The sun., 1891-05-10

THE MANSION AT MAsPETH.
tan. house, Is almost entirely preserved. but 10
seldom visited in our dnv except by beer par
tes from WiliamsburGh. who go to Grussy's
Clinton Park as 1t is called. 1t stands at the
corner Of Maspeth and Flushing avenues. and
Il can be seen distinctly by railroad travellers
standing 10 the left abovs old trees. many OF
which wore planted by Clinton.
Ientered q beer saloon in house Mt the
corner Of OF the park which was Immediately
adjacent to the Governors s,nble. and tho
woman there told me tina. might enter the
gate. but she thought could not visit Clin on 3
house. because 1t was tenement and con-
tanned several families, mainly foreigners.
Germans or Bohemians. or Poles or what not.
who occupied its different rooms both for work
and lodging. In a little while, however. the
proprietor OF the park. well-meaning person.
came through the gate and offered to show me
asmuch as was reasonable OF tho house, and
had all the opportunity that ! desired. except
10 enter the upper story. Even there could
see the stairway and found little como from
tho house except knocker and. perhaps, a
msntel which tho owner had allowed some
earnest visitors to purchase after their great
solicitations.
FORMER occuPANTs.
The property at Maspeth was the bower Of
Uin,on's carly and nearly unholy ambition.
Tho local story OF his house is that 1t WAS at
an early day the abode OF Judge Joseph
Backett Of the Court OF Common Pleas who
died twenty years before tho Revolution; next
Of Walter Franklin. an opuent merchant OF
New York. I'LL his death In $780, His daughter,
Maria. must have been an orphan therefore
whom Do Witt Clinton courted her. Tho third
tenant was Col. Isaac Corsa Of the French
war, a small juyenile-iookinR, intrepid fellow,
who was with the brothers Clinton ut the CAP
ture Of Fort Frontenac. He became a loyallst
In the Revolution. and having married Walter
Pranklin's sister, Sarah. he kent house here
and presumably received De Witt Clinton's
visits while, counting his niece. for he died at
Flushing in 1907. at the age Of 80. During the
Revolution the British General. Warren. quar-
tered in this house.
The Clinton House ia q bent-rooied or gam
brel-roofed mansion. made entirely OF wood,
with clspboards below and shlngle. probably
handmade. above. 1t has high cbimneys,
four In number. which rise from brick oven
heads, or jambs. built at the commence.
ment OF tho structure. The jambs are merely
trimmed with tho wentherboardlng. On three
sdes OF the house are yerandas. two stories
nigh with dexterously framed balusters. no
doubt made by hand. and rather fantastic in
thslr composition. The upper story lies partly
under the roof so that the rooms are bevellei
Aong inc roof edGes at nearly su fIloient height
LOT man 10 stand. but the dormer windows
come out nigh enough for one TO approach the
llsht anywhere. The front OF the building no
oouot raced Williamsburgh and tho meander.
ing XIII beneath, with tho water view of to the
eou1h"est lor there YOU still SOC remnants Of
'ne famous box bush and trees, exotic TO thIs
country thon IS now. The horse. or Indian
onsslnut tree the foreign poplar, the beech OF
sooppery or bronze foliage, great cherry trees
!amillar naples. bush trees OF various brlpht
eotts stand here and thero in the grounds. and
svme miRhty troes are said to be 200 years old.
Inc poisoning stumps have seon tho whole
atama' perhaps, OF New York city, from the
ume OF the Lesler and Mllbourne revolts. In
Mnas may be called the rear OF the house
wN1Fp the north or northeast you can SEQ the
nles OF trees no had planted, with reference to
'p'cia' points and clumps OF shade.
THE PRINCIPAL ROOMS.
!entored this house and found through tha
Natn OF 1t wainscoted hall, at the and n,
Mnlch was quaint old staircase Of ths Dntoh
'is. which made landing above and "a.
'ufned In order to mako the best OF. the low
sA'es Just underneath this landing. In n
room which had q wooden mantel, somewhat
seussd. was Clinton's paror, and here ba ra.
ssitsu his particular company. Across thu
uAi was his dining room. and in It soma mar.
Sa was strinRing up clothes to dry whom T
sa!ersi. At the end toward Newtoyn Is a con.
Nasrabls kitchen and q further sxtension.
Nasrs no dorbt the slaves had their merri.
leat before Clinton's children. for he was n
er OF slaves us slavery was not abolished
WI M'ne State OF New York until Tompkins's
.us' aud did not go entirely out OF vogue for
One years afterward
from this point toward Newtown there was
.. ~n Of plateau, sandy but high. with water
Isisos on each sldo OF 1t. and the ridge OF
Tug ,as Island near ut hand. and not far of
sh,., cemetery OF the Evergreens, through
MY. Va was the oass the British army took at
,ss. ' IN orler to fall in the rear OF the Ameri-
h,,S ana give them ballyhoo. That disastrous
s,,.' was earned fairly by the British for their
Aise' anl 1t came near terminating the
as.'cah soash conflict on this insular part OF the
isnuy little way from the Clinton house
,', Ms old Forman mansion. which once con-
tsss tsa cabinets OF curiositles. At no great dis
Nv" iSei tho Jones family. under one OF
,n 10 Witt Clinton studied law. Thought
,@'Selt AS wanderel through those grassy
Msnas how the labors OF mon often bury
h., h'elVes, Not one person In the Thousands
,,..ms come hero knows that Do Witt Clinton
""sd on the spot.
-. THuRLow WEEDS STORY.
s ae most Interesting "reminiscences. perhaps.
eo,S,' "d hlpgablsd house is that here. ac-
hW1%ak 70 Ihurlow We d. when Gov. Clinton
em.,ea won retired from all his many public
R.sslons. and was Welding someWhat to