The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-26
FATE, OF THEoDosIA BURR
Evidence That She was Murdered by
 Coast Pirates.

New York Times.
 It is noticeable that the author or the recent novel, "Blennerhassett.' in deal ing with the fate Of Theodosia, driIts with the current of popular belief, when for many years has set strongly toward the theory that the tragedy which plays so conspicuously part in the romance of American history was tat1s taH work fSe3 oi "bankers," as the Carolina coast folk know them. It is to be noted that the laundering of the Patriot in storm on Cape Hatteras' was but the convenient conclusion of that time in the absence of all other evidence. That consumma- tion was simply taken for granted and passed current for nearly half a cen tury. unchaIlensed on the one hand and unsupported ou the other: there was never glimmer of proof behind it: The occasional sparks of actual disclosure from Burr's despair to this romance of "BIennerhassett'0 have shown the way to a different conclusion.
 When Dr. Palmer's striking posm of "Theodosia Burr" as we find 1t in. the little volume of ballads and lyrics enti. tied For Charlies Sake" first appeared in the Century Magazine in 1895, it was preceded by an explanatory note wnicn constituted it's argument" According to Dr. Palmer's contention, the .circum- stantial evidence seems conclusive that the Patriot fell into the hands of bank CTS. These were wreckers and pirates who infested the sandy bars that fence the coast outside of Currituck, Abe marie and Pamlico Sounds and stretch a S far south as Cape Lookout It was their practice on stormy nights to decoy pass ing craft hy means of a lantern swing ing from the neck of an old nag which they led up and down the beach. Thus vessels were stranded off Kitty Hawk and Nags Head and plundered. after the crews and passengers had been slain with hangers or compelled to walk the plank. "
 I have learned from pr. Palmer that the banding and the treacherous and murderous practices of these -'panHsrs were well known along the coast, from the Chesapeake capes to Hatteras, in the first quarter of tue century, and that as late as 1S47 in Accomac and Northampton counties, on the eastern shore of Vir- ginia, two old men, retired mariners, were pointed out to him as former bank. ers'' and wreckers QS12-1D; they were re- garded askance and with a certain un- neighborly mystery.
 A well known and high respected phy- sician of North Carolina. Dr. Poole (whose narrative was published). found in cabin near the coast a woman, old, ignorant and superstitious, whom he att tended In protracted illness. She was the widow first of one and then of an- other banker" On tke wall of her cab in hung an oil painting unframed, the well-executed portrait of lady whose resemblance to an authentic portrait of Theodosia Burr impressed pr. Poole and brought him again and again to curious study of it.
 TO his question: How lid she come by it?' the woman explained that when she was yet but q slip of girl and was sweet-hearting with a young banker. he brought her that picture, l lady's silk dress and an ornament of wax flowers, such as atthat time were found Tn many homes. of ''the quality as a decoration for the mantle-piece. Her lover explain ed (and she believed his story) that he had found them on pilot boat ''aban- doned and drifting" not soul on board, and everything remaining as the people had left it" His mates stripped the ~es- sel and he had chosen these things for his share to give to her. Tt Was the time of the war with the English" she said
 The picture passed into the possession of Dr. Poole Photographs of it were submitted to the scrutiny of surviving members of the Burr and Edwards con- nection. by several Of whom it was iden- tifed as a portrait of Theodosia;, The story as related by Dr. Poole. who by all who knew him would be accepted as a judicious and trustworthy chronicler, seems to be a striking reflection of the nipture nresentpd in the poem