Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-02-16
THE FATE OF 1HEO. BURR ALL
STON.

The fate of Theodosia, the beautiful
daughter of Aaron Burr, has been one of
the appalling mysteries of sudden disap-
pearances at sea. She was highly cul-
tured, the idol of her father, and adorned
by her grace of manner and witty con-
versation every circle in which she moved.
Her face, from the best artist-evidence,
was in high degree classic, reminding
the beholder of some of the Hellenic
models painted by the old masters, and
occasionally reproduced in flesh in
Corinth, Athens, and other parts Of
Greece to-day. There is about the
counterfeit presentment' calm dignity
Ada serene Ueauty which Byron calls the
rapture of repcse. Theodosia Burr was
narried to Gov Allston, of South Caro-
lima, name distinguished in the early
annals of that State. She sailed from
Charleston for New York On the ship
Patriot, Dec. 20, 1912, on visit to her
father. The vessel was supposed to have
ecu either lnSuIted or captured by pl-
rates, for no soul survived to determine
the awful doubt as to its fate or that of
its passengers From time to time
various conjectures, or even assumed
uil>.oie accounts, has found their way
INTO print concerning the fate OF Theo-
:osia Burr. One account particularly
arrested public attention, and that was
the purported confession of pirate,
Dominlck You, which Charles Gayarre
incorporated in his brilliant romantico-
philosophic "Ferdinand de Lemos." 1t
is so graphically drawn that very many
persons thought at last a the fat. of
Aaron Burr's only daughter was known.
Perhaps Gayarre, we'll posted in the
history of Kafitte and his piratical gang,
who lendesvoused among the live oaks
of Barritaria island, and at times at
Galveston island, and the adjacent main
land, really found such tradition as
Mrs. Allston among the sailors of the
gulf Yet, if later confession be true,
there is an end to the tragic story OF
Lafttes Lieutenant. An old sailor
named Benjamin F. Burdick died short
time ago pauper in Michigan poor.
house. On his death-bed he made the
startling confession that he was one o
the principal crew that captured vesst
named the Patriot and participated in
the murder of Theodosia Allston at sea
indeed he declared that it fell to his lol
to pull the plank from under her. She
came forth arrayed in white, holding d
Bible in one hand, and with heroic mein
took her place upon the slender instru
ment of death, and, without shudder Oh
quiver of a muscle, was precipitated into
the waves. The noble, unblanched face
erect and airy form, he said had haunted
him all his subsequent life. The date OF
the vessel, loss, January, 1913, was cor
rectly given by Burdick, and the name
"Odessa' Burr Aston his only error snd
yet not an error, for the name of both
father and husband are sufficient identi
fication. The corruption of Theodos;
into Odessa" would be natural to ar
ignorant sailor, and if anything teno
to prove that he had not been reading W
to make himself sort of death-bed hero
At any rate, the confession is plausible
not because it was extremis, for huge lie,
are often told with the dying breath o.
criminals, but for the reasons hithert,
| named.