DAILY TRIBUNE. frUJS-UAT. DIISE 8, Xi iNEW-YOKK HAVE FORMED AN ASSOCIATION IN THIS IS THE LATEST NEW YORK COUNTY WHOSE SONS CITY. COLUMBIA these coarse mirjiti do under Ihave teen \u25a0*>>< . to during this trial? Iacknowledge th« js'*" COLUMBIA COUNTY, ASSOCIATION. violated the decorum of this court. and shtviM Z* THE LEADING MEMBERS OE THE punished. But Ipray your Honor not to d^ SOME OF by punishment In the common , me Jan. far"—rS COUNTY ~OF~COLDIBIT that Icannot endure that. Ibee your -*" so Car modify the sentence of the court aitr •»? fllct a fine upon me—lcare not how term \u2666?" amount may be. The example of s«ueh a "-1*„',\ be sufficient, and Iam sure Justice would OF ITS SOXS dlcated.' >"•••«*-"be ORGANIZATION judge "But the was firm and inexorable— th» \u25a0.. _ MADEHOMES personification of justice In the act of t«m .".\u25a0** WHO HAVE due punishment. Amid the profound. «SSS stifling, silence, the Sheriff obeyed, and in hi*7,-i! prominent METROPOLIS. tody two of the most lawyer:— of th IX State passed out of the courthouse, and rra'\u25a0!* incarcerated. MC3 "Before the opening of court that morning Juris. Esmonds had received an invitation to spend « PRESIDENT VAN evening with ex-President Van Buren at Lind«n THE BIRTHPLACE OF wald. John was to be his companion on the"vt«i-* The morning after the day spent In Jail, dtzrinz » BUREN AND SAMUEL J. TILDEN- recess. Van Buren approached the bench. laid*>.« arm carelessly but easily upon it.and. in his cec'u SCENE OF ANTI-BENT RIOTS— liar manner, remarked: 'I hope jour Honor •* last night.* s"l<»n« well'• LEGENDS OF "As there was nothing to disturb my * I* CO- certainly reply. slumbers most•' did.' was the LONIAL DAYS. 'I thought, perhaps. It might be possible that your conscience, your sympathy, or the thoughts of our unenviable position might disturb your slum, Columbia, one of the largest and most prosperous' said Van Buren. with a characteristic bers.* continued, mail . of the Hudson River counties, is the latest to be •But.' he 'the law Is now vindicated- — >~- '• Be" """•—'•— my offence, at least. is atoned. Isuppose, Jwj£. by organization a associ- -- Jaml honored the of New-York — ***-; arrangement to visit the old man _ , >\u25a0 our is \u0084, c.a., : ». *m—i »t*a ia ation of her sons. There are many men of promi- rs^r^xrzLXxsi'- P\u25a0 cenoe is the business and professional life of the -

-g3 H. Por.e,; 7, Gernon, S. Jot. 8. M-to». <*\u25a0>«. T. P.....; 10. Dr. W. K. SU.ps»n. Sh™.n *Ev,,- D. C,-. ; =. «-. M.PoweU: 6. E»Be™8c™ B. 8. IM\u25a0—*<**«W. Van **»2. **»« B*>t: delighted to see me was gone, kept up perhaps that its State and a son of President Van Buren. was as- force. He will be uada tft« S. as parents of the Middle West hold out occupation sisting the District Attorney in prosecuting "Big circumstances, and. Judge, Ithink his respect for grew up within her boun- the year are Jacob F. Miller, president; Jacob ambition hold its vote ready for sale to aspir- you. whole, diminished •city who -were born or the story of Lincoln, the rail splitter. leaders might Thunder." who wa« defended by Ambrose L. Jor- on the will not be oa ac- of such Van Wyck. William A. Nash and Joseph A. Flynn. ing purpose rogular meet- Edmonds, it is said count of the lodgings you assigned m*. list night. daries, and for years they have felt the need The first step came after five years, when he was candidates. For this dan. Judge John W. of whom together vice-presidents; J. Rider Cady, historian; Benjamin held, although they were seldom at- no more independent and pure judge ever sat on. I"know him of old." \u25a0a society, one which •would bring them Surrogate of the county. Then he went ings were State, pre- 'I think. Mr. Van Buren. the time v.o have ago mat- Hamilton, secretary, and J. Martin Crasper, appointed managers. They the bench of the Supreme Court of the loft once or twice a year. A few months the F. Senate, and from that to the office of tended by any but a handful of sided. In this trial will render the visit to ex-PraMag men, treasurer. Before the next annual dinner the as- to the State Van Buren impossible," said the Judge, and tfcs ter was taken up by several pushing Columbia of the State. In 1818 he reor- tell an incident in tins connection. "The position which he occupied on this occa- Tlalt County sociation will prepare a book of biographies of Attorney General A few n{ the faithful met at one of the country sion was trying in the extreme," says an account waa never made." and en organization, called the Columbia in the State, and many cups discussed the effected, County York. It also plans