The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-16
BURR's DAUGHTERS FATE.
The Old and aighly Improbable Story
that she Walked the Plank
Keyamped.
Bette F. Poole, in Worthington Maya
zine

Bette F. Poole, in Worthington Maya
zine.
When Burr was tried in Richmond
for treason, the peerless Theodosia ac-
eompanied him, bravely and proudly
sharing his imprisonment, encouraging
and supporting him in his darkest
hours, and believing implicitly in his
innocence to the last. She was equally
devoted to her husband, aud to her
only son, young Aaron Burr Aston,
who died in his 1lth year, just before
his grandfather returned to New York
from his long exile. Aaron Burr pined
for his daughters conpanionship; she
was almost crushed by the death of her
darling SOD; so it was arranged that sh"
should visit her father in New York.
She accordingly set sail from George
town, S. c., in the Patriot, small
pilot boat, on December 80, 1872.
1t was generally supposed that the
Patriot was wrecked off Cape Hatteras
during storm, which occurred soon
after it etsail; subsequent events, how
ever, have thrown new light on the
catastrophe and the fate Of Theodosia
Burr seems at last emerging from the
clouds which have so long wrapt it in
obscurity. A picture has been found on
the North Carolina coast, which there
is strong reason to suppose is portrait
of this unfortunate woman; and the
story connected with it is romantic and
Intensely interesting.
The late DR.. w. e. Pool found what
is supposed to be a portrait of Mrs.
Alston at Nag's Head, n. c., in 1859.
The woman who owned it told the fol-
lowing story regarding it.
Shortly after her marriage to herfrst
husban l, Mr.. Tillett, one winter morn
ing "when we were fighting the En-
glish," pilot boat was discovered near
Kitty Hawk, two miles below Nag's
Head. The boat, which had all sails
set and the rudder lashed, seemed to
be turned adrift. Upon boarding the.
vessel the wreckers found it to be in
good condition, but entirely deserted.
There was no sign of blood or violence
of any kind, and table was set for
some meal. The supposition of the
wreckers was that the boat had been
boarded by pirates, and all the passen-
gers and crew made to walk the
plank" In the cabin among other
things not of great value were several
handsome silk dresses, vase of beauti-
full wax flowers, with a glass covering,
and a shell resembling the nautilus,
exquisitely carved. Hanging on the
wall of the cabin was this portrait of
a beautiful woman, which, with the
other things mentioned, Mr.. Tillett re-
ceiced rs his share Of the spoils, pre-
santing them all to his future wife, after
ward Mrs. Mann.
The pilot Boat to which Mrs. Mann
referred came ashore two miles below
Nag's Head lone winter morning when
We were fighting the English" This
must have been during the war OF 1872,
since Mrs. Manu's age would preclude
her remembrance of any other war of
the United States with Great Britain.
The Patriot, small pilot boat, which
was to convey Mrs. Aston to her father
in New York. set sail from George
town, S. c., December 80, 1872, and was
never afterward heard Of. In making
the voyage the Patriot must necessarily
have passed the North Carolina coast.
The seat at this time was infested by
pirates. It is not improbable that a
band of these bold buccaneers boarded
the little vessel in the hope of securing
valuable booty, and after compelling
everyone on board to "walk the plank"
were alarmed by the sudden appearance
of some United States cruiser, and from
motives of prudence abandoned their
prize.
Some years ago two criminals exc
cuted at Norfolk, Va, confessed having
participated in the murder of Theodo-
sia Burr. They professed to have be-
longed to piratical crew who boarded
the Patriot and compelled every soul
on board to "walk the plank" Two
sailors, one dying in Texas and the
other in a Michigan poor house, made
death-bed confessions to the same effect.
Both professed to remember Theodosia
we'll, and the mendicant said he could
never forget her face as she begged for
her life; that it had haunted him ever
since and given him no rest. She told
the pirates that she was the daughter
of Aaron Burr and the wife of Cover
nor Alstop, of South Carolina, and
would promise them pardon and a
liberal reward if they would spare her
life. But they were relentless, and the
waters hid her beautiful face forever.
She was the last to step over the ships
side, refused to be blindfolded and met
her doom with calm and fearless de-
meanor. It is impossible to vouch for
the truth of these confessions, which
have appeared from time to time in
print. I only introduce them as COLA
teral evidence in support of Mrs. Macn's
assertions. In order to prove more
fully that the picture in his possession
was a likeness of Aaron Burr's daught-
er, DR.. Pool opened correspondence
with several members of the Burr and
Edwards families, and sent them pho
tographs of the portrait. Almost with
out exception they have pronounced it
a likeness of this unfortunate lady.
Ronrbon County Politics