The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-30
A TALE OF TWO CONTINENTS.
The Career of a Famous American
Vixen---An Illegal "Loyal" from
Columbia, s. G.

Columbia, s. C.
The San Francisco Chronicle gives
some "reminiscences of the career of the
notorious adventures who recently mar
ried, in London, the Count de Pourtales,
third secretary of the French legation in
Washington. AS this woman is said to
have come from Columbia, s. c., the fol-
lowing particulars of her career may in
terest our readers:
Shortly after the close of the war there
came to New York from South Carolina
lady under middle age with two beauti-
full daughters, the elder of whom was
about eighteen years old, and the other
several years younger. They registered
at the Astor House as Mrs. Feaster and
daughters, and the newspapers announced
them as Southern refugees, who had
been driven from their homes because of
their loyalty to the Union. The eldest
daughter was a blonde named Marie.
She was of medium height, with gray
blue eyes, and the golden hair that poets
love to praise. Her form was perfect in
its proportions, and her face glowed with
health. The guests at the Astor House,
among whom was the Hon. Thurlow
Weed, soon became acquainted with
THE STORY OF THE REFUGEES.
At the beginning of the war Mrs.
Fsaster and her fair daughters lived in
Columbia, S. c., in prosperous circum-
stances. Mrs. Feaster championed the
Union cause, and showed her loyalty by
acts of kindness to the Federal officers
and soldiers taken prisoners to Columbia.
She carried them food and clothing, and
secretly helped them to escape whenever
an opportunity offered. She also tender
ly cared for the sick. Her daughter,
Marie, aided her in her work, and won
the hearts of many of the captive SOL
diers. The destruction of Columbia left
Mrs. Feaster and her daughters homeless
and almost penniless. Their misfortunes
excited no pity among their Southern
neighbors, and driven from their home,
they sought protection within the lines of
Sherman's army. They were kindly
treated by Gen. Sherman and his officers,
and on the downfall of the Confederacy
they were sent North.
TESTIMONIALS FROM LEADING GEN
ERALS.
Mrs. Feaster took with her letters from
Gen. Sherman, Gen. o. o. Howard, Gen.
Judson Fitzpatrick and other Union COM
manders appealing for sympathy for her
because of the misfortunes that the war
had brought on her. Gen. Sherman was
enthusiastic in his praises of her. He
spoke of her as the only genuinely loyal
lady that he had met in South Carolina.
He said that she deserved the thanks and
aid Of every loyal person on account of
her devotion to her country and her kind
treatment of Union prisoners, which had
drawn upon her abuse and persecution
from her own people. In addition to the
letters, Mrs. Feaster had testimonials
from Union officers and soldiers whom
she had assisted while in prison. The
story of the refugees excited sympathy,
and through the efforts of the Hon.
Thurlow Weed and others their case was
called to the notice of the Union League,
and $40 1000 was subscribed for their bene-
fit by. some of the wealthy members.
The Hon. Thomas Murphy, a friend of
Gen. Sherman, consented to give $4,000;
instead of paying his shares of the SUBJ
scription to Mrs. Feaster, he paid it to
MIR. Stetson, proprietor of the Astor, to
liquidate her and her daughters board
bills. This was in consequence of some
thing that was told him about the charac-
ters borne by Mrs. Feaster and her
daughter Marie, among the residents of
Columbia.
A MARRIAGE.
When questioned recently about Mrs.
Feaster, Mr.. Weed said that he remem-
bered the relief fund that was given her.
He added that he spoke to Gen. Sherman
after the occurrence, and that the latter
verified Mrs. Feaster's story. With the
money that Mrs. Feaster received from
the Union League Club she and her
daughters disappeared from their Astor
House friends and entered upon a life of
gayety at the Clarendon Hotel, the resort
Of fashionable and wealthy families.
Miss Feaster, the elder, dressed in
style becoming the circle in which she
had entered. Her beauty attracted the
attention of Mr.. John s. Beecher, rich
importer and member of the Union Club,
who was guest at the hotel. He invi-
ted her to the theatre and to balls, and
after brief courtship there was propo-
sal of marriage, which the fair Southern
belle accepted. A grand wedding fol.
lowed in January, 1866, in the Episcopal
church in Audubon Park on Washington
Heights, the place of worship of old and
exclusive New York families. Mr..
Beecher gave his bride dowry of $780,
900, and also brown stone mansion near
Fifth avenue, where they went to live.
Brilliant and costly receptions and dinner
parties followed the marriage. The
bride discarded her part as Southern
refugee to re-appear as one of the leaders
of New York society. Her husbands
wealth and social position were a pass
port to the best circles, and her personal
charms gave her a pre-eminence wher-
ever she went.
MRS. BEECHER DIsowNs HER ANCESTRY.
Mr.. Murphy, the giver of $4,000 to the
Feaster fund, met her in Fifth avenue
stage shortly after her marriage, and in
% uuiled if she wasn't the former Miss
Feaster. She said, mo, sir" and seemed
IN hlgn dlsQaln at Cne questlon. lne
next time that Mr.. Murphy saw her she
was standing on the private stand at
Jerome Park watching the races, in COM
pany with Mrs. Charles O'Conor, the
great lawyers wife, who was noted for
her fondness for the society of the gay
young ladies of the haut ton. Mr..
Beecher lavished money on his wife.
She had her box at the opera, her pony
ph@ton to drive in the park, and her
carriage for shopping. He also bought
her place among the patrons of the
charity ball. He took her to the ladies'
reception at the Union club, and there in
an evil moment he introduced her to
Lloyd Phoenix, bachelor, and fellow
member of the club, of an old New York
family, the grandson of Stephen Whit
ney. A man without occupation, a
choice companion among the CAV royster-