ganized the Democratic party taverns and over of ale of the time. "Before him were two of the most Columbia County Is a rich field for th* legend City of New-York, was Columbia men in New- to selling coming elections. glaring- at 'Association Inthe young three years later was sent the United States chances of votes for the renowned counsellors in the State each hun*er. and many Interesting tales of Dutch pa- to lend a helping hand to the men from that they decided to organize for the opposing gladiators. troon, K '"with Jacob F. Miller as president. Senate. After that offices came to him bo rapidly About 9 o'clock other with the ferocity of of Indian myth and of the day3of t .e Revo- dinner, county who come to settle in this city. transaction of the "important business" which had ready to rend each other in brutal conflict. For a lution, in which many Columbians played parts. Already the club has held Its first annual that he was continually resigning one to accept called them together. Without a moment's delay forbearance, firmness of Creek, spirited reunion of men who There is one thing that a Columbia County man opened the spokesman, a long time the dignity and are preserved. In Claverack near tr.s right IK-hicfc proved to be a when another. He left the Senate to become Governor the "meeting" was by the judge restrained them, keeping them within bank, and not far from the village, is Spook Rock, roads, fished the same never forgets, and he usually refers to it first politician named Finkle, who spoke thus: to they bad travelled the same of this State, and, in turn, deserted Albany for that the pale of respectful deference the place the story of which will serve as an example. same schools, end in he begins to talk about his home. Martin Van "Gentlemen, please come to order. Imove occupied. But on the fourth day. as the trial was Long before th* wntte men 1 up tot r:\»r an Etreama and attended the States, the portfolio of State, tendered him by President Beacraft be chairman of this meeting; Isecond close, wit- In the big city had lost of Buren. eighth President of the United and Beacraft chair- drawing to a a scene occurred rarHy Indian tribe had a vlllaare on the harric of th« the men of life track Jackson, The Senate kept him froui being Minister the motion; allin favor of as nessed In a court of justice. The vindictive pas- stream. The sachem of the tribe was a very old who did not Samuel J. Tilden, who came as near being- President of this meeting say aye; Aye! Ayes carried. each other. Several prominent men to England, but the rejection resulted In his be- man sions of the counsel passed beyond judicial con- man, who had been a famous warrior ir. Mi youth any did and failed, were born in Mr. Beacraft git right round here and take the ensued. Both law- leave the, home county for the broader city field as man ever to the highest trol and a personal encounter and who was still feared for his terrtble tomper. county. coming Vice-President. His election yers time indulged in personalities maiden of strange, cinnamon were told of neighboring villages of the making, seconding and putting had for some His daughter, a !*rere e^ests at the dinner. Stories office followed. The" operation of which the. judge not suppress. Retort fol- beauty, loved the son the sachem of a neighbor- the motion, voting affirmatively upon It,announcing could by «">f As soon as President Van Buren retired to private and Introducing the chairman into his lowed retort, and denunciation was met bitter ing tribe. Her father did w>t countenan^- the affair the result of heart, and. t>i be on the safe side, proposed to life he returned to his estate at Kinderhook—Ldn- office was all performed by Ffnkle without the least taunts. pausing to take "At length Jordan cried: 'The Attorney General marry his daughter to a sub-chief of his own tribe. denwald, he called it. When the civil struggle over assistance and without once not "care condition of these men. He some way the girl sent word of the approaching breath. The business of the meeting was dis- does for the In slavery began the venerable ex-President was Ir; and It then ad- has not contended for right or justice, but to make marriage to her lover and begged him to rescue her. patched with equal celerity, was to pander to the misera- at night, and they stole out of the village poor health. He declared himself warmly for the journed. an exhibition of himself— He came always .. ble ambition which was> the curse, of hi3father. of birch bark huts and fled along the creek. of the republic, and until the day of his The anti-renters were not content