The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-06-26
The Skeleton
In the Closet
Thereby Hangs a Tale.
By F. A. Mitchell


The city Of New York was founded
on the s~outhernmost point Of Manhat-
tan Island and first grew to the east
ward. Later 1t started up Broadway,
and the east side. as it Is called. fell
into %decadence. But till after the be-
ginning of the nineteenth century the
handsomest residences were in the
neighborhood Of the East river.
Some years ago workmen engaged in
tearing down an old dwelling near
Franklin square-in which Washington
lived when first inaugurated president
came upon a closet built in a wall
in which was a skeleton. How it got
there was a mystery. for there was no
opening to the closet. it being Enclosed
within fOur thick walls. The find was
referred to a historical society, which
appointed Heileger B%ogardus, an an
tiquarian. to investigate the whole
matter and report. The following is
extracted from the papers fled with
the society:
The fact that the skeleton was
found within four solid walls is easily
explained. The house was repairess
and altered during the last decade Of
the eighteenth century. and the wall
wherein was the door to the closet was
made whole. The apartment inclosed
was of such size that workmen would
not necessarily have eel what it con-
tanned. especially since there were no
windows to admit light in that part of
the house.
LAS to there being such q closet at
all. the story connected with it IA Il
sufficient explanation. for the opening.
which was walled up. was closed by a
sliding panel. What has not been sat
isfactorily explained is the use for
which the closet was designed. At
the time the house was built such Sc
cret chambers were not unusual. espe-
cially in the homes of those who were
in constant danger from some enemy.
But in America when the country was
first settled venue Of escape were
rather tunnels through which the set
tiers might save themselves from be-
sieging Indians. 1t seem probable
that the house in Franklin square was
thus provided by it's builder. Meinheer
Van Vranken. simply because he had
a similar closet in his residence in Rot
terdam. for it appears that his ances-
tors were prominent officials in the
Netherlands during that period when
the bloodthirsty Duke Of Alva held the
country in his grip"
concerning the skeleton found in the
closet. Meinheer Van Vranken came
to America in 1853. bringing with him
what was in those days a fortune.
Soon after landing he sen to Holland
for brick with which to build his resi-
dence and completed it in 1862. model
ing it after his home in Rotterdam.
ever to the secret closet. When it was
completed the house was the finest in
the city. which was then a Dutch town
and called New Amsterdam.
Now. it was in 1864 that the city
was captured by the English. the
Dutchmen refusing to make an effort
to defend it despite the prOtestations
Of their governor. Peter Stuyvesant.
who stamped with his wooden leg
and swore by st. Nicholas that they
were an arrant set Of towards. un-
worthy Of the protection Of their patron
saint.
This change in the government was
also a bitter pill for Meinheer Van
vranken to swallow. He was Dutch
from the crown of his head to the soles
Of his feet. and his ancestors. who had
been sailors. had fought the English
when the Netherlands were a power ON
the sea. Now. meinheer had a very
pretty daughter. Anneke by name. who
much more readily adapted herself to
the new country than her old father.
who could be content in it only SO long
as it was Dutch. When the English
landed many of the inha bitants Of New
Amsterdam went down to the Battery.
where the aquarium now stands. to see
them come ashore. Among them was
Anneke Van vranken. buxom and with
eyes as blue as the heavens above and
two ropes Of flaxen hair hanging down
her back.
One Of the boats which brought sup
plies ashore was commanded by Ralph
Eggleston. Il midshipman. nineteen
years old. three years Anneke's senior.
Though six feet in his stockings. he
ore the jacket Of n MILDLY. decorated
with brass buttons. that shOne re-
splendent in the sun and added to the
attractions of his handsome person. his
eye lighted upon Anneke. who stood
among those looking III. and .Anneke's
eye lighted on him. 70 her this young
man giving orders to ii dozen stllwart
men. who pheyrd mis- slightest com
manl. was little less than Il god. Bnt
the ynnnt man was IN duty and. nav
ing mninahpd his boat. set Of for his
ship. lying ont IN thu HndSnn river.
Busy as lie was. however. young Eg-
glestOn found time to give Anneke Van
vrankpn nm admiring glance. and In
return there was \ rapture In her eyes