The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-02-05
AARON BuRR's DAUGHTER.
How She Was Forced to Walk the
Fatal Plank.

| s dLdl ldQks
Boston Globe: A despatch for the
Globe few days since contained a
summary of the following strange
story, which will be read with in
terest. The reader of biographies
will remember that Theodocia, the
only daughter of Aaron Burr, was
never heard of after her voyage to
visit her father in New York, and
that hitherto all speculations as to
her death and disappearance have
been fruitless. James Parton, in
his latest revised life of Burr, men
tions that no tidings were ever re
ceived on the vessel upon which she
sailed. She was the wife of Joseph
Alston, then governor of South Car
olina. After the death of her only
son she languished, and her health
fast failed her. With a view of i'm
proving it, and again seeing her
beloved father, she set sail from
Charleston in the schooner Patriot,
December 80, 1912, on voyage to
New York. The vessel was COM
manded by an experienced captain,
and had for sailing master an old
! pilot noted for his skill and cour
age. The vessel was a staunch
ship and noted for fast sailing, and
it was expected that they woald
reach their destination in about five
days. Timothy Green, a retired
lawyer of New York, friend of
Colonel Burr, went by land to ac
/ company her, and the news of their
departure was communicated to
Burr, who was looking forward with
great anticipation of Joy to the visit
of his daughter, after so many years
Eof separation. The full time for
the arrival of the vessel was passed,
and still it did not come. Every
possible means was resorted to to
obtain information, but no tidings
were ever heard of the vessel or the
passengers. At last, when Burr
came to realize that his daughter
was lost, the blow nearly killed him.
Parton says in his history that he
wrote to her husband, Governor
Alston, that the world was blank
| to him, and he "felt severed from
the whole hnman race"
The generally accepted theory of
the sad occurrence at the time was
that the vessel was wrecked of
Cape Hatteras, and all had gone
down.
While Chicago Inter Ocean rep
resentative was at Cassopolis, Mich,
recently, and in conversation with
the keeper of the county poorhouse,
while speaking of the occupants
who were and had been there, he
related to us the strange deathbed
confession of an old sailor who had
died there, and was buried in the
little cemetery attached to the poor
house. The sailors name was
Benjamin F. Burdick, and he was a
hard, rough old salt. By some ma
val accident he had lost one leg,
and could only hobble about, as he
was very old and infirm. He was
the Arabian Nights entertainment
to the poor unfortunate inmates
with his wonderful adventures and
stories OF a seafaring life. Usually
he was sullen and morose, sitting
apart from the others for hours and
apparently medltating. Feeling
that his end was near, he one day
called the wife of the Methodist
minister, Mrs. Parks, to his bed
side, and, in the hearing of three
other reliable witnesses, gave the
following deathbed confession:
He told her that he knew his end
was near, that he had but short
time to live, and he had terrible
secret which preyed so much upon
his mind thai he felt he must con
fess it before his death. He then
told her that he was the murderer
of Mrs. Theodosia Burr Alston.
When very young he was on board
a pirate ship, and on the Sd of Jan
uary, 1913, they came across the
ship Patriot. Chase was immedi-
ately given, the vessel captured,
and everything OF value taken out
| and transferred TO their vessel
They then compelled the captain,
crew and every passenger on board
to walk the plank into the sea, and
all perished He said there was
one lady on board who was beau
tiful-appearing. intelligent and cul
| tivated, who gave her name as Mrs.
ITheodosia Alston. When her time
came TO walk the fatal plank she
asked for few moments time
which was gruffiy granted her. She
| then returned to her berth and
changed her apparel, appearing on
deck in a few moments clad in pure
white garments, and, with a Bible
in her hand, she announced that she
was ready. She appeared as calm
and composed as if she was at
home, and not a tremor crept over
her frame, or a pallor overspread
her features as she walked toward
her fate.
AS she was taking the fatal steps
she folded her hands over her
bosom and raised her e yes to heav-
en-. She fell and sank without q
murmur or sigh. "It was my un-
happy lot" said the dying man, "to
be delegated by my captain to pull
the plank from beneath her. l
would give my whole life to recall
that one act. Hardened sinner that
Twas then,my heart rebelled against
numbering that poor, innocent wo-
man, but had 1 refused death would
have been my lot. shall never
forget the perfect, confiding faith
which her eyes expressed as she
gazed up into heaven when about to
take the fatal step. Her pale face
has haunted me ever since, and j
can see it now as plainly as 1 did
on that terrible day." -.
/ Before he died, the old crippled
sailor repeated the same confession
to other inmates of the house, say
ing that he could not die until he
had made the confession. The
statement is regarded as reliable
and furnishes the clue to a mystery
which has taffied every attempt al
solving for over sixty-five years
There is, therefor', but little doubt
that the lsmente iady's bones ar,
now at the bottom of the ocean
| where they will rest until the day