articles which he had used during
I his reign or his captivity. lie had him
self drawn up fun list. and In the part
entitled, Inventory of my effects, which
I Marchand will keep 10 transmit to my
SON. figure my two iron beds, my mat
tresses and quilts. if they can be pre-
served The Austrian government al
ways opposed the handing over Of these
souvenirs 10 the Duke Of Reichstadt, who
died in 1892 without entering into pos
session Of them. Princess Murat adds
that the bed on which Napoleon died fell
to Queen Caroline, who. when she OK
PRED I'm May, 1899, at Florence, be
queathed it. with other articles, TO her
grandson, Joachim, son of Prince Bucien
Murat, expressing the hope that he
would always value them.
Her wish has been followed. The ar
| ticles confded by her 20 the pious care
OF her descendants now form the centre
OF a valuable collection Of Napoleonic
relics"
| 1t is the other bed, the one on which
l the Emperor did not die, that has gone
out of the hands Of the family. How did
/ this happen, when Napoleon left it 10 his
/ heirs? This Princess Murat does not uu-
/ dcrtake to discover. The bed on which
Napoleon expired was the better Of the
| two. Besides the bcdstcad and bed linen,
/ he left other furniture and toilet articles
which he must have used constantly 90
/ his son, and among other things two sill
yer watches, one with q chain made from
/ the Empress Marie LOuse's hair: a little
/ KEY and q small seal with a crown on Il.
/ Il little mahogany box containing tobac-
/ co, a cloak worn at MarengO, one uni
\ form Of the Chasscurs de Ia Garde. ono
/ OF the Grenadicrs de Ia Gardc and one of
/ the Garde Rationale. They were all
given to Nine. Mere, who kept them until
/ her death, in February, 1886. and then
/ her heirs-that is, her sons Lucien, Jo-
/ seph and Louis; her daughter Elsie rep
! resented by the Countess Camerata and
/ Caroline Murat-decided on sharing them
/ between them. In December, 1886, Mar
Chand, writing 20 Caroline, said:
| Your majesty ought to be pleased
with the lot which she has obtained in
/ this division, as in my opinion, If it is
not the richest it is the most precious
as a souvenir
! All this also shows how methodical
/ Napoleon was 10 the very last