Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-17
SAYS CROWN OFFER
WAS NOT SERIOUS
Jerome Bonaparte Says Only
Albanian Government Could
Proffer Throne
MET CHEKREVl BUT ONCE

New York, Dec. IL Reports that he
IL considering an invitation to accept
the throne of Albania were denied last
! evening by jerome Napoleon Bonnpartc,
great great grandson of jerome Bona
part". King Of Wcstphalia. and the
beautiful Betsy Patterson, of Baltimore.
"A. !. Chckreyi, Albanian High
Commissioner. who is reported to have
offered me the Albanian crown, and |
have met exactly once he continued.
That was at Southampton, j.. L..
where Mrs. Bonapartc and | were
staying last August. lie and | had II
long conversation about Albania at that
time. and we discussed the future of the
country.
He specifically stated. that while the
Albanians were looking for ruler. he
was not officially authorized to take
any steps in this direction. and during
the course of Our conversation he asked
me how | would like to be n Balkan
ruler Neither of us took the PROPOSE
ton seriously.
Amy invitation to occupy the throne
of Albania would have to come officially
from the Albanian Government and |
can definitely state that up TO the pres
ent time | have received no such offer.
AS to whether or not | would consider
such an offer if made officially. that
is II natter which is too remote VI the
present time for me to discuss.
AT present my chief prCOcCupntiOn IL
to get my ancestors properly bestowed to
their new quarters, he continued,
pointing to Il portrait of his great grand
father. Jerome. King of Wcstphalin,
rcpOsing on the floor against IL beautiful
First Empire console and Il picture of
Napoleon III. already on the wall.
The room was Uttered with furniture
and heirloOms inherited from his great
great grandmother, whose romantic
marriage caused his great great uncle
Napoleon so much annoyance. In the
apartment curtains were being hung.
carpets being laid and there were no
Indications that MIR. and Mrs. Bona
parts we're planning a migration TO the
Balkans in the near future.
Up to the present Mr. BOnapartc has
taken little interest in European affairs,
and until recently he has made his home
in Washington. spending his summers
Mt Southampton and part Of each win
ter at Palm Beach. lie has never been
in active business. and until his mar
riagr in 1914 to Mrs. Blanche Pierce
Strebelgh. formerly the wife Of the New
York broker. he was one Of the most
popular of the eligible bachelors in
/ Washington.
The wedding Of Mr.. Bonaparte and
! Mrs. Strcbcigh, which took place at the
! City Hall in New York. the ceremony
being performed by Happy" Jack
Rcardon. Tammany alderman. n week
after Mrs. Strebcigh had obtained her
divorce from Harold StrCblCigh, caused
sensation in New York and Washing
ton society. Last January the Bona =
parties were again in the lmclight when
Mrs. BOnapnrte instituted a suit for
500. 900 damages against the editor of
Town Topics. who was alleged to have
alluded to her as "a vain, foolish
woman"
Mr.. Bonaparte, who has no children,
is the last male descendant of the
American EOnapartcs, his uncle, Charles
J. Bonapartc, of Baltimore, who died a
year ago. being also childlcss. lie has
one sister. the Countess Won Moltkc
iuitfcldt, Of Germany.