The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-05
The Last of His Race.
A MARQUIS AND COUNT IN THE DISGUISE
OF NEW YORK BOHEMIAN.

| CIR THOMAS PICTON-The last representa-
| - tive of him killed at Waterloo, is in financial
distress. Any person wishing to address him
can do so care of Mr.. FITZGERALD, Publisher
| Ann street.
The above advertisement appeared il
one of the morning newspapers. A re-
porter for the New Y ork Mdal and Express
who started out to investigate the matter
discovered it to be key to romance
He first called at the publishing house OF
| Dick & Fitzgerald. A member of the firm
who was shown the slip eyinced some sur
prise. ''Do know Picton ?N he said re-
peating the reporters question. ''Of course
| do He is one of New Y ork's oldest
| Bohemians, and a man with an interesting
history, but | did not suppose his pride
would permit him to insert such thing
as this. He came in here last night and
asked whether we would receive some let
tiers for him. We consented, as he has
been known to us for years, I" Picton was
| finally found in the cafe Of a French hotel
in Clifton Place. He is a gray haired man,
about 60 years of age, shabby, but genteel
in his attire, and Chesterfield in his bear
ing. His disposition is of the happy go
lucky sort, and his florid countenance in
Dictates his convivial habits. 1t was Or
namented with heavy drooping, iron-gray,
moustache and goatee. ''And you want a
sketch of my life 20 he musingly said when
the reporter had made known his mission.
Its terribly long story and would oc-
cupy considerable space in your paper, but
l would rather not have you publish it. "
He finally yielded, however, and gave his
history substantially as follows, after first
prefacing it with the remark II am
financially stranded and in want, else l
should not give it to you.'' II am grand
nephew Of Sir Thomas Picton, who lost
his life while second in command at
Waterloo-and this is who, l am when l
am on my dignity" thrusting upon the
table at which the two sat q card, which
was inscribed as follows ''Col the Hon.
Theo. Picton, Marquis of st. Regnier,
Count of Badajoz.''
Where did get these titles INHERITED
them. Let me tell you the story. My
grandmother was Miss Charlotte PictOn,
the favorite sister of Sir Thomas. His
brother was Sir John Picton, the captor of
Stirring Batam. 1t is q remarkable fact
that the male Pictons have no offspring.
Consequently the children of the sisters
perpetuate the name. Miss Picton-that
is Charlotte, my dmother-married Il
captain in the British navy, contrary to
the advice of her family. He was highly
accomplished gentleman, and, being Il
strong republican, emigrated to this city in
1870. He edited Lang's Gazette here, and
the government made him an award for
writing a poem on the death OF Wash
ington. He afterwards founded the great
Tontine coffee-house in Wall street. His
name was Beete. He had two children.
The eldest, a boy, left this city for England
at the age of s, and became major in the
British army after forswearing allegiance
to America Captain Beete S second child
was girl-my mother. About 1922 she
married a Virginia gentleman named Jas.
Mordaunt Mimer-get the name correct,
please, because we are very proud of It, l
was the only result of that union. My
grandmother, after Captain Beetle death,
married James Gardner, a well known New
York gentleman. At her request | as
sumed the name Thomas Picton and the
title of my gratitude in lS4S. | was born
at No. Is Mott street in this city was ed
ucated at the University of New York and
honor of being able to write A. M. and
Phi. d. aftersmy name. | became asoldier
of the foreign legion of Algiers in 1913,
and fought at Paris in the revolutionary
war of that period. In the war between
the North and the South l served as
Major under Gen. Ward in the Thirty
eighth New York. Forty years ago | was
editor with VIM. T. Porter, Of the Spirit
of the Times. / was educated by William
Henry Herbert Frank Forrester), and
was friend and partner at the time OF his
tragic death. He committed Suicldel in the
Stevens house, in 1858 think, in the pres
ence of Philip Anthem. He had arranged
to have his six partners witness the deed,
and to this end invited them to dine with
him, and after the repast shot himself. l
was invited, but suspecting his design,
stayed away He, l and seven others at
that time edited paper called the Sdchenl
The Know-nothing organ? Yes. 1t is a
strange fact that five out of that seven
have since committed suicide. Herbert
shot himself in the way / told you. The
other four who made away with themselves
were VIM. North, the author Of 1.-THE
Slave of the Land - Major Richardson,
the author of s'Wacnosta y G. ID. Foster,
well known as Gaslight Foster at one time
the smartest man on the. Tribune, and Cap
tain Brady, the great friend of Achille
Murat. The only survivors are myself and
DR.. Bachelor, who is too lazy to commit
suicide. said too lazy. Why, wouldyou
believe the man is so lazy that he does not
read the newspapers, but waits until he
meets some one who has, and gets him to
tell him all the news. He is grandson OF
Israel Putnam. Was 1 ever married? L
contracted an unfortunate marriage and
am a brother-in law of Ex-President Tyler,
but wouldn't put that in if [ were you.
My mother is now alive and quite wealthy.
have not spoken to her for thirty years,
because she marrieda penniless adventurer.
NV grandmother died in u coach while be-
ing forcibly removed from my house. |
once owned considerable property, but on
going abroad gave my mother n power OF
attorney to collect my rents. | returned
| to discover that she had disposed of the
property which had been conveyed to me
at my birth. was city paymaster in 1851
and 1885, By the way the Earl Carmathen
who is now one.of Gladstone's right. hand
men, is a son of Herberts. He was born
in this city. Why did Herbert commit
suicide? Because he was in misery an6
on the verge of despair, just as am now
IT WAS SOT ENOUGH.-lt was Il very
hot morning when the judge took his seal
on the bench, and, as he famed himself
he said to the clerk LET us have drunkS
first, please" ''There' S only one, a com
mon drunkard,n said the clerk, pointing
to the individual who bore that title, anC
who stood at the edge of the dock gazing
| n. l.. n,,1