Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-23
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERIcAs
 HISTORY
THE BLENNERHAssErs AND THEIR
 MIsFoRTUNEs.

When Aaron Burr saw visions of the establishing of a great empire in the west, he naturally enlisted as many men of means as possible to help carry out his treacherous scheme. For the most part these men were misled and believed they were entering into a colonization scheme that had the full sanction of the govern ment. Burr had deceived them and sadly were they compelled to pay for his per- fidy.
 One of these men who was deceived was Harman Blennerhasset, an English man, who came to America in 1797, and soon after his arrival settled on an island in the Ohio river about 14 miles below Marietta. With what money he possessed he was able to turn the desoIate but pie turesquely located place into a veritabie paradise, and here he and his wife lived, surrounded by all the luxuries that he was able to transport to this out of the way place.
 When Burr was laying his plans for his empire he picked upon Blennerhasset as one to assist him. The Englishman, it would appear from history, was entirely innocent Of any wrongdoing when he al- l lowed Burr to talk him into assisting him l in his venture Burr made the journey to ! the Blennerhasset home 1nannounced,
 
 had as guest former vice president of the United State she felt complimented, and the affabIe manner of Burr not only attracted Blennerhasset and his wife but everyone with whom he came in contact. | After invelgling, the Englishman into | his scheme, the expedition was prepared to descend the Ohio and take possession of the country. In the meantime Presi- dent Jefferson heard of 1t and became alarmed He knew Aaron Burr perfectly
 and was well aware of his ambition and
 his powers of intrigue.
 In November Jefferson sent out a secret agent to report concerning the proceed ings, and the result was that the gover-
 nor of Ohio was ordered to suppress the
 military expedition by seizing the boats
 MT. Blennerhasset. when he heard of the
 opposition to the expedition, decided to relinquish the whole enterprise, but Mrs | Blennerhasset was very ambitious and
 had entered into the scheme with all the enthusiasm of her nature. Had her hus. band followed the dictates of his owr judgment, he would have been saved
 from one of the most dreadful tragedies
 which ever befell a family.
 MT. Blennerhasset, in the minds of thu
 western assembly, was criminaIly guiltJ ! of assisting Burr and learned with mucf
 alarm that a body of militia was to b, sent to the island to seize the boats, ar , rest him. and all the men there. Not moment was to be lost. There was nt !, knowing what outrages these lawless mel ' might infiict upon . family whom the] } denounced as traiotrs.
 } MT. Blennerhasset and the few mel } with him immediately embarked on boar r the boats to escape arrest. In tn 3 meantime Mrs. Blennefhasset with he children remained on the island. The sol ) diers upon arrival IbeSaved like savagei 7 They took possession of the house ,riote l through it's elegant apartments, seize
 upon all the family stores, became drum Q with the wine and whiskey they found i . the cellar, and committed outrages whic 8 would have disgraced a band of savages f Thus passed seven days of horror. Ii At length a warm friend of the fatnil, = A. W. Putnam, ventdred upon the islan e to render such assistance as might be i 7. his power to the heroic woman. He pft ,- vided her with hat-bottom boat,
 which she stored a few articles of fui e niture. and she made her flight down tt .- river to join her husband.
 ,-i All restraint upon the island being the IT taken away, the brutal, drunken soldiei e ransacked the mansion of all It's COT D tents. Whatever they could not carr n away they destroyed. Ruthless destru l. ton had swept the entire place when the je had finished. The mansion itself vi
 finally burned to the ground.
 70 Blennerhasset, though vigorously pu st sued, succeeded in making his escape. l l. the mouth of the Cumberland river It wife joined him. Finally both Blenhe