The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-01-20
The Burr.Halnilton Dual.

On the 4th day of July, 1904, Alex
ander Hamilton and Aaron Burr had
met for the last time as public oharao-
eers ct the dinner of the Cincinnati.
Ihe arrangements for the duel, which
were OF the most secret character, had
then been fully made, but not one guest
aS the dinner would have suspected their
existence. Eye Witnesses long afterward
recalled the imperturbable face OF Burr
and the vivacity OF Hamilton, who was
in the chair, and over the walnuts and
tho wine sang the ballad of "The
Drum" Eleven days later the sntego-
fiists met at Weehawken-the beauties
OF which, as sung by Halleck and Rob
ert O. Sands, the local poets Of the Pc
Rod, have long been destroyed. The
rocks on which the adversaries stood
have been made into blocks Of Weehaw-
Ken granite and pave the streets Of the
metropolis. William P. Van Ness, who
eight years afterward filed the Office
now filed by Judge Choate, was Burr's
second on that dark day, and Judge
Nathaniel Pendleton, the grandfather of
Senator Pendleton, was Hamilton's Sec
ond. Matthew L. Davis, "the spy at
Washington, journalist thought to be
closely connected with Burr, and the
famous DR.. Hosack waited in O dell be-
low the dueling ground near the waters
edge, where wonderingly sat the boat
men who had ferriOd the parties over.
| AT twelve PAGES the rivals faced each
other-Hanilton placed so that he took
bis last look at the city. Burr fred as
the lips of Judge Pendleton closed on
the word Present" and Hamilton was
shot dead before he could bring
his pistol to level. It is
doubtful whether he meant TO fire
at all on the first exchange of shots. for
when Judge Pendleton had inquired
"Shan I set the hair trigger ?" his prin-
cipal had meaningly said "Not this
time. The wound was soon pronounced
mortal by Drs. Hosack and Wright Post
and certain consulting surgeons of emi-
nence whom Gen. Key, the French Con-
sul, summoned from three French frig-
ates which had anchored In the harbor.
In thirty hours after the encounter
Hamilton was dead. Possibly his death
agonies, which the surgeons described
as acute, were intensified bv the re-
membrance that less than three years
previously y his eldest son, Philip. had
also been killed in duel. By his bed
side stood his fifth child, John Church
Hamilton, who still lives at the ace of
% years. Among the other children by
the bedside were Angelica, who died un-
married; Alexander, Jr., who left no
children James Alexander, who mar
ried Miss Mary Morris, and died at
Dobb's Ferry two or three years ago,
leaving four daughters and ono son'
Alexander, o distinguished lawyer;
William Stephan, who died bachelor
In California Eliza, who became Mrs.
Augustus Holly, and Philip, tho young
est, who married the daughter Of Louis
McLane, and whose son, DR.. Allan Nc
Lane Hamilton, is well-known phys-
ioian in this city. The verdict Of the
Coroner's jury, "that Aaron Burr, Vice
President of the United States, was
guilty Of the murder Of Alexander HAM
hton, and that William P. Van Ness
and Nathaniel Pendleton were accessor-
les, lies now among the nusty files of
the Court Of General Sessions.
YorE World