Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-09-27
DEFIED NAPOLEON
Because of Her Love for Great Elm.
pePOf'S Brother.
The STORY OF BETSY PATTERSON
Baltimore Girl Loved Prince, Jerome
corsican Ended Romance With Inn
perial Annulment of Marriage After

Corsican Ended Romance With I'm
periaI Annulment of Marriage After
Pope Refused to Act.
| Stephen Bonsal in the. New York
Times.
In Maryland manor house, once the
scene of some sp,endor and long ago
the center of much conivial gayety,
two wedding garments are piously
preserved and rare'y shown. They are
eloquent memorials Of forgotten past,
relics of the first international mar
riage between the New and the Old
World.
One is a purple satin coat covered
with lace and richly embroidered. The
tails, after the fashion Of the directory,
reach down to the heels, and it is lined
with satin yelowed with age. The
other is a simple dress Of Indian
muslin.
The clothes were worn Christmas
eve, 1903 when Prince Jerome, younger
brother of Napoleon, married Betsy
Patterson, daughter Of a merchant
prince of Baltimore Bishop Carroll,
Catholic primate of the United States
pronounced the nuptial benediction.
From this union springs the line OF
the Maryland Bonaparts. whose most
distinguished member, Charles Bona
parte, fierce fighter for civil service
reform and attorney general and sec
retary of the navy in President Roose-
velt's cabinet, died recently.
Among the many things that the
hospitable people of Baltimore did not
know about their dashing young guest
who came up the Patapsco on a French
frigate is the fact that he was lavish
spendcr and, indeed, waster, in his
early years, at least. TO curb his eX-
travagance and to remove him from
temptation. Jerome at Is years old was
put in the navy and took part not
without credit in the Santo Domingo
expedition.
Their First Meeting.
Jerome and Betsy met at a race
track near the present site of the
Pimlico course 1t is recorded - a
MARYLAND chronicler that on this day
the Patterson filly won the sweep
stakes" Betsy is said to have treated
Jerome with all the hauteur Of her
seventeen summers, and the French
midshipman, then Is, became madly
cnamOrcd.
William Patterson, the Opulent faith
er whose ships carried the American
flag into the seven seas, was more
impressed than the young people by
the semi official protests about the
engagement, which was an open secret
even before the race meeting was over
He dispatched his madcap daughter to
visit an aunt in Virginia while the dis
consulate Jerome went for tour in
the north. However, the lovers were
not to be denied. In few weeks they
were back in town and the engagement
was on again. Mr.. Patterson gave a
reluctant consent, and then what hap
pened is best described in the terms
of a letter which Pichon, the French
consul in New York, received one fine
morning from NJ. Lecamus, Jerome's
secretary:
Sir: | have the honor to announce
on behalf Of NJ. Jerome Bonaparte that
his marriage with Mile. Patterson was
celebrated yesterday evening. He de-
sres me to say that he is very anx-
ious to receive the $4,000 as he has
pressing engagements to meet.
Emperor Opposed the Marriage.
Robert Patterson, a brother of the
bride, went to France Immediately af'
ter the wedding in an effort to straight
en- things out, but his mission was fal
from successful. Jerome was ordered
through official channels" to report
to Paris and he was strictly enjoinec
to leave "Ccttc jcune p"rsonnc," II
America.
Months Of indCCision followed ant
then months in which the decisions ar
rived at could not he carried out. Fin
ally Jerome and Betsy, for separation
and obedience was not to be though
Of embarked i'm New York on a Frcncl
frigatc with the ill-omencd name o.
Didon. They were chased back int
harbor by an English squadron and i
was in February, 1905, that on boart
the Kankcc brig Erin and flying thu
United States flag they arrived off TIT
mouth of the Tagus.
Jerome was hurried ashore and post
cd off to Paris but Betsy was not al
lowed to land. With a warm embrace
they parted for few weeks and nevc
met again as man and wife, if at all.
: Pope Denied Napoleon's Plea.
In May, 1905, Napoleon who was il
Milan, wrote to the pope in regard t.
, an event which was then regarded as ;
seven days wonder. A balloon sent VI
. in Paris had reached Rome, and Ma
polcon wrote advising the pope t
6 preserve it, so that future ages Nigh
wonder. Then, in the most carelcs
, way possible the great intrigucr wen
on to say;
n have several times spoken to you
holiness of Il young brother, 10 year
old whom | sent ont on board a frigat