The National tribune., 1901-02-14


escaped to the woods, and in disguise
tried to make his way toward Pensacola,
when the military commander at Fort
Stoddart was notified of his movements
by man who had seen the reward offered
for his arrest.
Never was Aaron Burr more cunning,
never was his fertile brain more busy with
schemes for his own escape and aSgrand-
izemefit AS he sat prisoner in his room
listening to the tread of the sentry guard
ing him, he tried to recount how many
great men history recorded as being I'M
prsoned for political purposes. lie ar
gued that in democratic Governments such
things often happened. He reasoned that
there was never Il man in Greece or Rome
of virtue and independence supposed TO
possess great talents, who was not the OBJ
ject of yindictiYe and restless perSecu-
ton.
Aaron Burr to the day of his death be-
lieved that he was destined to be one OF
the great men in the worlds history. a
man of unbounded egotism, and decidedly
loose morals, he still claimed to be gen
tleman. and assumed i virtue which he
never possessed.
He was still reading in his prison room
when he heard a grOan in an adjoining
apartment He listened moment, ana
ascertained that some one was SICK IN the
next ROOM This sick man was brother
of Capt. Gaines, and the prisoner saw an
opportunity to use his marvellous powers
TO some purpose. Laying down his book,
he entered the apartment and advanced to
the bedside of the sick brother of his cap
tor. He spoke tenderly to the sufferer IN
uuired his complaint, felt his pulse, told
him he had travelled much and knew some
thing of medicine, and offered ms services.
THE sick man revived under the gentle
touch and encouraging tones, and entered
into conversation. with the distinguished
nurse. Burr made many inquiries or the
patient, who was a Choctaw trader, re-
specting the Indians their ways, and conn
merce. The conversation was slnguiarly
cheerful and pleasant, and completely won
the good will of the sick merchant.
Next day Col. Burr was presented to
the wife of the commandant, dined with
the family, played several games of chess
with the lady, and bore himself IN all re-
spects as he would have done in draw
ing-room of Philadelphia or New York.
All his magnetism and powers of fasclna-
ton were brought to bear upon the people
who held his destiny in their hands, and
had not Capt Gaines possessed will OF
iron he would have yielded as did others.
Every night he sat by the bedside OF Mr..
Gaines, administering his medicines, and
cheering him by his animated, lntelhgent
conversation. he had the charming quar-
tiles of a serpent, and woe to the victim
who Welded to his seductive wiles-it was
dishonor and DEATH The patient, whose
will had been weakened by fever, became
much attached to Burr, and deeply
moufned his many misfortunes: though, IN
ell their intimacy and fondness, Burr
never made the slightest allusion to his
present troubles. He was too shrewd for
that. Like the cunning schemer that he
was, he presented the smooth, uncom-
planning exterior of a martyr. Day by
day the prisoner mingled gayly in the mar
row circle of the fort, played games of
chess, won everyone's heart, and appeared
to give himself no concern respecting the
future Nor did he ever give himself any
concern for the unfortunate young men
whom he had seduced from their homes
with golden promises and awakened am
bitions.
Two weeks passed. Capt Gaines had
resolved to send his prisoner direct to the
seat of Government, thousand miles dis
tant, almost half of which lay through
a nearly-unbroken wilderness. He had
been busy during those two weeks in prep
aration for the expedition for the safe con-
duct of the prisoner, and on the 9th of
March his arrangements were completed
and the journey began. The tears of the
ladies of the fort fell fast, as Col. Burr,
escorted by a file of soldiers, went
down to the shore and embarked
on board the boat provided for the
ascent Of the Alabama. So sllillfully
had Col. Burr enwrapt himself about the
hearts of the people that he left no en-
emies behind. The men could have no i'll
will for one whose offense had been de-
sire to terminate the hateful rule of the
Spaniards; and the weaker sex were al
ways his friends. The dangers Of the
Burr conspiracy were not appreciated in
those days Those soldiers and frontiers |
men little dreamed that the conspiracy |
which to them only meant the overthrow
of the hated Spanish Government was
really intended to sap the life blood of the |
new Republic. Had Burr succeeded, our Re
public would have gone 30 pieces, or at this
day been a weak, insignificant mockery
of human liberty, instead of menace to
the crowned heads of Europe. But God |
intended the Western Hemisphere for peo-
pie with intelligence sufficient for seif-gov
ernment, and not for kings, and one by
one the monarchies and dependencies on
monarchies are being swept away. Burr's
ambition and selfishness emnently fitted
him for a moHarchist. One so unscrupu-
lous and uRpatriotic that while soliciting
favors from his Nation was trying to stab
1t, was fitted 10 be monarchist.
As the boat, with its crew of soldiers, |
glided past the few houses on the rivers |
hank. all the ladies' waved their handker- |
chiefs, except those who were obliged to
put them TO a more tender use. One of
the ladies of Alabama named her infant
Aaron Burr; and he was not the only
young gentleman in the Southwest who
bore through life a similar record of the
disgraceful events amid which he was
born.
Above Lake Tensas the party disem-
barked, and the prisoner was formally
given into the custody of the EIard who
were to conduct him through the wilder
ness to the Atlantic States. This guard
consisted of nine men, commanded by the
redoubtabe Perkins, who had selected and
equipped the party. Before taking their
final plunge into the forest Perkins, fear
full of Burr's fascinating powers took his
band aside, warned them of the danger,
required from each a solemn promise TO
steel his soul against the prisoners win
ming arts, and, indeed, to avoid all CONVEX
sation with him, except such as would be
strictly necessary. Ali having given their
word Of honor to the effect required, the
order was given to prepare for an imme-
diate start.
To plunge into the unfathomable for
ests of the great Southwest in those DAYS
was by no means q pleasant thought, and
1t required men of courage to do it. The
hardy pioneers Of almost q century ago
were men of iron, who did what the bold
est would today shrink from. The pris-
oner still wore the dress in which he fed
from the Mississippi. 1t consisted of
coarse homespun pantaloons of the color
OF copperas, q jacket of common drab