The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-01-22

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The pnbIicationgef q dying saiIora
story Of the fate of Mrs. Theodosis Burr
AistoE, Aaron Burrs only Daughter,
yearly three-quarter's of a century ago,
has aroused renewed interest In the rpys.
terious tragedy. ~ r
The statement Of the old sailor. Benia-
min 4. Bendick, on his death bed in the
poor-house at Cassopolis, Mich, one day
last week, was that q pirate crew, of
vl5icfs hof %eB ono, captured the schooner
gPatsipt, sun which Mira. Aston sailed
from Charleston for New York. and
forced all on board TO walk the p!ank.
Il was bis lot, he said, to pull the plank
when Mrs. Alston's turn came, and the
recollection of herr vhite.robed figure
and upturned pailid face he'd haunted
him ever since. In. conversation with a
New York Star reporter last Tuesday,
Mr. Joseph p. Diii, 6: Philadelphia.
gave a elightly different version OF the
story, which is founded on the confession
of another of the murderers Of the spa
| tfioFs'' crew and passengers. Mr. Bull
is q son, by the rsecoUG husband Of tho
| of thes Patriot" Mrs. Oyerstocks was o
mem Der of the Mater family of New J err.
gey, which was very prominent in former
tines. Mr.. Bull says that his mother
was accustomed to narrate to him the
circumstances of her first husband'c
| death substantially as follows:
The s'Patrio" sailed from Charleston.
8. O., for New York On December 80,
1872. Before she sailed three men cgiied
upon Capt. Overstocks, saying that they
wished TO come to New York, but wers
too poor to pay their passage. They
begged TO be allowed TO work their way
on board The Patriot" Capt. Over.
stocks not only took the men on board
and set them to work, but put them
under pay. One was made cook, and
the other two were put before the mast.
All went we'll until the third or fourth
night out when the "patriot" was off the
New Jersey coast Mrs. Aston was
anxious 10 reach New York. and asked
the captain when he thought the vessel
would arrive. The captain told the lady
that If the, weather continued favorable
they would arrive at the Sandy Hook
light before morning. The night was
clear and the stars shone brightly. The
captain and most Of the crew went below.
The men who had been befriended by
Capt. Overstocks were on deck. Tho
mate wes in command Of the watch.
Soon the men on deck were ioined by
the cook sud one or two Of the ships
original. crew. About midnight plot
that had been matured among the trio
frosIi Charleston and part of the regular
crew was put into effect. The mate was
knocked sehseless upon the deck and
thrown overheard. The hatches were
battened down and all below were i'm
prisoned. The pirates then secured all
the Gilver sand valuables on board and
scnttled the vessel She went down with
colors flying. The pirates, with their
booty, pulled ashore in the long boat and
seCreted the yaiuables in the woods.
The next day there came ON heavy
snow storm, and the pirates having neg
lected to mark the place where they had
hidden their spoils, were never able to
find them.
The loss. of the "Patriot" was for o.
long time. O complete mystery. Aaron
Burr fitted out an expedition in search
OF the vessel ON which his daughter had
sailed, and the coast between New York
and Charleston was ACQUIRED, but no trace
OF the missing vessel could be found,
The first indication of her fato was the
recognition of two of tile Charleston
pirates In New Orleans. Suspicion was
fastened on them aud they were arrested.
Ono Of them confessed the story told
above, but neither said anything of maxi
ing the passengers and crew OF the vessel
walk the plank. Both were convicted
OF piracy ard hanged.