The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-09
HOW BURR'S BEAUTY DIED
THE FAMOUS MANS DA UGHTEFS
FATE DISCLOSED AT LAST.
An OIL Portrait which Corrobora'es
Weird Tradition About Dying frfe-
booter's Confession.

how Aaron Burr's only cnliu' oca"''.
Young Theodosia. met her death a. W
hands of ocean pirates years ago, a.,u
how that fact was oniy very iee. ...
established by the discovery ol po' 80
NJ her rescued from the schooner from
whence she was thrown into the sea-
is told In print herewith for the hrst
time Involving. as II does, the death-Ded
confession OF one OF the pirates "Ho
drowned the young oman, the tal- ste"7
more like fiction than verified history
but there are persons living hereaDou's
who have verified 1t I'm detail, anu VIM
will vouch for It's accuracy.
Theodosia Burr young woman OF
unusual mental attachments, was
r,arried 10 the son OF Judge Aston, OF
South Carolina. a relative OF Washington
Aston the celebrated historical por-
trait painter. Mr. and Mrs. Aston resiu-
cd on their plantation near Charleston
When Aaron Burr contemplated return
ing from the extended visit he made 10
Europe after his trial. he wrote Mrs'
Aston, 10 whom he was devote1ly AZ
tached, asking her 10 meet him IN Ne"
York on his arrival there. Mr. Aston
engrossed with the business OF his plan
tation, found 1t impossible TO accompany
his wife There being no railroads IN
those DAYS. and Mr.. Aston, deemlng tnal
a summer trip from Charleston 10 Ne"
York by sea would be less irksome 10
his wife than a stage journey by lana,
chartered a coasting schooner. In TINS
Mrs Aston set out. She took with her
as a present to her father beautuui
painting OF herself. But she never reach
ed New York. and down TO the present
day the fate Of Aaron Burr's only child
has been q matter Of speculation among
historians, some contendng that the
vessel and all on board were lost at sea,
others asserting that Mrs. Aston fell
into the hands of some OF the pirates VINO
i'm those days infested the Atlantic coast.
But the mystery has at last been clear
ed up. It's accuracy is vouched Tor Dy
the former rector OF Trinity Episcopal
chi rch, Elkton, a clergyman well known
throughout Maryland and the Middle
States.
DISCOVERED DURING 4 VISIT.
About five years ago this clergyman
was visiting in his native state. North
Carolina, and for several days was the
guest Of the widow OF the late DR.. VII
liam Poole. near Elizabeth City. Above
the mantlepiece in Mrs. Poole's pcrlor
was an old-fashioned painting, exquis-
itely executed, of a beautiful young wo-
man dressed In white. Ii so greatly In
terested the clergyman that he asked
Mrs Poole whom 1t was intended to rep
resent. She then gave the following story
Of II:
Eight years previously, she said, Dr.
Poole had taken his family 10 pass the
summer at the little coast town OF Mays
Head. n. c.. where the United States
man-Of-war Huron came TO grief Ine
place is largely populated by bankers
generally a rough class Of men, who
mainly earn a livelihood by picking up
all species OF flotsam and tetsam along
the coast. one of these "baEkers," now
ever. was a very respectable and very
old fellow, named Mann. His wife was
suffering from a complication OF diseases,
and Dr. Poole took great interest IN her
case. Under his treatment she recovered
and as token of gratitude 10 the doctor
presented him with the painting winch
so greatly interested the clergyman. Mrs.
Mann said her husband had recovered 1t
from a wreck When quite young man
he was walking along the shore one
morning. His attention was then caied
to a coasting schooner under full SAIL
bearing swiftly down upon the dangerous
bar which I'm later years occasioned the
loss of the Huron With other bankers
Mann put out to her assistance
They boarded the schooner, but found
that the only living thing aboard was
a
spection Of the schooner proved nothing
as TO her antecedents. Even ner name
was not asoertainable. But one OF the
cabins had evidently been very recently
occupied by a woman, and in this cabin
was the painting which Mrs. Mann gave
DIR. Poole, and which Mann appropriated
in his share Of the salvage. The schooner
shortly afterward went to pieces.
Or. Poole was an enthusiastic student
of national matters. He felt certain
that the picture had a very valuable his
tory, and formed a suspicion that II
might have represented the mysterious
~ lost daughter of aaron Burr. He put
himself in communication with several
historical societies on the matter, but
his theory found little weight. In spite
OF family likeness being admitted.
As the clergyman upon whose author
ity this story Is given was returning from
a recent visit TO Mrs. Poole, while driv-
ing from that ladys house to Elizabeth
City 10 take the cars home. he met
young man, whom he knew to be very
bashful and much afraid of the gentler
sex. driving a strange woman In a buggy
toward Mrs. Poole's residence. In a let
ter written to Mrs. Poole shortly after
ward he good-naturedy referred TO the
incident and TO the young fellows evil
dent embarrassment.
THE STORY OF THE PORTRAIT.
This brought from Mrs. Poole another
chapter in the history of the beaul1ul
picture. The strange woman was des-
cendant of the Burr family, who resides
IN Detroit, Mich, Her name has tenn
porarlly escaped the clergyman's memory.
She had been visiting at Virginia Beach,
Va. where she had heard OF Mrs. Poole 5
mysterious painting from North caro-
lima gentleman. Her visit 20 Elizabeth
City was solely for the purpose OF seeing
the painting, and no sooner had she set
eyes on IL than she offered Mrs. Poole
500 spot cash for the same, besides any
other additional sum she might require
Mrs Poole refused 10 part with the urea
sure. She told the visitor that there was
a strong family likeness between the lat
ter and the subject of the picture who
ever that subject might have been; ana
further informed her OF the facts already
given here, as TO how the painting came
into her possession.
This elected from the Detroit woman
another remarkable "Reminiscences, and
one which taken in connection with the