Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-03-05
OF handsome adullne features, with


he had the instincts of a vulture and
was eternally scheming for his own
personal qualification and aggrandize-
ment, reckless Of the ruin and misery
his selhshness wrought. His career had
been brilliant until when, as vice pres
ident Of the United States during Pres
ident Jefierson's first term, he imbrued
his hands in the blood Of Alexander
Hamilton and brought upon himself
the excavation Of his countrymen. II
was then he formed the Napoleonic
conception, andapparently feasible one,
Of Wrestling from Spain the empire Of
Mexico, and from the United States the
vast and almost unsettled solitudes Of
the Mississippi valley, there to organize
a magnificent empire, Of which he was
10 be imperator.
Burr had heard Of Blennerha sset!,
Of his wealth, and Of his influence over
the rapidly-incrrasing population Of
the Ohio valley, and he resolved to enlist
him in the enterprise. In the spring
OF the year 1905. Burr appeared upon
blennerhassett Island and was the re-
cipent OF distinguished attentions at
the hands Of its hospitable owners. It
rs not my purpose to follow in detail
Inc intrlgues and intricacles OF me
dealings between Burrand Blennerhas-
se't' sumce II 10 say that both most
ana hostess were charmen. nc was a.
ur'less az q enid ramli'ar WIN 'nc
secrets OF state' ne spoke OF .he prospect
Oh war WIN SPAN anu OF 'he ease VIVID
wnlcn .ne Mex,cans win li''ie neip.
m,env ,nro" on 'he spanish yoke ana
establish an ihdepenuen' government.
having taken 'he nrst sep, ne went
On MS way Inc next autumn, however,
burr ana MS Deautliui daughter, iheo-
oosia, maze q snort VISIT 70 the island,
ana IN the iohowing WINTER Mr. ana
ME- biennerhassett were lured east ior
.he purpose OF iurther interviews ana
IL Is presumed mat they entered into
sort OF partnership Tor landspeculation.
blennerhassett was incapable Of trea'
son. ana ~ cannot De doubted as II ap
peared af'erward al the triai, that Burr
adroitly yelled his real purpose from
nim by the projected land speculation.
In the summer OF 1906, Burr came
west, and active measures were taken
to organize an expedition. The In
triguer- had such influence with Blen-
nerhassett's wife that she readily per-
suaded her husband to pledge himself
for the payment Of expenses. Eateauy
sufficient to carry 500 men were built
and provisioned at Marietta, and Col.
Burr visited many settlements in Ohio
and Virginia to engage enterprising
and hardy young men as recruits, and
he speedily secured the required num-
per- Each emigrant was required to
Drlng q rlne ana a blanket The little
colony was organized with military pre-
''sion' Tor its leader w''s an accom-
plished soldier. Every one was to re-
ceivc he gift OF loo acres OF land Burr
told tnem That DISQUALIFICATION, who
was very popular IN the west, approved
OF tne expeditlon. Oonndentiy ne as
sured them that while their expedition
was a peaceiui one ana lis OBJECT the
settlement OF a vast tract OF land pur.
chased OF Baron Bastrop' stu
tnere was tne certainty OF war netween
'he unltea states ana SPAN, IN which
event. meA'co "ou'u free he'se,i' 'nu ms
'oiony "ou'u nave 'i'e 'noiu'ng Vi
'"nu eiupno on VIC ivuhua'',is VI
equa','y' anu .ney m'gh'en.
i''n themselves oeyonu 'ne ureains OF
'olnance'
meanwhile news OF buFrs dolngs nad
Teacneu 'he east ana fresldent JeHer-
Bon became alarmed. lie knew Aaron
BUM thoroughly, ana was well aware OF
MS amoition ana MS powers OF ittrlgue.
Inc governors OF onio ana virginia
were called upon 10 suppress the expe'
uitlon. Inc militla was called out, ana
tne poats ana stores were selzed' A DE-
tachment OF militia from Wood county,
va, landed upon the island became
drunk from the liquors IN the cellar,
ana pilagd and burned the house and
Burr ana blennerhas-
sett were Doth arrested Tor treason, ana
were tried ana acquitted
In the next two years Blennefhassett |
lost his island home, and he found him
self with family upon his hands, but
with his riches all gone, and in their
place mountain OF debts. However,
he learned enough to write book, in
which he involved not only Burr in tren
sonable acts, but also Gov. Aston, o.
South Carolina, Burr's son-in-l1w. Al
ston paid $4,000 rather than have the
book published. Bennerhassett then
undertook a cotton plantation near
but the war of 1912 ruined
and he removed to Canada.
Here he became bankrupt and was
forced to subsist until his death upon