The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-02-08
nETsEY's RISE AND PROGRESS.

| l.
York city, bidding, a final farewell to her
hopeful son, whom she left in the tender
charge of Mrs. Ballou, woman afflicted with
no absurd iealousies. In 1901 Betsey appears
| to have become domesticated in New York,
and then and there began that extraordinary
career which has only Just now come to an
end, and which led her to the highest pima
Gle of worldly prosperity. At this time she
was about twenty-five years OF age, OF great
beauty and-what is marvellous in view OF
her education-possessed of a mental ability
and tact which charmed and enthralled all
beholders. She soon became'very celebrated,
and assumed the "belleship" which she only
abdicated at death. Among her undoubted or
suspected admirers, at different periods IN her
| life, were General Washington, Louis xviii,
joseph Bonaparte, Mr.. Jumel and Aaron Burr.
In 1904 she became acquainted with Jumel,
and persuaded him to marry her.. This was
the commencement of her financial and social
good fortune Jumel as is well known, was
French gentleman of ability and wealth, who,
after various vicissitudes in his native country
and elsewhere, embarked early in the century
| for New York, with about a dozen ships ar
rived safely, became one Of the earliest OF our
ssinercbant princes" and retired from business
in 1872 with large fortune. at the time
when he married Betsey Bowen she was living
with one Maria Bovine, who had child Mary,
afterward the wife of Nelson Chase, the deten-
dant. On this circumstance the whole trial
turns. Mr. Chase claims that Maria Bovine
was really Polly Bowen, Betseys elder sister !;
that therefore, Mary, Maria's daughter, is the
next of kin of the late Madame Jumel and
that the plaintiff, Betsey's alleged son, is an
imposter. Mr.. Bowen claims, on the other
hand. that Maria was no relative whatever OF
Betsey, and that Polly had died some years
previously without issue. ue
MADAME JUMEL's LATER LIFE.
M. and Nine. Jumel went to Paris after Ma
poleon's downfall and resided there in great
splendor for many years, she being one OF the
abright particular stars" in the French court
society. In 1922 she returned to New York,
bringing with her gorgeous lot of furniture
and art treasures, with which she fitted up
magnificent seat in the upper part of Manhat-
tan Island, which she possessed in her own
right. Six years later NJ. Jumel also returned
to the city, and in 1882 was killed by being
thrown from wagon. 1t was some months
after this sad event that the widow, desiring to
take legal advice upon some real estate matters,
consulted Colonel Aaron Burr, with whom she
had formerly been we'll acquainted. He seems
to have instantly resolved to marry her, and so
skilfully did he exert his celebrated and Won
derful powers of fascination that, although the
madame made gallant defence and twice or
thrice refused his hand, she was soon obliged
to capitulate, and became Mrs. Burr in short
order. At this time, wonderful as it may seem,
Burr was seventy-eight years of age, and yet
agile, active handsome and captivating in his
manners. He disowned the advance of age,
and his proud spirit could hardly bear to yield
to the death which soon afterward called him
from the world. Having once obtained con-
troll of the widow JumePs affairs, he conducted
them in that dominant, independent way which
was peculiarly his own. Quarrels and Jeal-
ousies soon arose, which led to alternate es-
arrangements and reconciliations, and finally
dissolution of the union was accomplished
After the death of Burr, which occurred in
1886, Madame Jumel retired to her mansion,
and never afterward contracted matrimonial
alliance Mr.. Chase and his wife then estab-
lished themselves with her as her protectors
and companions, and, according to the counsel
for the defence, she tolerated them without adj
mitting their alleged relationship, and in reall-
ty hated and vainly endeavored to get rid of
them. And thus, vibrating between her New
York mansion and Saratoga cottage, counting
her millions and brooding over her former tri-
umphs, endeavoring to arrange her affairs to
her mind, being helpless, friendless, troubled
and weary, the old woman who had been the
pretty Betsey Bowen and the magnificent Mad
anne Jumel breathed her last, ut the extreme
advanced age of ninety.
THE CONTROVERSY.
The present contest is for the possession OF
two tracts of land one of ninety-four and the
other of thirty-two acres, with the Harlem
Heights residence; also certain property on
Broadway and Liberty street. The value OF
the estate must be enormous. The plaintiff
has already produced several aged witnesses
including two or three colored women who
were employed by Madame Jumel, and who,
of course, preserve lively and pleasant re-
membrance of the Father of his Country
They have all testified to having had frequent
conversations with Madame Jumel as to her
domestic affairs, and to having heard her re-
peatedly assert that she had never had but one
child, who was still alive and in good health
and condition Mr.. O'Conor has treated these
UNIQUE witnesses to rigid cross-examina-
ton but SO far has been unable to shake their
testimony. 1t was most interesting spectacle
which the court room exhibited yesterday and
the day before. The long rows of lady wit
nesses, friends of the plaintiff, occupied the
seats usually reserved for prisoners. Two COL
ored centenarians, sitting i'll line, formed pc
culiar picture, and when one of them, Elizabeth
Freeman, was called to testify, and was con-
frontcd by the venerable counsel for the de-
fence, the effect was dramatic in the extreme.
The lady is almost six feet in height, and must
weigh over one hundred and fifty pounds,
which is doing pretty well for one in her time
of life She wore tremendous pair of silver
spectacles aud portentous black bonnet, and
looked like one of Macbeths witches. The
trial is expected to last two weeks at least.
SOME REFLECTIVE CONSIDERATIONS.
Those who did not already know the story OF
1ol,, thn
some idea of its strangeness. The life of Bet
sew Bowen has indeed been seldom if ever par
alleled, and must remain perpetual wonder
through succeeding ages. Born amid the very
daughter Of rough sailor and an illiterate and
bra4ling woman, nursed in infamy and educa-
ted in tcrpitude. accustomed to no comfort,