Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-16

ANluGAGGu lGLlCiat yellow WIKI age, QateQ
Amsterdam, 1871, and written by Aaron
Burr to John Vanderlyn the artist aud
Burr's protege, have been uuearthed among
the papers of the Malley family Of King
ston, n. v
They we're originally in the possession of
Dominic Robert L. Gossman, of the Dutch
Reform Church OF Kingston, who received
them from Vanderlyu at the artists death
in 1858.
Dominic Gossman gave them to Malley,
Sr., with bundle of other papers, and in
turn they were bequeathed TO Albert NAL
ley, of Brooklyn
The letters were written from Burr to
to VauderlYu, who was then in Paris, at the
time when, after three years of exile fol-
lowing his trial for treason Burr was plan
ming and schemiug with painful eagerness
to reach his native land again
Sleeping in dime lodgings, dining upon
free lunches at the Hole in the Wall. "
pawniug his watch and books, elated with
schemes of a vast fortune to be made bv
extracting vinegar from wood ceaseIessly
active, always the gay Lothario-the true
little Burr appears in these Vanderlyu
letters in the strange and picturesque garb
of reality.
Through all of them thread of amours
"a
was in Amsterdam he continued love max
ing to Mime. St Claire in Paris and never
long forgot the duchesses and barrnaids
who had captivated his fancy in every CAV
capital in Europe.
John Vauderlyu, TO whom the letters are
addressed, was one of the early American
painters who attracted attention abroad,
and who owed his success originally to the
kindness of Aaron Burr.
In all the range Of American history no
Character has been so picturesque so de-
spised and probably so little understood as
Aaron Burr Two facts alone have obscured
the remainder Of his phenomenal story. He
killed Alexander Hamilton in duel and
was tried for treason. and morally but not
j udicially con victed in 1907.
In the midst of prosperity and gavetv
came the fatal duel with Hamilton on the
heights of Weehawken one June morning
n 1904. Burr never to the end of his life
comprehended the storm OF indignation
which rose about his head when Hamilton
died For months he was fugitive under
an indictment for murder He came back
finally and finished his term Of Vice Presi
dent boldly. and even with eclat.
After that, restless, ambitious, bounded
by creditors, he conceived the reasonable
He planned TO free Mexico, separate some
of the Western and Southern states from
the Union and establish an American mon
arehy, with capital at New Orleans
Burr was assisted in this by Harman
Blennerhasset Theodosia, Burr's daugh
ter and her husband Aston, were also
drawn innOceutly into the scheme. A tract
OF land from which to direct operations was
purchased by agreement for $4,000 on the |
Washita River
The plot was discovered and Aaron Burr's
famous trial for treason took place at Rich
mond, Va, in 1907. Burr was acquitted
upon a curious verdict of mot proven
guilty"
He became a penniless wanderer in Ru-
rope, for public distrust of him literally
drove him from America
No sooner had he arrived than he begins
20 write in the following fashion to Wander
lyn, his painter protege:
Amsterdam, Aug, I5II.-Thursday l
asked you to lgive me news Of the beauti-
tul d. c., and received news the day
after.
After having settled your own business
with her gave you permission to kiss her |
more than twenty times for me
I'VE will make a choice of plan. and I
beg madame to let me know Of her own
hand how you will have accom- plished the |
mission. RI
AT this time Burr was domiciled with an
other Of his women. whom he called |
Annie, as the following letter shows
Amsterdam, Sunday Morniug-I regret |
that ma belle Annie cannot honor you by /
her presence to-day. nor can we now agree 7
upon day, ETC., etc A.B"
This beautiful Annie is mentioned in other
letters. All Of Burr's women friends were
beaubful-to him at least.
Amsterdam, Sept, I8rG.-I can't helm
pitying you a little for the Violette affair
You deserve, however, to be -. YOU
hend, to leave ambrosia and nectar 10 feast
on tripe and small beer TO descend from
Venus to yahoo. If were there would
endeavor to inspire la belle with the idea of
a double vengeance.
Always say something of la belle C.
etc, etc. A.B."
Kiss the fair hand Of the lovely c. for
me-" embrace la belle c. for me and ask
her prayers" he adds in other letters
Burr was as superstitious as a woman.
and to Vanderlyn he writes Of his watch:
AMSTERDAM, Sept. 7, 1871.
I put the repeater in the hands of
matchmaker here. Il was opened in INV
presence, and we found a tooth broken in
one of the repeating wheels It is a bad
omen"
Theodosia and some pictures which Van.
derlyu has agreed to paint of her are men
toned half dozen times
AMrERDAM, Aug, 1871.
AT last you see me in my port of EN-
barkation. The ship Vigilant sailed about
three days before my arrival. But don't be
alarmed. She has gone only to the Texel,
whittier we are to follow in a few days.
perhaps about the 18th. think you may
count on our being here yet eight days
This will afford time for me to receive
the enamel copy Of Theodosia, If done, and
the damaged piece, which can't forgive
Your letter Of the 2oth Of July is re-
ceiyed here, also the bundle Of clothes, in
which is found all that you mentioned to
have iuclosed. The lady will have an ac-
knowledgment from under my hand for her
condecension and goodness. which is ez-
ceedingiy aattenug Till that shall be
done you are to say nothing.