The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-12-30
Death Chamber Of Burr.

A few moons ago took the ferry-boaf
TO the north, or northwest, shore of
Staten Island, and landed at the village
Immediately opposite Bergen Poins,
called Port Richmond, so named because
it is the water landing to old Richmond
Court House, at the centre OF the island
There is not more animated spot IN
the water scenery OF New York bay than
this. 1t shows both the Bay OF New
York and Newark Bay, the latter recelv
ing the commerce of Newark City and
the Hackensack marshes, and Of the
Jersey inlets as far down rs the Raritan
River. They all pass out between Port
Richmond and Bergen Point through the
Kill Won Kull, which is only half n mile
wide A sick man could sit all day long
at his window by this water. watching
Tugs, propellers, pleasure-steamers,
sloops and schooners, oyster crafts. RATS
and barge lows, garbage fleets, yachts,
and excursion arks filled with music and
dancing go past like professions IN
mirror.
1t was to Port Richmond that Colonel
Burr, ex-senator and vice-President OF
the United States, ex-Attorney-G General
of New York, ex-candidate for Governor
of New York and for Minister to France,
and once almost President of the United
States, was brought one day III early
June upon litter to die. The hotel,
now called the Continental, stands near
ly as it did at that moment, right in your
face as you turn from the water at Port
Richmond, and only few hundred feet
distant-a yellowish brown hotel with
Of fol
wooden columns rising to the caves and
enclosing in their piazza three stories.
Ascending the steps to this piazza, q
broad door and hall are right opposite
the middle of it, and broad flight OF
naked steps rises to the second floor and
similar hall there, and the room to the
left, as you look up from the ground, Is
the room where Aaron Burr died. Under
il is the bar. room now. The chamber
is o square room, with little squire bits
of carpenterinr about the chimney side,
and it is of respectable size, quite bed
room parlor. Mr.. Burr was borne to it
on litter from a steamboat, an OLD
helpless invalid, persecuted by bodily
decay and creditors, and the fear OF dy-
ing in the street.
He had lost the confidence of man,
woman and child. Politics had spawed
him out thirty years before. Family
circles had tried him too often. Women
had found that he would not only kiss,
but tell. Clients found that he would
sell their confidence to the other side.
The religious world remembered tat
the greatest logician and theologlan since
Paul had been this outcast's grandtath-
err. The educated class knew that the
founder of Princeton College hal been
Aaron Bufr's father. Lawyers knew
that his sisters husband had founded
the first law school in the New World.
Once his daughter had led the fashion
and beauty OF Washington society, and
married one of the richest planters of the
South
He was about to die in sight of his
birthplace ut Newark and OF his orphan
home at Elizabeth, where his father and
grandmother had ministered, and whence
he had entered the Revolutionary Army.
These two towns OF New Jersey are in
plain sight, and Elizabeth is only about
a mile distant. Fifty years before being
brought to Staten Island TO die, young
Burr, while on Washington's staff, bad
proposed to the General to head an ex-
petition against Staten Island, every
lane and corner Of which he knew, hav-
ing made its hills his rambling ground
from the flat, mosquito-rldden plains OF
Elizabeth. 1t was perhaps his play
mates son, judge Edwards, n resident
of Staten Island, who was almost his
only visitor ut the inn. That island Of
Tories was now about TO receive the last
mould and living shadow of Aaron Burr.
A few moments after examining this
room l fell in with an old man OF one Of
Washington Irving's Dutch counte-
nances, by the name of John j. Clute.
He was writing n local history, since
published. Said L, "Sir, YOU are old
enough to have seen Aaron Burr on this
island?'
"Sir," he replied, "you are now talk
Aaron Burr when he wrote his Lass sig
nature in this world"
/ asked the particulars.
Judge Edwards, my neighbour, came
to me and said, "Mr. Cluts, there is a
sick man at the Port Richmond Hotel
who wishes to make an atfidavitto an APP
plication for o pension; will you take his
statement?" L went to the hotel with
the Judge, and found small man,
mere string of bones, mumbing to HIM
self in bed. / said, "rhis man is not fit
to make an affidavit. ] will not admins
ter it." ''Well," said Judge Edwards,
suppose you come around toward even
ing. He gets better in the afternoons.
I returned in the afternoon, and he was
just we'll enough to give his oath. He
was raised up in his bed, a poor little
childish thing. and filled the quill with
ink nnd guided his fingers. And, sir, l
could not help thinking, "This is the
hand that killed Hamiltonl"