The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-02-18
AARON BURR.
AN INTERESTING FPIsoDE IN HIS RE
VARIABLE CAREER. pa

| under his own recognizance TO apl,ea,
before the Supreme Court Of the
Territory, he became the. guest of
Colonel Benajah Osmun, a wealthy
planter residing in the vicinity. H.
was bachelor, had been an. Officer
in the New jersey line, and intim;.t,
with Burr. politics he was high
strung Federalist, had been str,ng
partisan Of John Adams, and had no
confidence in MIR. Jefferson. .Near
by Colonel O>mun, another old mill.
tary friend of similar political olin,
ions, the veteran Major Isaac Guion,
and with these two, and other iDflu.
entail gentlemen, he had daily con
situations. No sterner and truer pa.
triots lived than these two veteran
soldiers, and they ereposed mistaken
faith in the friend whom they had
seen so often tested in, the s'time
that tried mems souls;" Colone Os.
Emun lived at the place now owned by
DR.. Stanton, and Major sGuion resi-.
ded at the foot of the Halfway Hill;
and there was a2rural path between
the two places trelIised with vines
and shaded by evergreens. Thiswas
Burr's daily resort. Butts refresh
ing shade and. charming prospect
were not the only attractions. There
lived, at that time, widow lady
from Virginia, whose small farm end
two or three slaves were the onlyre-
mains Of a large fortune. Herh us-
band had converted his property in
to money, and on his way to this
Territory lad been robbed and muir
dered by the notorious Joseph
Thompson Hare, more blood thirs-
ty villain even than the celebrated
Mason. She had but one child
Maaeline-who must still be remem-
bered by few Of our older citizens
as a miracle Of beauty. In form and
feature, in grace and modesty, she
was all that the old J. masters have
painted the divine Madonna, or that
artist ever dreamed Of maiden lowell
ness. Those that saw her loved her,
yet she was never conscious of the
sentin ent until she listened to Aaron
Burr. The family were Catholics,
and there Colonel Burr went to meet,
by appointment, one of his numerous
agents and correspondents, the Able
Wei, Jesuit priest OF remarkable
ability. He was born in New Or
leans in 1746. studied at Paris, and
became a member of the Congrega
tion of Oratory. Al the dissolution
Of that body by the French Govern
ment be returned to Louisiana and
exercised the priestly function in
the Parish Of Attakapsas. He sub
sequently went to France. 1t is: pro
bable that Colonel Burr, in his pro-
jected invasion of Mexico, contem-
plated securing the influence Of the
religious orders, and for this purpose
had opened a correspondence with
the Able and met him by appoint
ment at this secluded very place.
At length, after canvassing his
situation with Colonel Osman and
six other confidential friends, Colo
mel Burr determined to forfeit, his
bond. One stormy night in Februa-
~, 1907, he set forth, mounted, on
the favorite horse of his host. -Ur
gent as was the necessity for,expe:
dition, Colonel Burr halted till day
light at the Widows cottage, implo
ring the beautiful Madeline, to be the
companion of his fight. He prom
ised marriage, fortune, high position
and even limiting at imperial honors.
not realizing, even then, fugitive
and branded traitor, the crushing
downfall that impended over him.
The maiden had given her heart;
she had listened 10 his ,witcbery
night after night, and loved him
will, all the fervor of a Southern ma.
ture. She would have followed him
TO the eud of the earth, and to the
scanoitt ana Her .agea mother would
freely have given her 10 the, most
captivating man-for they looked on
him as demi-god-b but az with most
of our, Southern women, the princ,-
pies of religion, virtue and propriety
were stronger than pre- pos
session and passion, and sthe
entreaties of the accomplished liber.
tine were firmly rejected. Il Baffied
and disappointedahe was. compelled
TO proceed, hut promised to return
and carried with him the covenan,
n MI, v,1nd VA X Z n ho a.f;f ,,I ~ LIZ.