Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-04-03
AARON BURR.
His whereabouts Aner the Duel
win Hamilton.


win Hamilton.
The Hartford Courant Publishes the
following interesting extract from the
advance sheets OF an account of the
life Of James Williams, the old negro
ianitor of Trinity College:
Professor Jim was the slave OF Col.
Robart, retired Revolutionary officer
living in Yonkers, New York. Aaron
Burr was frequent visitor at Colonel
Robarts house, and room was always
ready for him, as he might stop at any
time on his way from Albany TO New
York, and back again. The establish
ment of Burr seems to have made a
strong impression on Professor Jim's
mind, and he describes, with admiring
tones, the enormous carriage drawn by
six horses, and the retinue Of outriders
and footmen which always accompanied
him. Burr himself Jim describes as a
short, rough and ugly man, who swore
and cursed constantly, but who in la
dies society was very polite and ex-
anisite. At the time of the duel be-
tween Burr and Hamilton Jim was at
work in the fields at mail time, and his
mother was sent on horseback for the
batch of papers which was due. She
gave the letters, on her return to her
master, and he had scarcely read the
first. .one he had opened when all hurry
and excitement, he shouted, Get room
ready quick, for that little devil is com
inCli When afterward he had learned
that Hamilton had been killed in the
duel, the excitement only increased.
"a moments DEPRESSION here to the
statements of history will be serviceable
in ascertaining how far Professor jim
remembers the circumstances of the Doc-
casion.
ION Wednesday morning the llth of
July. 1904, Burr and Hamilton met on
the heights of Weehawken, and the duel
was fought; on Thursday, the 18th,
General Hamilton died, aud on Satur-
day, the l4th, he was inferred with mill
tary honors.
"Burr writes TO Joseph Alliston, Esq,
from New York, July IS: General Ham
ilton died yesterday. | propose leaving
town for few days, and mediate also a
Journey for some weeks, but whittier is
not resolved Perhaps to Statesburg.
You will hear from me in about eight
days. The next letter with any date is
from Philadelphia, July 29.
"Parton, in his life of Aaron Burr,
saws that Immediately after the duel
Burr vent to his home in New York
(Richmoud Hill and for eleven days
stayed at or near this place, writing, pn-
der cover of friends in Philadelphia to
his daughter and to his son.in.law.
jim statement, as will be seen, be-
comes an important oHe in the history
Of Rurr's life, inasmuob as the missing
link in the broken chain of circum,
stances connected with the history from
lust before the duel till some months
after is here supplied. The interest
attached to the events in the life of our
aged ianitor increases when we find
ourselves able to verify his statements
with the accepted statements OF histo-
rians.
"Now Jim says: Burr went first to
his own home, near the old State Prison,
ON Woet Broadway. The next day, be-
tween 3 and 4 in the afternoon, as we
were putting up a new yard fence, there
appeare1 great cloud of dust away
down the road. Some one said that 1t
was som ebody riding, for the day was SO
quiet it could not be the wind. BY and
by man came up and gave a note to
master, that said he was coming. Pretty
soon he came up himself in his four
horse coach. His head was bowed down,
and he didn't say word; but then, his
his head was always bowed down. He
cought right hold of my master hand,
agd they went into the house, and we
didn't see him again until the next
evening. The day that Hamilton was
buried was bad day for him, and he
didn't eat any dinner nor 60 out for his
walk along the river, but he walked to
end fro along the corridor up stairs, with
bis hands LAhind him. We could hear
the funeral guns sounding rp from New
York. Burr kept his servant IN the
room with him hight and day, and lie
had case OF pistols and sword in his
room with hi,a. he stayed with my
master some time, and pFset,cGd Q good
deal at target shooting down by the
river bank, and /, myself, have seen a
ahile birch tree where he had shot twelve
balls iuto 3 space no larger than my
hand,