Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-01-23

y III - AANAAN *
to be a reality, but which l greatly
fear, like the swag of the ancient
Kidd, or like Ned Lyons wife's
cousin, will become a misty tradition
or a mysterious myth.
Latter Days of the BIennerhas-
setts.
Cincinnati GaIctte.l
Under the above head Maria p.
I W Woodbridge, a resident of Marietta,
we believe, describes in Iippincott' $
Magazine the sequel to some of the
most romantic events Of which the
West has been the theater.
Our readers generally know how
Harmon BlennerhasSett lived in ease
on an island in the upper Ohio how
his wife was admired for her beauty
and kindness, and how her husband s
connection with Aaron Burr brought
ruin upon the family. The subse-
quent fortunes of the Blennerhassetts
is less familiar to the public, and it is
Of them that the author has written.
Mr.. Blennerhastett joined Burr on
the night of December 10, 1906. to
escape arrest. He was followed by his
wife a week later. A party of drunken
soldiers had already taken possession
of the house and spread desolation all
around. BY the first of January Mrs.
Blennerhassett had Joined her hus-
band. The Burr expedition proved a
failure, and they went to Natchez.
The husband was arrested, but ae-
quilted. He then returned to the
North, only again to be set at liberty
after several weeks confinement.
Meanwhile a food had added its effects
to the vandalism fthe marauders who
had stripped the house Of its furniture
and broken its window frames to get
possession of the leaden weights his
negroes had either been sold to satisfy
impatient creditors, or had escaped to
the Ohio shore. The island itself
was in the possession of a Kentucky
creditor, who devoted it to the cult
walton of hemp. There was nothing
to do but to go back to Natchez.
where Nh. Blennerhassett bought a
plantation. This he sold for S27. 600.
after the war Of 1872 had crippled all
branches of business. This above
sum paid his debts, but little more.
What remained of this island home
I was burned by the accidental ignition
of the hemp with which it was stored.
He took his family to New York.
where he had a friend in his country
man, Thomas Addison Emmett. He
did not succeed, however, in the prac-
tice of law, which he now took up.
nor was he more prosperous in Mon
treal, whittier he had removed at the
recommendation of his friend. the
Duke of Richmond, then governor
general. He had been promised a
judgeship on the occurrence of the
first vacancy, but none occurred. His
once lovely wife is described about
this time as having lost every vestige
of her former elegance and beauty"
though, when animated by converse
ton, the interesting expression for
which she was so remarkable would
become noticeable.
As his law practice did not prosper.
MIR. Blennerhassett tried to enforce
a reversionary claim to property In
Ireland, but was barred by the statute
Of limitations. Added to this was
the grief which the dissipated habits
Of DOminick, the Oldest Of their three
sons, occasioned. The second was
amiable, but helpless, while the third
was too young to be of any service.
Finding it impossible to make a living
in Montreal, Mrs. Blennerhassett
visited her friends, the Emmets. in
New York, in 1872. They cheered
her by their friendly @counsels, but the
misconduct Of Dominick caused her
fresh grief. Hehad studied medicine.
and she finally obtained for him DO
sitlon as surgeon assistant in Com
mOdore Porters expedition. then
about to sail. He behaved so badly.
however, that he was very soon sent
back to her. She regarded him as
almost irresponsible in his fearful
appetite for drink and placed him TO
board with a poor woman at So 30 Der
week. just as she and her husband
we're starting for Montreal, hay-
ing discovered that there was no
chance for employment in the
States, it was found that Dom
mick had enlisted as a common
soldier. His mother never saw
him again. A friend Of the family
afterward found him wandering about
New Orleans in rags. A. position as
apothecary in a charity hospital was
found for him, but he soon left for
81. Louis, where he probably died I'M
known and uncared for. Meanwhile
Der husband was making desperate
efforts to gain a livelihood. He went
to England and sought appointments
in vain, and his threat Of publishing a
book containing scandalous revelations
about a royal parsonage nearly related
to the king proved an equal failure.
Mrs. Blennerhassett published a little
volume Of her own entitled THE
Widow ofthe Rock, and Other Poems
but it was a failure. Finally Mr..
Blennerhassetts maiden sister gave
them a home in England, though her
means were but scanty. In 1881 the
husband died Of paralysis on the island
Of Jersey. His wife, though shattered
by physical and mental ills, survived
him eleven years. Shortly before her
death she revisited the United
States and urged on congress.
a claim for compensation for the
damage done by the troops tc
the Ohio river property in i8O6-7.
The plea might have been successful,
but she died in New York before il
had been granted, Harmon, the sec
ond son, had FIRST studied law, but
falling in 1t had become a portrait
painter. He shared his older broth
ers habits, and sank as low as he, lie