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ROBERT LANSING’S STORY OF PRETTY LAKET.OF STATE’S ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN NEW YORK SUN t: INSPIRED BY RAZING OF HISTORIC LANDMARK—COPY PRE-f SERVED FOR FOURTEEN YEARS BY FREDERICK McCULLOCK ipF LOWVILLS.t yBOX ERECTED BY EX-KING JOSEPH BONAPARTEAND DOINGS OF WEEKDELEGATES PREPARING FOR THE ROCHESTER MEETING.HARVEST SUPPER'OCCURRED BY JOSEPH BONAPARTE ON HIS ESTATE IN DIANA—ESCAPED TO THIS COUNTRY AFTER NAPOLEON WAS CAPTURED -4HIS vGREAT BROTHER MIGHT HAVE COME AS EXILE BUT FOR jSINQLE CIRCUMSTANCE.*/' The following was written by Rob--;|^crt Lansing of Watertown, now secre-isrlt;y of state, 14 years ago, when the ''^historical landmark mentioned was \ 4tom down.f It was published in the NeW YorkySun, a copy of which was ^.-preserved by Frederick MeCullock, y^residehr of the First National Bank 4*of Lowville, from whom it was reeeiv-% ed for'pu blication. In view of the V iihlnchee to which the writer has risen *in the' hat 1911, where his statesman-; ship, knowledge and comprehensive ^ gra$p~W international affairs may lead him tp the’higher step, a two-fold interest attaches to the article:.*•! The historic old house known as the 4 “hunting box”at Bonaparte Lake, built I abou| 1328 by a former king, JosephBonaparte, and occupied' by him and . - his French companions during the• - time he lived' on his estate in Diana,■, . Lewis county, is being torn down. The distinction of this historical landmark, which has been an object of in-■ Jerest to tourists for years, recalls a ‘v tale ot Jove”, deception and restitution ( which came, too late, the story of the , stay of . Joseph Bonaparte in this country and*, the life history of the• daughter • of .this exiled king, who• sleeps in an obscure and unmarked grave in the- quiet country churchyard, nestling hack amid the hills of the town of Antwerp, in Jefferson county.Joseph Bonaparte, a brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, at one time ruler of the two Sicilies, King of Naples and ' Kang of Spain is one of the most ro-. mantle characters that grace the pages of the history of New York state.* Much of interesting detail of his sojourn in this state has escaped •the elproniclpr altogether. The story ■of the doings of Joseph Bonaparte in this county brings to light facts which/ show that, except for a single happening, Napoleon might have lived and died-in this country instead of passing away, an exile, on the island of St.* Helena.The'«brothers separated at a critical time., Joseph escaped to this country and’ Napoleon was captured.' There*are still a few persons living, who reinember the “Count de Survil-liers,” as Josepph chose to be called, while the old brick mansion of the Benton family, allied to his by the marriage of Col. Z. H. Benton with his daughter, are filled with souvenirs of the exiled monarch. Col. Benton, who accompanied Ms wife to France and was, with her, received at the court of the last Napoleon, never tired of relating the. anecdotes of his royal father-in-law.Utpon the decline of Napoleon’s- power in 1813, Joseph Bonaparte, who had been the king of Naples, and after*, ward of Spain, escaped from the latter country to France, and after the Emperor’s adieation in 1814 retired to Switzerland and lived in an elegant chateau on Lake Geneva. He had in his possession the crown jewels of •Spain and many kegs of gold from the vaults of the Spanish treasury, taken to secure the Emperor for the loss of immense sums to the Spanish government. Feeling the certainty of his brother’s downfall, Joseph, with the aid of Jacob Magi, his giant Himga-. rian bodyguard, buried upon his lands oh the shore of the lake an iron box containing the jewels and the kegs of specie.Events hastened rapidly in France. Joseph returned from his exile in. Switzerland. When his brother came back in 1815 from Elba, Waterloo was fought and lost, and in June of that year both brothers were fugitives. Napoleon was so dlosely watched that he found escape impossible arid surrendered to the English captain, Maitland, on July 15, parting from Joseph for the last time at RIois, 100 miles from Paris, on the previous day.Joseph hastened in disguise to Switzerland and securing his- burled, treasure