The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-07-11


or ,he Once Treasurer or che Confederate
A Port Jervis correspondent furnishes
the following remarkable story to the PM
adelphia Press. A romance In real life has
inst como to light In this town. Awoman,
apparently about for,y-thrce years OF age.
shabbiIy dressed, and feeble, has been seen
on the streets for several days. she slept
every night In the police station. where she
gave the name of ElizabethtBeniamin and
aid she was born In Staffordshire, Eng.
land. Yesterday she disappeared, and
turned up In MiddIetown, thirty-eight
miles from here. Inquiry develops the
fact that she II on her way to New York,
md that she has walked nearly all the way
from san Francisco.
Mr.. BENJAMIN has had most wonder
full and romantic career. She was born
near Merthyr Tydyil, 10 Wales, and was
The daughter OF Sir Edward Harcourt, at
one time one OF the most brilliant young
English orators. Her mother was varie-
Nv actress, who lived In Wales to escape the
prosecutions OF Sir Edwards family, who
opposed his mesdiRdnce. When the babe
was born she was christcned Pauline Eliza
beth Harcourt. She was given all the adj
yantages OF superior education, and ear
Nv In life evinced great poetical genius,
some OF her poems, composed when she
was fourteen, having appeared In the lead
ing magazines OF Great Britain. Her moth
err was q direct descendant OF Sir Philip
Francis, who Is believed N have been the
author OF the celebrated political essays
which startled all England from 1860 to
I777, and which were signed Junius.
SHE MEETS HER AFFINITY.
When she was but seventeen years OF
age Miss Pauline met at Swansea, where
she was visiting some young friends and
writing poetry descriptive OF the coast OF
Wales, Mr.. Walter Z. Benjamin, nephew
OF Judah p. Benjamin, at one time trea-
surer Of the Confederate States OF America.
The young man, who was South Caro-
llnian by birth, was handsome and clever,
but, unfortunately, poor. Pauline felt
that she loved him so deeply she could
marry no one but him. Her father
died while she was at Swansea, and
she was summoned by telegraph to Mer-
thyr Tydvil. Young Benjamin. who was
but TWENTY-FIVE, followed her there, and
contriyed to see her occasionally. Finally
the young lady's mother learned OF these
stolen interviews, and terrible scene en-
sued. Pauline begged to be allowed to
marry her American sweetheart. but her
mother remained firm, and finally sent her
to st. Andrews, In Scotland, to school.
BY means OF prearranged signals, the
young lady, previous 10 leaving home,
managed to inform her lover whittier she
was going. Young Benjamin found it
convenient to visit st. Andrews fire.
ouently, and, in 1860, they were married
on Pauline's twentieth birthday. When
Lady Harcourt heard the news OF her
daughters secret marriage. and learned
that she had fled from the school at st. An.
drew's, she was stricken with paralysis, and
died shortly afterward. Young Benjamin |
came to the United States at once upon hear
ing Of the rebellion, and enlisted in the
Confederate navy, where he remained until
the close OF the war. He then speculated |
in cotton, made considerable money, and
started BY water for California, accompa- |
MED by his wife, in 1870. They had one
child, who died on the voyage to the 18TH
mus. They were delayed i'm leaving AspIn- |
wall, and Pauline and her husband were
both stricken with terrible fever, which
resulted i'm the death OF Mr.. Benjamin and
left Mrs. Benjamin very weak.
LEFT A WIDOW AT SEA.
Her husband was buried at sea. Mrs.
Benjamin's weak nerves gave way, and for
days she raved, and when the ship reached
San Francisco she was placed in the hands
OF the authorities there. Her reason was
partly destroyed, and for six years she
remained in California. She then made
her escape and walked the entire dis
lance to Virginia City, Nevada, where
she remained several months. She was
lost sight of there in 1877, and was next
heard OF mt Cornne. Utah, small place
on the Union Pacific railroad. In the fall
Of 1878 she commenced tramping through
wyoming. When near the site OF the Gus
ter massacre, along Wind river, she was
captured by band Of Indians, Of what
tribe she does not remember, although her
description OF their life and habits Is very
accurate and proves that her story is true
one. The Indians, finding that she was re-
turning to the home OF her pale-face
friends, gave her some dried meat, and
started her on her way rejoicing.
From Fort Reno, Wyoming Territory,
TO Fort Pierre, In Dakota, she was in COM
pany with some soldiers coming East, and in
1870 she came from Fort Pierre to Yank-
ton, and thence by rail to Omaha. From
there she followed the track OF the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy railroad in bee
line across the State OF Iowa to Burlington,
from where she made her way to Peoria, Ill.
She remained there few months in the
care of the poor authorities, and then,
having become rested, she again began her
tramp eastward, bringing up at the great
railway centre, Fort Wayne, Ind.
THE JOURNEY TO THE EAST.
From here she was fortunate enough to
get ride to Toledo, where the city au-
thorities treated her so badly that she
tramped on TO Cleveland, where she found
comfortable quarters and remained until
last New-Year's day. She began the new
wear with the resolution to push on to
New York without stopping. Follow
ing the turnpike road, she found her.
self at length in Olean, New York, from
where she rode in an empty freight car
10 Hornellsville. When she tried to
steal another ride from Hornellsvile
TO Painted Post she was unfortunate
the car IN which she had secreted her.
self was locked and run upon side track
and she remained in 1t. without food or
water, three days, until her pounding upon
the side OF the car attracted the attention
Of one Of the yard-men, and she was re-
leased almost dead. When she reached
Elmira she got aride on the bumper OF the
express car, but one of the sparks from the
engine fell upon her dress, and the rapid
motion OF the train famed the spark into
q blaze, and she had another narrow escape
from death. Her injuries necessitated her
remaining some weeks at Binghamton,
from where she walked to Port Jeryis.
arriving here via the Delaware and Hud.
son canal towpath.
She has but sixty miles to tramp from
Middletown, and she hoped to reach New
York In time to catcha steamer for England
on Saturday, july It'll. She has the Kew Of
safe-deposit vault In New York CITY.
where she says her husband had n emo