Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-05-05
PISTOLS IN BURR-HAMtLTO
DUEL.
Same Were Used at Death of Genera
Son.

Same were USED at Death of General
Son.
Since the publication in the Sun
three letters new to the public desert
ing the last hours of Alexander Ham
ton, the statement made then tn;
Maj. Richard Church of Belvidere,
y, had the pistols used in the Bur
Hamilton duel has been question:
Possibly the half-dozen or MOI
owners of duelling pistols which the
believe were used on this occasio
may be acting in good faith, but nc
statements show that they are mi
informed. From Maj. Church the Su
has secured the following memora1
dunn, which was filed away with th
duelling pistols and which is a.
thentic:-.
These pistols were brought to tbj
country by John B. Church when h
returned here in 1897, he having pu
chased them in London whilst Their,
| When Col Burr challenged him. h
belng the challenged party, of course
mad the right to the choice of weapon
and used those pistols in that due
which took place at Weebawken NJ n
September Z, 1899.
The cause of this duel was mis-
AT a dinner by Chancellor Livingston
John B. Church, after the cloth wa.
! removed, in the course of converse
ton, mentioned a report that he MAJ
feard at Albany, from where he hat
just returned, that the Holland lanc
company had Cancelled bona for 500
600 against Col. Burr, for services
rendered in the legislature.
This reached the ears of Col. Barr
VINO demanded an apology. John B,
Church declined any further than To
say that perhaps he was indiscreet n
repeating the accusation without
fuller authority. This was not ac-
cepteL
The challenge was sent. They met
and exchanged shots without effect
The ball from Mr.. Church's pistol
struck button from Col. Burr's coat
and passed through his vest. Col
Burr then received the explanation
which Mr.. Church had previously
made, remarking that an explanation
might be received as satisfactory
a1ter shots had been exchanged that
would not have been admissible 5e-
fore
They were afterward, on January
10, 1902, used in the duel between
Philip Hamilton Ca son of Gen. Hamil
tom and j. G.. Eckert. Philip Haun-
ton being challenged had the choice
@. weapons. My father, Philip Church.
was Philip HamiIton's second on this
occasion. The duel was fought on
the same spot, where Col. Burr AMI
John B. Church met. Philip Hanil
ton was killed.
The same pistols were used again
in the duel between Gen. Hamilton
and Col. Aaron Burr on the same
ground at Weehawken, where the two
previous battles had been fought, on
July IL, 1904. Gen. Hamilton was
mortally wounded and died next day.
July II, at Mr.. Bayard's house in New
York, where he was taken i'm
|mediately after the duel
<AAI0A LIS uCdLA LIS T0mdlnS were
taken to the house of John B. Church
(hls brother-in-law), and from there
to Trinity church.
It is claimed by many of Col. Burrss
friends that he furnished the pistols,
he being the challenging party had. no
right so to do, and it would have
been against all rules of the code.
My fathers statement to me about
this duel was as follows:
When Gen. Hamilton accepted the
challenge from Col. Burr he said to
John B. Church, his brother-in-faw
(they having both married daughters
of Gen. Philip Schuyler =
What weapons am I to user AS
the challenged party he had the right
to select the weapons
Why not use the same pistols {
fought Burr with?' suggested, which
he declined to do.'
My father, Philip Church, inherited
the pistols from his father, John b.
Church. | inherited them from my
father, and they are now in my pos
session. MY father was private Sec
rotary to Gen. Hamilton York
Sun