The daily gazette., 1880-02-26
aaron Barr.
AN INTERESTING EPISODE IN HIS RE-
MARKABLE CAREER.

When Colonel Burr was released un
der his own recognizance to appea,
before the Supreme Court of the Ter.
ritory, he became the guest Of Colonel
Benajah Osmun, wealthy planter re.
siding in the vicinity. He was bach.
elor, and had been an officer in the
New Jersey line; and intimate with
Burr. In politics he was a high-strune
Federalist, and had been a strong par.
tisan Of John Adams, and had no con
fidence in Mr.. jefferson. Near by Col.
Osmund lived another old military
friend of similar political opinions, the
veteran Major Isaac Guion, and with
these two and other influential gentle
men, he had daily consultations. No
sterner and truer patriots lived than
these two veteran soldiers, and they
reposed unshaken faith in the friend
whom they had seen so often tested in
the ''time that tried mems souls. -
Col. Osmun lived at the place now
owned by DIR. Stanton, and Maj. Guion
resided at the foot of the Halfway
Hill, and there was rural path be-
tween the two places trellised with
vines and shaded by evergreens. This
was Burr s daily resort. But its re-
freshing shades and charming pro-
poets were not the only attractions
There lived at that time a widow lady
from Virginia, whose small farm and
two or three slaves were the only re-
mains Of a large fortune. Her hus-
band had converted his property into
money, and on his way to this Terri
tory had been robbed and murdered
by the notorious Joseph Thompson
Hare, more blood-thirsty william even
than the celebrated Mason. She had
but one child, Madeline, who must
still be remembered by few of our
older citizens as miracle of beauty.
In form and feature, in grace and mod
esty, she was all that the old masters
had painted the divine Madonna, or
that artists ever dreamed of maiden
loyeliness. Those that saw her loved
her, and yet she was never conscious
of the sentiment.until she listened to
Aaron Burr. The family were Catho-
lies, and there Col. Burr went to meet,
bJ appointment, one of his numerous
agents and correspondents, the Abbe
Viel, a Jesuit Priest of remarkable
ability. He was born in New Orleans
ia 1746, studied at Paris and became a
member'of the Congregation of Ora
tory. At the dissolution of that body
by the French Government, he return
ed to Louisiana and exercised the
priestly function in the Parish of At
takapas He subsequently went to
France. 1t is probable that Colonel
Burr, in his projected invasion of Mex
leo, contemplated securing the infu-
snce of the religious Orders, and for
this purpose had opened correspond
ence with the Able, and met him by
appointment at this secluded home
stead.
At length, after canvassing the
situation with Col. Osmun and six
other confidential friends, Col. Burr de-
termined to forfeit his bond. One
stormy night in February, 1907, he set
forth mounted ON the favorite horse
Of his host. Urgent as was the neces-
sity for expedition, Colonel Burr
halted till daylight at the widows cot
tage, imploring the beautiful Madeline
to be the companion of his flight. He
promised marriage, fortune, high posi-
tion, and even limiting at imperial
honors, not realizing, even then, a
fugitive and branded traitor, the crush
ing downfall that impended over him.
The maiden had given him her heart
she had listened to his witchery night
after night, and loved him with all the
fervor of Southern nature. She
would have followed him to the end of
thn aarth onA IN hn H.xlA I.
aged mother would freely have given
her to this captivating man-for they
looked on him as a demi-god-but as
with most of our Southern women, the
principles of religion, virtue and pro-
priety were stronger than possessions
and passion, and the entreaties of the
accomplished libertine were firmly re-
jected. Baff1ed and disappointed he
was compelled to proceed, but prom
lsed to return, and carried with him
the covenant and pledge ofthe beautiful
Madeline. She was wooed by many
lover. The young and gallant masters
Of the large plantations on Second
Creek and st. GATHERINGS strove in
vain for her hand. Fortunes and the
homage of devoted hearts were laid at
her feet but the Maid of the Half
way Hill remained true to her absent
lover-the more so because of the ru.
mors that reached her of his misfor
tunes and his guilt.
She lived on the recollection of his
manly beauty, and the shades he had
most affected were her constant haunts.
At length, when he fed from the United
States, pursued by Mr.. Jefferson and
the remorseless agents that swarm
around power and authority-when he
had been driven from England, and was
an outcast in Paris shiyering with cold
and starving for bread-he seemed to
have felt for the first time the utter
uopelessness of his fortunes. And then
he wrote to Madeline, and, in a few for
mai words released her from her prom
Use. Stating that he would never TO the
United States, he advised her to enter a
convent, should she survive her mother.
A year or two after this she went. to
Havana with Mrs. w., highly respt eta
BILE lady who then owned the property
where the Christian Brothers now reside
near Natchez. Her extreme beauty, her |
grace and elegance produced the greatest
enthusiasm. The hotel where thay put
up was besieged. If she appeared on the
balcony dozen cavaliers were waiting
to salute her. When her volante was
seen on the Pasea or Plaza dc Armas, IL
was escorted by the Grandees of the Is
laud. She was feted by the Governor.
General; serenades and balls followed in
ra mid succassion and the a ilv homape