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Did You Know Napoleon's Little Soldier Is A Resident Of New Jersey?
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 2, 2011
Modified May 2, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published May 2, 2011
Modified May 2, 2011
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Add this to the growing list of things that New Jersey has that New York doesn't want: Napoleon Bonaparte’s penis. According to Untapped NY, after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the British island of St. Helena, poisoned, and eventually given an autopsy—at which time the doctor removed his penis and gave it to a priest. The priest smuggled it to Corsica, and his family passed it along until 1916, at which time a collector got a hold of it.
In 1927, the penis was on display in New York City, where it was mocked for its small size. Eventually, in 1977, it fell into the loving hands of leading urologist and Columbia University professor Dr. John Lattimer, a resident of New Jersey.
Lattimer wanted to guard it from any further mockery, and to this day it's kept in a box, in a closet, in the Garden State, hidden from the public. Though after Lattimer died some television cameras were allowed to visit—watch below (spoiler: the host says the penis is only about 1.5" to 2" long!).
Though the cameras weren't allowed to capture the reveal... we found this photo if you want a look for yourself. He certainly was no Rasputin!
Tagged
Napoleon
new jersey
nj
penis
privates
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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