and leaving his wife, the ex-Queen, Marie Julie Clair, 'at the cha-tteau on Lake Geneva, he returned with the gold and jewels to Bordeaux, France. While at Bordeaux disguised as a merchant under the name of “M.. Bouchard,” James Leray, who was on a visit to his estates at Chaumont on the Loire, heard of Joseph’s whereabouts. The two were devoted friends and Leray hastened to Bordeaux, where he found Joseph at an obscure-inn. While the two were at dinner, several wagons hearing Joseph’s treas-1 ures- frow Switzerland, drove into the. yard of the inn.Fearing -that he would be unable to; get .the money safely out of the country, Joseph then and there turned over to Mr. Leray Spanish doubloons to the value of 400,000 francs (.$8*0,000), for which he received a letter to Mr. Le-ray’s son, Vincent, then in this country in New York state* instructing him to convey to Joseph a certain designated tract of the Leray estate, including* the township of Diana* in Lewis county, and the -township of Wilna, Philadelphia, and parts of Theresa and’Antwerp, in Jefferson county, New York state, 150,000 acres in all.Joseph succeeded- at last in securing passage and passports for America under the name of M, ‘Bouchard, with Jacob Hasi, his huge bodyguard; Louis Martel, his valet and four old French grenadiers, who were his devoted servitors to the end of their lives.The party sailed on July 25, 1815, from Bordeaux on the French brig Commerce, loaded with a cargo of wine, for Charleston, S. G„ which unknown to captain or crew even, carried in her hold a part of the crown jewels of Spain and* half a million in gold. The brig was three times stopped -and searched by English frigates, but so complete was the disguise of the fugitives and so carefully prepared their passports that they at last landed in New York City August 28.When he landed in New York City the ex-king went directly Philadelphia, and two weeks after his arrival on this shore he is found installed in a mansion in Ninth street, entertaining with lavish and charming hospitality the leading families of the city and the most distinguished public men of the day. While retaining his residence in theOne to Be Given November* SO—Mrs. Cooke, Caterers*, Will Be In Charge —Girl* to Hold Candy Sale—New Book* Added.President Breeze and Secretary Florence N. Brown have been investigating the matter of what subjects are to come up for action at the Rochester meeting in the latter part of this month. But so far is has been impossible to find anyone who knows what will be brought forth at that meeting and it is feared that our delegates must go to that meeting uninstructed. Preside:-*; Thomson of the' Brockport Normal School has written that he hopes for a large meeting and that the Lowville delegates will be on hand to take part in whatever; discussions may arise. At present President Breeze does not see a good reason for calling the teachers of Commissioner District No. 2 together. It may be, however, that some new development may neccessitate a meeting on short notice.The Flay Ground.The play ground is a very important feature of the school ground and more so of the village where there are young children. It is there that the boys and girls develop naturally to j and have a feeling that they have a right to be where they are. In rural communities the land values are so low that there is no real good excuse for the neglect of providing the young people where they may feel that they have a right to be. No im-FALL CAUSES DEATHArthur Roberts Drops Through Chute Distance of 35 Feet Striking on Head Fracturing Skull.«The death of Arthur Roberts, a prominent and prosperous farmer of the town of Harrisburg, occurred at his home in that place on Friday night as the result of a fall sustained in his barn, on the evening of the previous day.The accident happened while Mr. Roberts was throwing hay down a chute to the floor below. He had gone to the barn with two of his sons, David and Harold, The boys remained below, while their father went to the loft to throw down the hay. He did not take a light with him, and it is supposed in the darkness he made a misstep, causing him to fall headlong through the chute, a distance of 35 feet, his head striking the cement floor with great