The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-07-09
Woman Traitor
of C~0nfederacy

Hickory, n. C,-Richmond, Virginia
is not merely a beautiful city; it ia
the historical city Of the south. From
the day Patrick Henry's war-cry Of
Liberty or Death" went up from old
st. Johns church, events during the
Revolutionary war marked her 80
plainly as the center of the state that
it was a mere mater of course that
that she should supersede Williams
burg as the capital capital, and from
that time through al 1.-THE generations
since she has been making history
the very poetry and omanc OF his
tory.
A collection of historical sketches
of events during certain epochs would
make sensational reading that would
cast most yellow journalism into the
shade.
Foremost among these stories may
lbe placed that of the career of Miss
Van Lew, daughter of Old Peter Van
Lew, sometimes a merchant OF Phil
a delphia.
He was as the name formerly spelt
Van Lieuw) indicated "a Hollander by
birth, Or descent.
Early in the century he came to
Richmond and married a lady from
Hanover. She was connected by birth
and marriage with some of the very
first Virginia families, first, not mere
ly in wealth and long descent but in
piety, culture, patriotism.
Van Lew was rich and before his
marriage he built for his bride a mag
nificent home in Richmond. Construc-
ted in the best style of antebelum ar
chitecture, it's grand halls, it's COL
umned p~orticoes, deep as chambers,
it's walls constructed to keep out win
ter's cold and summers heat, made it
an ideal residence. A covered way
connected with the quarters" which
were as comfortable as many a bet
ter class home of today,
In the cellar were the large DINING
room, running the length of the house
and the store rooms for wines, etc.
In summer the wines were cooled in
A brick vault specially constructed for
the purpose.
No less thar 4 acres of ground were
attached to the house. Shaded with
giant trea5, carpeted with velvet turf
broker by beds of rare flowers, these
grounds were as paradise to weary
visitors from the heated business por-
ton of the city.
Lew kept open house. Hospital
ity unstinted was lavished upon al
who came to THIS beautiful HON seat,
ed above the magnificent panorama
of lane and sea, which rivers and bay
Spread before the watcher from porti
co Or roof.
But certain things about this house
were known only to old Van Lev
and his brilliant sagaciOus daughter
Running the length of the house
back of the atticks where no observe
would have suspected it's existence
was a long low room, large enough t.
conceal a number of men, whose en-
trance was so cunningly hidden in tn
panelled waistcoat that it could no
be discovered ave by the n VIII
alone knew how to use the secre
spring that moved it. Why the oil
man built it has never been know.
whether his farsightedness saw trou
bled times before the south, whethe
he remembered the Kidding Eime
when when every Protestant in Ell
rope held his life in terror OF thes
things. he spoke to nom save tt
seemingless bright and careless gi
on whom he set his heart, such hea
as be possessed.
Furthermore. beneath the great dill
ming room was a secret trap door, an
underneath this a stairway leading
another secret chamber.
This communicated with the COvert
way leading to the quarters and
the stables, where the splendid hors
of which the old man was so prot
passed there pampered lives
Years, went on, old Van Lew "
gathered unto his fathers, and t
home passed by his will to his daug
ter.
She gathered about her the leadi
lights Of literature, science and fas
ion in Richmond. She kept up the {
lavish hospitality of the house. No "
man in Richmond was more highly
teemed than Miss Van Lew. When S
had passed her maturity the da
DAYS came. civil war broke over t
south. Richmond was beleaguei
Then who so anxious for her countr
welfare. who so ardently for Virg
las glory, who so eagerly hospita
to Lee. Stuart and their officers