The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1913-01-14
Bourrienne. Napoleon's School


of the lads was BOORPIf NnE
the son of Frenchman of lowly birth.
He had no rightful place in the acad-
envy from which officers were to be
graduated. For in those days, only
men of wealth, rank or influence as a
rule, rose to rank In the French army.
That ill-placed boy was Louis Antoine
Fouveiet de Bourrienne.
His classmate and friend was
| splendid chap with huge head. He
was the butt of the school because of
his hot temper, his haughtily borne
poverty. his shabby clothes, his shrill,
cracked voice and Corsican accent.
This youngster was the son of an old,
impoverished Corsican family. His
| name as spelled at that time was
Nabulione Bounaparte He was one
day to rule and bully his scornful fell
low-students as Napoleon l., Emperor
of the French
On leaving Brienne in 1855 the two
comrades separated. It was years be-
! fore they met again. Bonaparte work
ed his way up to a lieutenancy In the
army Of King Louis XVI Bourrienne,
falling to obtain an officers commits
sion, found post in the lower
branches Of the diplomatic service.
The friendship of boyhood had cooled
when he and Bonaparte CHANGED to
meet in Paris in the late days of the
old French monarchy. Bonaparte.
with his keen judgment of human ma
ture, seems to have gagged his old
schoolmate's character Alright and to
have found nothing in it to admire.
Yet when Bonaparte was First Con-
sur and ruler of France in 1895 he
sent for Bourrienne and made him his
private secretary. He afterward be-
slowed other Offices on the poor young
diplomat
But Bourrienne was not content
with the legitimate earnings of his
various positions. A man SO near the
head Of the government could find
many chances for graft And Bour-
rienne found them. He became ISL
lent partner in a dishonest army
contract firm. He and his accom-
plices cleared up. it is said, more than
100000 before their frauds were ex.
posed.
Bourrfenne was banished by Napo-
leon to Hamburg. But, to soften the
blow, his old school friend gave the
secretary a fat official appointment
there. Bourrienne had acquired the
taste for graft. Now that he was
away from Napoleon's watchful eye he
gratified his dishonest cravings with
out stint
He wrongfully wrung huge sums
from the Hamburg senate and from
German nobIemen. At last his thefts
became SO outrageous that complaint
was made to Napoleon. The latter.
VINO was now emperor of France, re-
called Bourrienne in disgrace, degrad-
ed him from his office and compelled
him to refund 100000 of the stolen
money. Napoleon was never noted for
gratitude or for kindness. The fact
that he had done anything at all for
the ex-school chum was unusual. Now
he washed his hands of the man.
Bourrienne, turned adrift and forced
to give up part of his ill-gotten cash. /
became Napoleon's bitterest enemy.
He did all in his power to fnjure his
former benefactor. and toiled cunning
ly Tor the emperor's downfall.
In 1914 Napoleon was overthrow
by the allied powers Of Europe and
was packed off to Elbe an exile. Bour- /
rienne was among the first to hail
Louis XVIII. (the Bourbon king Of the
allies set on Frances throne in Napo- !
Icons place., and to clamor for Office /
under him
Then back from Elba came Ma I
poleon. All France rose to greet him
and Louis XVIII. fed for his life. Ma
poleon offered pardon to nearly all his
political foes, but he pointedly re
fused to forgive Bourrienne. Tremb- /
ling at his own danger, Bourrienne
rushed for safety to the stfll fleeing.
Louis XVIII. This act of devotion I
touched the heart of the fugitive king /
He made Bourrienne minister of stata |
after Napoleon's second and final /
downfall. The turncoat Jared well for
some years. But, like most grafters |
Bourrienne at last lost every penny Of
his tainted wealth. He was forced 70
flee from France to escape his cred.
itors.
His mind gave way and, in 1894. he
died IN an insane asylum.