The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-18

4
al gifts While summering at Mays
Head he was called upon to visit pro-
| fessionally the old banker woman re-
/ ferred to above. He was successful
in his treatment of the case, and know
| ing the circumstances of his patient,
would accept no payment for his SER
vices. In her gratitude for his kind
ness. the old woman insisted upon
/ his accepting as a gift, the portrait
hanging on the wall of her cabin.
When questioned concerning its
history, she related the fact
above mentioned. This she did
with apparent reluctance, pos
sibly suppressing many interesting
details that might have thrown more
| light upon the subject. Her husband
| had been one of the wreckers who
| boarded the pilot boat, and the picture
and other articles referred to had been
his share Of the spoils. Her story
was, that the Wreckers supposed the
| boat TO have been boarded by pirates.
| and that passengers and crew had
| been made to walk the plank The
picture and its strange history became
a subject OF much interest and con-
| lecture to DIR. Pool. Artists pronounced
| il masterpiece, and the unmistakable
portrait of some woman of patrician
| birth.
CHANGING one day to pick up an
old magazine in which appeared a
picture of Aaron Burr, DIR. Pool was
forcibly struck by the strong resem-
blance between it and the portrait in
question. Life a flash it occurred to
him that this might be a likeness of
Theodosia, the Inflated daughter of
Aaron Burr. Eagerly he compared
dates and facts, until he became thor
oughly convinced that he had found
a clue to that mysterious disappear
\, fal, r.f FrrF
tragedies of history. A brief account
of this discovery was published in the
New York Sun, and Immediately let
ters innumerable were received by him
asking for more particulars.
photographs of the portrait were
sent 10 the numerous members of the
Burr and Edwards families. and al
most without exception the likeness
was pronounced to be that of Theo-
dosia Burr Charles Burr Todd, the
author, and Mrs. Stella Drake KNAPP
pin, descendants respectively of the
Burr and Edwards families, visited
DR.. Pools residence on Pasquotank
river for the purpose of examining
the portrait. They were both con-
WINGED that it was a likeness of Theo-
dosia Burr.
THE wife of Col. Wheeler of Wash
ington, d. c.. who is a daughter Of
Sully the famous portrait painter. and
is herself an artist, compared photo
of the Mays Head picture with like
ness of Theodosia Burr in her posses
sion. She at once perceived that both
features and expression were identical.
There was probably no woman in
America at the time of Theodosia
Burr's death, more universally known
and admired than she. Her high social
rank. her beauty, her genius, her ac-
complishments, as well as her heroic
devotion to- her father in the dark
days of his disgrace and Punishment.
had made her prominent figure and
had won for her the admiration of
thousands.
When Aaron Burr upon his return
from exile sent for his daughter to
visit him in New York, she decided
to make the voyage by sea. Her health
had been almost completely wrecked
by grief over her fathers disgrace.
and the recent death or her only child.
young Aaron Burr Aston. 1t was
fthOught that "a sea. voyage might prove
beneficial. She accordingly fset sail
from Georgetown, S. c., in the Patriot
a small pilot boat, December goth.
1912. Days and weeks passed, but
Aaron Burr waited in vain for the
arrival of his daughter. Months and
years rolled away and still no tidings
came. The Patriot and all ON board
had completely vanished from the face
of the earth, and the mystery of It's
disappearance remained unsolved for
more than half century.
Governor Aston did not long sur
vive the loss of his beloved wife, and
Aaron Burr in speaking. years after
wards of his daughters mysterious
fate, said that this event had separated
him from the human race.
Let us now compare dates and
facts: A pilot boat drifts ashore dur
ing the winter of 1912 at Kitty Hawk,
a few miles below Mays Head. TIL ere
are silk dresses in the cabin, and 9TH
er indications that some lady of wealth
and refinement mas been ON board.
There is a portrait on the wall of the
cabin that has been pronounced By
artists and members of her family to
be a likeness CT Theodosia Burr.
THE Patriot was lost during the
winter of 1912. On the voyage from
Georgetown. S. c., to New York 1t
would pass the North Carolina coast.
The sea at this time was infested by
pirates. A band of these bold bucca-
neers may have boarded the little yes
sci and compelled passengers and crew
TO walk the plank. Becoming alarmed
at the appearance of some govern
ment cruiser they may, from motives
of prudence have abandoned their
prize.
This theory is not mere conjecture.
Years ago two criminals executed in
Norfolk, Va. are reported as having
testified that they had belong TO a
piratical crew who boarded the Pa
triCt.' and compelled every soul on
board to walk the plank The same
confession was made years subse-
quently by a mendfcant dying in
Michigan almshouse. This man said
he would never forget the beautiful
face of Theodosia Burr, as it sank be-
meath the waves nor how eloquently
she pleaded for her life, promising the
pirates pardon and liberal reward IL
they would spare her But they were
relentless, and she went to her doom
with so dauntless and calm spirit,
that even the most hardened pirates
were touched.
II cannot vouch for the truth OF
these confessions which have appeared
from time to time in print, / only
introduce them as collateral evidence
in support of the banker woman's
story The Patriot was supposed to
have been wrecked off the coast of
Hatteras during a terrific storm which
occurred soon after it set sail. This.
however, was mere conjecture which