Telegram-herald., 1889-10-20

Ia contrast with the sork for shich they
~eEs (. alg11E.
EaE2llE0l boat vs. seen q a.
proach. SAYS Parton In his LIFE of
Aaron Burr A fen minutes before =
is touched the rocks, ard Eamilton and
his ssoond &scen6ed The principals and
seconds exchanged the rs - sal. ..tions,
and ths seconds pFoceeded Immediately
% make the usual preparations. They
measured ten feI PAGES. then cast lots
for the choice q position and 20 decide
who should give the word The lot ia
both cases fell 70 Gen Hasailton's seoond.
who chose the upper ems 0f the ledge for
his principal, which sI shat hour of ths
day could n0t have been u the best. for
the reason that the morning sun and the
nashing Il the riyer would 10th interfere
With the sight Tie pistols were then
loaded and the principals placed Hamil-
ton looking over the riv Z toward the
city. and Burr turned g. - ards the heights
under which they stool As Pendleton
gave Hamilton his pistols he asked.
"Niii you have the hairs riag setg7
Not this time, WAS the quiet reply.
PendletOn then explained % both
principals the rules which had been
agreed upon with regard 10 the firing.
After the word present" they were 10
fire as soon as they pleased. The seconds
then withdrew q the usual distance.
THE WORD GIVEN.
"Are YOU ready sail PeudietOn.
Both answered in ths affirmative. 4
moments pause ensUed. Word was
given. Burr raised his pistol, took aim
and fired. Hamilton sprang upon his
toes with a convulsive movement, recled
a little toward the heights. az which mo-
ment he inyoluntarily discharged his
pistol and then fell forward headlong on
his face and remained motionless on the
ground. His ball whi5tled among the
branches se sen feet above the head Of
his antagonist and four feet wide Of him.
Burr heard il, looked up and saw where
ithad severed q twig. Looking at Hamil-
ton he behcld him falling. and sprang
towards him with an expression Of pain
on his face. But az the report Of the
pistols Dr. Hosack. Mr. Davis and the
bOafman hurried anxiOuslv up the rock
10 the scene Of the duel. and Van Ness.
with presence OF mind, seized Burr,
shielded him from observation with an
umbrella and urged him down the steep
10 the boat. II was pushed off immedi-
ately and rowed swiftly back 10 Rich
mond Hill, where Swartwout, with feel
ings that may be imagined, received his
unhurt chicf-a chief no more.
Hamilton's first words on reviving
were 10 announce that his wound was
mortal. 1t was long remembered and
fondly related by his friends that his
next utterance was 10 warn those with
him against the pistol which was still
undischarged, and then to declare that
he did not intend 10 fire at Burr. He was
tenderly conveyed 10 his home. where
the awful intelligence had preceded him
but 4 few moments.
Bulletins, hourly changed, kept the
city in agitation. All the circumstances
Of the catastrophe were told and retold
and exaggerated at every corner. The
thrilling scenes that were passing at the
bedside of the dying man, the consulta-
tions of the physicians, the arrival Of the
stricken family, Mrs. Hamilton's over
whelming sorrow, the resignation and
the calm dignity of the illustrious suf-
ferer, his broken slumbers during the
night, the piteous spectacle Of the seven
children entering together the awful
apartment. single look the dying father
gave them before he closed his eyes,
were all described with amplification
and produced an impression that can
only be imagined. He fingered thirty
one hours. The duel was fought on
Wednesday morning. At o'clock on
Thursday afternoon Hamilton died.