The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1902-09-25
Brief Sketch Of BIennsrhassett
Edilor Of the ReveiIIe:


appeared an article relative to the find.
ing OF a petition Of Harman Blenner-
hassett TO the Legislature Of Mississippi
forthe remission of the penalty Of $500
imposed upon him and his son, Domi.
mic. for assault and battery on one John
Hays in Claiborne county in the year Of
1918.
Having the early records Of this coun.
ty at hand and being desirous TO know
the facts concerning this case referred
to bv Director Dunbar Rowland of the
historical department of Mississippi. !
spent few idle hours in searching the
old worm eaten records OF the circuit
clerks Office, tracing this interesting
case through the courts Of Claiborne
county, to a change Of venue to the
court house in Greenville. the then
county seat Of Jefferson county, Miss.
where a trial and conviction was had
and said penalty Of $500 imposed.
Thinking that the facts concerning
this trial might prove Of interest 10 some
Of your readers. as a matter Of early his
tory relating 10 this man who was mys-
teriouslY associated with Aaron Burr's
expedition down the Mississippi, give
them as taken from the minutes Of the
"Superior Court Of 1918" now Of record
in the circuit clerks Office at Port Glib.
son, lo-wit:
On the minutes Of Tuesday. March
10th, 1913, it appears that a "True Bill
Indictment" against Hartman Bleuner-
hassett aud Dominic Blenuerhasselt was
returned into court on a charge of "As-
sault and Battery with intent to kill"
one John Hays.
on Thursday, March I7th, 1918, both
Of the defendants were arraigned on
said charge and plead not guilty.
Counsel for the defendants thereupon
made a motion for the change Of venue,
offering afidavits AMI testimony to show
that fair aud impartial trial could not
uI ndu III (AdlpDAuC EUWHkVs
The court sustained said motion and
the case was accordingly transferred to
Jefferson county for trial, where a con-
viclion was bad, as Is shown by the pc
tition, found at Jackson by Director
Rowland, for the remission Of the pen
atty.
On Thursday, the I2th day Of March,
1913. Hartman Blenuerhassett and his
son entered into bond in the snm of
$1,000 zach, for their appearance "before
the Judge Of the Superior Court Of Ief-
ferson County to be holden at the Court
House thereof at Grsenville, on Mon
day, the I7th day Of March. 1878"
It also appears Of record that the fol-
lowing witnesses were required to give
a bond Of $500 each for their appearance
at said time and place 10 testify as wit
uesses for the Stale In said case, to.wit
John Hays, Thos. Rogers, Hector Nc
John McEachron, Johu Muir
doch, Sr., John Morris, James Dennis,
Psrmenas Briscoe. Sam'l. cobui n. Jas.
Maxwell, Abraham Barnes, Willie Bra
zeale and James Barton.
The assault referred to above must
have taken place after Blenuerhasselt
left Claiborne county, for il is a matter
OF record that on the 26th day Of Decem-
ber, 1874. he sold his La Cache planta-
tion, "including horses, cattle, farming
implements, one slave fellow named
Jasper, one slave wench named Louisa,
and his library 10 Lyman Harding of
Natchez. who was in all probability
Blenner hassetts attorney in the crimi-
nal prosecution, though this point is
uot made clear by the record.
FROM the best information at hand,
we learn that Harmau Blennerhasse,t
was quite literary man, being a gradu
ate of Trinity College, Dublin, and hav-
ing the degree of Doctor Of Laws con-
ferred on him in 1890
A short time after this he married
Margaret Agnew, who (according to
chAs +. Pidgin, author Of the historical
romance, "Blennerhasseti,' was his
own niece.
It is supposed that this vas his reason
for leaving his native land so suddenly,
and why he was not welcomed by rela-
iives and friends when lie returned.
They moved to New York iu 1897 au1
settled on Bleunerhassetts Island, in
the Ohio river, in 1898.
It was here that Blennerhassett first
met Aaron Burr, who, through Margaret
Blennerhasseti, interested Harman Blen-
uerhasseit In his Dream OF Empire. a
mystery that "Sherlock Holmes" could
not have unraveled, for it has never
been made clear as to what was the OBJ
iect OF Burr's expedition.
The closing chapter came with the ar
rest OF Blennerhassett at Naichez, in
January, 1907, by order of Governor
cowles Mead. commanding The arrest Of
"Mischievous persons about Natchez
who eviuce a hostile feeling to the Gov
erument and show great partiality for
the man now in custody of the law
aaron Burr.)
After his arrest BIeunerhassett was
sent to Richmond and finally dis
charged.
With the remnant OF his fortune Blen.
nerhasselt purchased the plantation
about seven miles southeast OF Port
Gibson, which he called La Cache, the
deed OF conveyance being acknowledged