The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-19

Beneath thas stone are the mortal remains OF
woman before whom James Buchanan, Presi.
dent of the United States, bowed with bis
heart and his hand, to be rejected because Lett
tia Duncans father said an emphatic s'No!" co
the poor young mans suit Letters were found
to-day which show these statements to be true.
They make up chapter of very interesting,
ter and others which follow is record three
broken hearts and the lifelong celibacy of a
President Of the United States.
Letitia Duncan was born and passed her girl
hood days in little tavern in Erie, Pa AT
nineteen she had black hair, queenly form,
and was an acknowledged belle. Buchanan was
ern where she lived, and he fell in love with Le-
titia. She smiled upon him, until Dan Turner
appeared on the ecere in the uniform OF q Sec
ond lieutenant of the United States navy. Then
Lefty smiled on Turner. and her father forbade
Buchanan the hospitality of his home. Blu
chanan would not give uD his suit 80 easily.
Turner was ordered to his vessel. and Blu
chanan proposed to Miss Duncan. The exeeu-
tor of Letitia Duncans will gave reporter the
letter below, which was written in July, 1873.
It is well preserved. for Letitia Duncan kept it
precious relic after her rejected sultor came
into prominence. 1t reads:
with any one my dearest girl unless then are with
you. Your fathers cruelty measured by the depth
of my pocket. shall never marry. Lefty dearest, so
fare the well until death. JAMES BUCHANAN.
Some time previous to the above letter Buch-
anan launched into poetry, and one day his
only Queen Lettia was the recipient OF the
following, written In a cramped hand and dedi-
Gated to her:
TO LETITIA DUNCAN
Her lovely hair in ringlets wave
And hanging over her shoulder,
She fit to entice the heart
OF any man who'd behold her.
Her teeth were white as the ivory showed,
And her breath was spice wherever it flowed.
Her father was cruel;
sight of me he could not endure.
The reasona The reason whya Because was poor,
das not enter the dwelling
Where dwells lovely jewel.
JAMES BUCHANAN.
This poetry Lefty seemed to prize highly. and
carried it continually until a few weeks before
her death, when it WAS laid away in box.
Though rejected, Buchanan still continued to
write passionate letters to his lost love. But
they could only be good friends" Lefty said.
and Buchanan finally lost all hope He decided
to leave. and then penned his last letter to
Letitia. as follows:
My Dear Lettia-I can no longer endure a sight of
the place that held my happy hours as the bud
ding flower reminds of you, whom shall see
again. The place is best to contain flower like you,
dear Lefty, but weeds like must seek some other
hebitation, So, dear girl send you this timepiece
as remembrance that poor Jeems loved you, and
never shall love another. Goodby. my love. May
broken JAMES BUCHANAN.
To Letitia.
Accompanying the note was a watch that is
now in the reporters possession. 1t is SO old
that it is going to pieces, and is quite delicate
Lefty always carried this in remembrance of
James. Six letters from Dan Turner to Letitia
are in the reporters possession. One was writ
ten two years after Letitia had rejected Buch-
anan, while he was prisoner of the British.
The story is told by relatives of the lady at Lake
City that Buchanan helped Turner TO escape,
and that once when he met Miss Duncan, he
said in reference to it: 81 did it, dear Lettia,
to make you. happy" There is nothing
however. to show that this is true. The
letters from Turner indicate that he was
after q time cut off by Letitia's father. The
story is told that he then grew morose, and one
day committed suicide on board the United
States sloop, the Lawrence. A curious thing,
which is matter of ery-day talk in Lake
City. il that at the age of eiehtynine Letitia
Duncan was made the quasi wife of j. @.
Bovse, of that place. He was forty two years
old, and wanted to borrow a sum of money from
Miss Duncan. She had some money, which she
wanted Bovee to invest for her, and was strange
ly advised thatit could be protected, and, at the
same time, handled moro freely, if she were mar
ried to him. The license was taken out and the
ceremony performed, with the written under
standing that il should be formal marriage
only. She called herself by her maiden name.
which was placed on her gravestone. She was
much Mr.. Bovee's wife as was Nina Van Zandt
the wife of August Spies.