Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-20

Burr were wont 10 gamer, II was tNeTe
that a council of war was held just prior
to the battle of Long Island; 1t was there
that numerous secret meetings were held
by the men who made for the world It's
first great republic.
There Great Men Met.
As the nation grew 1t was there that
John Adams, James Knox Polk. Andrew
jackson and many others of fame dined
and wined. Washington Irving as a boy
played beneath the old oaks in the rear
OF the tavern. With the exception OF
Fraunce's tavern it was the favorite gath
ering place of the men of a by.gone day.
The place antedates Fraunce,s by consid-
erably more than a quarter of a century.
havoc. The place can be restored. Tor those
old Dutch bricks. brought over, to New
seventeenth century, withstood the fierce
heat. Black from smoke. they are yet In
tact. and on some of them yesterday could
be seen quaint marks in Hollandish. But
the interior of the tavern is almost de-
stroyed. The old doors are mostly burned
through, the greater part of the heavy
there are but few remnants OF the Dutch
chairs that had been built and rebuilt time
which has stood for two centuries In the
main room of the house. was not de-
stroyed, and the floors. made Of wood so
n nail into 1t. are burned through only in
places. Many antiquarianS visited the
scene yesterday and gaZed sadly at the
ruins. Some tried to take away relics. but
the fremen on guard vigorously prevented
this.
trunk and branches, devoid of every ves-
tige of foliage. stood two trees. The larger
of the two oaks. which leans in its great
age at an angle of 20 deg. to the south.
was the cynosure of the eyes of visitors.
This tree. supported against the furies
is known to be over $50 years of age.
First Blood for Liberty.
I. ,-,s ,bis tree .bot offarad sboJa IN tho
Sons of Liberty who fell in the encounter
with the British soldiery on the afternoon
of January 10. ITO, two months before the
eo-called first blood of the Revolution"
was shed at the Boston massacre.
This old house is shown on a map made
and dedicated to John Montgomerie. cap
tain general and governor-in-chief of New
this map was made William street, south
of Maiden lane, was known as Smith
street; John street, east OF william street,
street as Fair street. and what is now
Gold street was known as Vandercliffe
street. The land through which these
streets ran toward the East river was
called Golden Hill. a portion of Golden
Hill was known as Pasture
within five years of the last Dutch gov
ernor. Peter Stuyvesant. 1864. and it was
four Years later as.s; Wnen .n the , dutch !,
until November 10. 1854. when by the treaty
between England and Holland It was given
10 Inc fnEllSn anu III Z 1oI n
in honor of the Duke of York.
The earliest parchment indenture in
which this property is mentioned was eX.
ecuted by Heiltie. widow of Cornelius Clop.
per. who died In 1863. and Suradt Olphardt
her second husband, and Is addressed:
TO all Ntian (meaning Christian) people
20 whom these presents come"
Gerardus Hardingbrooke, who took the
title of the house and land from Heiltit
olphardt. died in 172s, perhaps prior tc
that, for I'm that year his executors con.
veyed the property to Wynant Van Zandt
The property remained In the Van Zand
family until 1110. when II passed into TIL,
hands of Joshua Delaplaine. who thre,
years later conveyed 1t TO Samuel Clifford
The property has never changed hand:
since that time, lbs years ago, for it 1;
now owned by the grandson of Samue
Clifford. Thomas b. Clifford. of Licking
ton avenue and Forty-siXth street.
A Legend of Blood.
There is an interesting legend connected
with the building of the house. It Is mad
of the little old Dutch brick used as bal
last In a vessel which started from HOLLAND
for this country and was captured on tn
high seas by the English and converte,
iuto a SLAYER. The bricks alone were lief
In the vessel before "a cargo of slaves wa