force, fracturing his skull. The two boys ran to assist their father, who was in an unconscious condition. Thinking he had been killed, they hurried to the house to tell Mrs, Roberts. Xr. Cramer of Copenhagen was immediately summoned, who made the injured man as comfortable as possible. Mr. Robert's condition was such that it was not thought advisable to convey him to a Watertown hospital. An operation was performed on the injured man on Friday afternoon by Drs. H. G. Farmer of Watertown, Dr. Cyril P. Kir ley of Lowville, and Dr, Cramer of Copenhagen.The deceased man was in the prime of life, being but forty-four years of age. He was a man of many excel-►lent qualities, a good citizen and friend. He was held in high esteem in the community where he resided, and by many with w|om he had become acquainted elsewhere, and thenews of the fatal accident came as a.shock to all who knew him, awakingexpression of the deepest sympathy for his family.He leaves, besides his widow, three children, a daughter and two sons,provement of such importance for so little money can *be made as that of j one brother, Charles Roberts, of Low-cutil;.'BEAUTIFUL LAKE BONAPARTE W‘STH NEW HERMITAGE HOTEL. Photo by MandevilleSayre, ex-under-Sheriff of London, and himself an emigre and known as “the handsome Englishman,” an estate on the banks of the Delaware just below the New Jersey village of Bordentown, ten miles south of Trenton.Here, on a high promotory, which he named “Point Briese,” suggestive of his broken fortune, but which has been corrupted into “Point Breeze,” the ex-king laid out a splendid park and built a great mansion which towered above the forest-crowned height like a feudal castle. His estate consisted of ten farms.The ex-king was joined here by his daughter, Zenaide, and her husband, Charles, the Prince of Ganine, who was a noted ornithologist, and he, when not cooing with his pretty young wife, studied the habits of the birds and butterflies, and together with Alexander Wilson, the Kingsessing schoolmaster, published a book on American birds.The great mansion was handsomely furnished, the ex-king’s sleeping room being aprcached by a broad six-foot staircase and decorated with blue hangings. In his library was a closet hidden from view by boxes decorated with fancy papers behind which was a hidden panel moved by a spring, the location of which was known only to the king and Louis Maillard. In a hid* den room behind this panel were the closets in which were kept the royal robes that he wore on the throne of Spain and. the silver plate that had belonged to Napoleon the Great.In .a. secret recess in the wall, behind1 the royal couch, was a compartment where were kept the jeweled crown and zone which had formed part of the royal insignia of Spain. An underground stone archway, seventy feet long, ran from the cellars to the high, rocky banks of Crosswick’s creek, and it was through this passage that the ex-king escaped “en dishabile” on the night when the mansion burned. Here he was joined by Louis Maillard that night, who brought safely through the fire the box containing the jewels* but who escaped with hair singed off and face scarred for life on going back for the royal robes and plate, though with the aid of Jacob, the giant Hungarian, he brought them safely through the, flames. The contents of the ex-king’s wine, vaults were rolled dbwn this tunnel and saved that night.The ex-king went for a time to live in the Lake house with Prince Charles and Zenaide, but later „ remodeled the Stable and made it. a comfortable house.Perhaps the most notable occurrence♦(Continued on page 8)establishing a good place well euip-ped for the children’s play time. The laws of the state now make it possible for the community through the Board of Education to purchase and. maintain such play centers. Why can-.not the children of Lowville come to ( their -inheritance in this matter? Where do our children play? Where can they play without the interference of this one or that one who has forgotten that he was ever a boy?The Domestic Science girls are busy with preparations for a candy sale which will be held on Thursday afternoon at the Academy. The sale will take place in the kitchen of the D. S. department up on the third floor. The sale will begin