Evening star., 1898-09-19
W. III. McMnew, 953 Pa. Av.
selH-Gald
RARE OLD TERRAPIN.
Catches Rats and hears Aaron Burr
InitinIs on IL. She'll.
from the Chicago Irter-ocesn.

From the Chicago IEter-Ocecn.
A terrapin with an unusual history was
rediscovered on Prospect hill. Parkersburg,
w Va, one day this week. Years ago, be-
fore the civil war. common mountain ter
rapin was picked up in the street in Court
house square. The occurrence was not un-
usual, as terrapins. or. more properly, tor
toises. were found almost anywhere in the
mountainous country of Virginia at that
day and even a much later date. This
specimen of the tortoise family. however.
was distinguished by quite q number of
letters and dates cut into its shell. Among
these were the initials II. Il. and a. B. ana
the date 1SS. The tortoise was evidently
very old, at least 50 said u number of old
men. woodSmcn and hunters, whose eX-
perienCe went unIuestioned.
Who were If. r.. and a. B.? was the
query readily settled to the satisfaction OF
the entire community by two old judges of
the county court, Judges Hannaman and
Phelps. Both of the men decided that II.
B. and A Is. were intended for the initials
OF Harnan Blennerhas sett and Aaron Burr.
To this add the date, aud there remained
nothing to dispute the decision. 1t was. in
fact, the date when Harman Blennerhas-
sett resided upon the island below Parkers-
burg and about the time when Burr first
made his appearance The sad story of
BlennerhasseJt, closely following the Incl
dents of Burrs insurrection. was familiar
10 the Judges, the uncle of one of them
Col. Hugh fhelpS-haying been the militia
commander who took possession of the is
land after the retreat of Blennerhassett
and Burr, This story is authenticated Dy
family traditions and records.
The tortoise was kept for several years
around the old court house, but disappear
ed, az what time no one knows. Nothing
was heard or thought Of this tortoise again
Tor years In fact, its very existence was
forgotten until some time in 1884, when a
rfiS n
row confines of -UX5O yard in the rear of
Thanhauser's store on Market street. The
tortoise was often picked up and handled
perhaps a hundred times, before some one
found inscribed a number of letters and
figures upon its shell. The story was uois-
ed abroad. and several months later a
grandson Of Judge Phelps wrote to a friend
IN this city. giving the story told above,
tOise and see whether the letters and date
could be found. The examination was
made and the initials II. &. and A. IS. and
the date 1855 We're found.
When this became known considerable
interest was shown in the tortoise. 1t was
petted and fed and made much OF, and it
manifested in its peculiar way its apprecia-
uon OF its popularity After the discovery
OF the tortoise for many days succeeding
dead rat was found lying IN the yard
Every rodent had been killed in q peculiar
manner Its upper and lower Jaws were
broken and crushed in every case, and no
q
theory or conjecture IN explanation, when
one OF the clerks. who happened to look
through the window into the yard, saw the
terrapin lying on the pavement holding a
big rat by the Jaws Th. rat was still
alive, and. although every clerk in the
store and many passers-by crowded into
the little yard to look On the unusual sight,
the tortoise would not release his hold until
the rat cold and stiff.
Such tragedies Were enacted and re-
enacted many times and hundreds of per-
sons looked on. During the fail of 1854
however, the terrapin disappeared, leaving
many friends to regret its fa:e, every one
believing that the tortoise had been stolen
and killed by some malicious boy.
Nothing heard of the tortoise and
no one ever expected to hear of it again
until 4 few days ago, when a tortoise old
venerable and gray with age, was picked
up on Prospect hill, WHERE WOrkmen were
eXcavating for new street. That it was
the same tortoise which figured in the early
years of the century in the history of
BIenHerhassett and Burr. and eigh- decades
later as u rat exteruIinatJr in Thanhauser' 5
yard, there is no doubt. The initials II. B.
"A b, and the date, lStts, were still TO be
seen cut into the shell, and in addition were
the figures 1881 and the oullne of rat in
scTibed beneath the above. cut by one of
the clerks of the store. How lie terrauin
got out of town and on the top of the hill
S mere conjecture. 1t was seen by a num-
Der Of persons who had seen it fourteen
years before. and il caus-l quite stir.