at the end of the school day. Miss Zella Barring and Miss Louise Woolschlager are to be in charge of thes ale, and they promise us many kinds of sweets—fudges, peanut brittle; the the rest -they are keeping as surprises to you. Everyone will be welcome; good weight and good candy is assured to those who attend. The receipts of the sale will be used to purchase articles needed in the Domestic Science department.You should recall that at our last sale the goods went so uickly that many would-be-purehasers were obliged to leave without the candy which they came to buy, as the can-should plan to come early if you are dy and nuts were sold so quickly. You to get some of thee onfections made by the young women of the Academy.Last Friday evening about sixty pupils of the Academy attended the Promethian meeting. The program was full of interest and all present apreciated it. After the program various games were played, aftey which- pop-corn and apples were served. This was the first meeting of this society that was open to all pupils of the school irrespective of the number of counts that the student has to his credit. Hereafter the meetings' will be open to all pupils alike anu all will have equal standing in matters of concern of the Promethians.Promethian Program.Period of song, all present; sketch of the life of Ruryard Kipling, Clarence Back; poem, “If,” Kipling, Grace Keib; piano solo, Mary Kellogg;'reading, “The Strange ride of Morrable Jakes,” Kipling, Edith Hough; reading 'of the newspaper, E;itor Donnelley.* ,Readihfi In Academy . Morning.Exercises.«Two interesting * readings have-•been,given in the Academy recently,’(Continued on page- 8) •** ’ville; two sisters, Mrs. Truman Ghickering of Copenhagen, and Mrs. Alice Elmer of Lowville.Funeral services were held from 1:30 o’clock, Rev. J. Morris Evans, the house on .Monday afternoon at pastor of the Baptist church of Lowville, officiating.Interment was made in the cemetery at Copenhagen.Knights of Columbus Dance.The seventh annual dance of C. J. McMorrow Council, No. 781, Knights of Columbus, will be held at Virkler’s hall on Thanksgiving eve. Wednesday, November 24th. The various committees appointed to conduct the function comprise the following:Management—Dennis L. Phalon, Edward B. DeLester, J. Harold Cooke, Chester H. Waterhouse, Nicholas R. Hewitt. Invitation—John S. Phelps, Frank Effiey, Thomas Lyng, Edward E. DeLester, J. Harold Cooke. Decorations—James Galvin. C. H. Waterhouse, Daniel B. Galvin. Jay P. Bnsh-nell, Henry C. Back, F. M. Kieb. Hall —D. L. Phalon, H. Northam Haherer, Patrick O’Connor. Music—Andrew Ksotary, Peter McGovern, N. R. Hewitt Refreshments—Frank Bence, Charles Haffen, Frank Bloseur.The Knights of Columbus dances in this .village are usually large affairs, notable for the number of people present and the sumptuous suppers served. This year’s dance will doubtless surpass any previously given, from the present outlook.Return to Home In Utica.Dr. Joseph E. Clark, state sanitary supervisor of the district which includes Lewis county, who has been spending the summer months in Lowville, returned to his residence in Utica yesterday with his wife and daughter. Dr. Clark, who came here early in the spring to deliver a lecture at the court house, was so favorably impressed with the natural advantages and beauty of our village that be decided to spend his summers here, beginning with this season. During his residence here, the doctor and family have made many friends who will be pleased to welcome them back when the winter months have again passed.Will Meet at Mrs. Miller’s.The regular monthly meeting of the D, A. R. will be held at the home of Mrs. Leon S* Miller on State street, next Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 17. The reports .of the delegates of the chapter to the conference pf the society, held in New .York, last week, willbe , received, at‘this * •
Newspaper Details
Lowville Black River Democrat
Lowville, New York, US
Thu, Nov 11, 1915
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 05 Oct 2022
Other Publications Near Lowville, New York
Lowville Times and Lewis County Independent
Lowville Lewis County Democrat
Lowville Journal and Republican
Lowville Black River Democrat
Lowville Black River Gazette