with temper In flight and iather Integrity peaceful meetings. Sheriffs were murdered in Though his father had brains to his. Their wa3 discovered the started death, July 24, 1562, he took an interest in Lincoln's blood, beaten, barns burned and him it breaks out everywhere in puerility and In pursuit. As he followed the trail he swore ha cold deputies were the life blood of the bold youth. He had efforts to crush the rebellion. He was much grati- property destroyed, as the feelings of the tenants slush.' would have last riot and one of the "Van Buren answered the legal objections raised nearly overtaken them, when there -«a5a crash and fied that public confidence in the President re- passed their control. The mained unshaken in the dark days of July, 1863. Samuel Jones Tllden, who stands after President Van Buren in Columbia's roll of fame, was born at New-Lebanon in 1814. He attracted the attention of Martin Van Buren when a youth by the merit of a political article when he wrote. It showed that there could be no hone.st alliance between the Republicans and anti-Masons again.«t the Demo- crats. The article was taken to Van Buren by Tilden's father, and Its merit was attested by the former's decision to publish it throughout the State. Again, in the fall of 1838. after his "Crino" papers In defence of the President's policy had attracted attention all over the country, young Tilden had a chance to show what he could do. Nathaniel P. Talmadge, United States Senator from New-York, went to Columbia County to speak against the financial policy of the President. The Whig man- agers invited a reply. The Democrats accepted the challenge and named Tilden as iheir champion. He faced the veteran Senator without flinching, and spoke a masterly refutation to his argument. The speech stampeded the meeting against the Whigs. A few years later he removed to New- York, and his later successes were not won from the ground of his home county. There Is still another Columbia County lawyer who attained unusual prominence in the old days. He is mentioned by Oliver Wendell Holmes in his "Poet at the Breakfast Table." The author put this question to Gulian C. Verplanck, an old New- Yorker: "Who, on the whole, seemed to you the most considerable person you ever met?" and then comes this comment: "Now. it must be remem- bered that this was a man who had lived Ina city called the metropolis: one who had been a member of the State and national legislatures: one who had come In contact with men of letters, men of business, with politicians and members of all the professions, during a long and distinguished public HUDSON RIVER INSTITUTE, AT CLAVERACK. career. Ipaused for his answer with no little curios- Here many members of the Columbia County Society of New-York were educated. ity. Would it be one of the great ex-Presidents whose names were known to all the world? Would It It be the silver tongued orator of Kentucky, or the most serious occurred in 1544, when the Sheriff at- by Jordan with great calmness, rorce and dignity. a great rock came tumbling down the hillside. godlike champion of the constitution, our own New- tempted to serve process against the property of Having concluded his argument, he said, with con- buried the old chief beneath its tremendous weight England Jupiter Capitolinup? Who an anti-renter in the town of Copake. He was tempt curling his lips: The counsel opposed haa In- and the lovers were saved. The legend ha* !t that " would it be?" surrounded by three hundred farmers disguised as formed your honor the cause of my presence here. the old sachem is still trying W escape from be- "Take it altogether,' he answered very deliber- Indians and in command of Chief "Big- Thunder," Ishall not stoop to deny his coarse assertions; but neath the rock that he may continue th^ chase, ar.a ately, "I should say that Colonel Elisha Williams whose real name was Smith A. Boughton. The allow me to add that it is quite out of place for a that each night, at the hour o? :. > Eds in to Hudson, "Big court turning alw.iys rack upon wa^ most personage I Sheriff was driven back and man who stands here in this with the con- over the rock. It falls the notable that have ever rally at Smoky Hollow, pocket to however, H escape. met Thunder" announced a in tributions of murder and arson in his him, 'before he has a oiianrre " with.' the town of Claverack. A man was shot In the criticise me for any cause whatever." 'Colonel Elisha Williams: And who might he progress of a mass meeting which "Big Thunder" "A dark, withering frown mounted the menacing be, forsooth?' was addressing, and the authorities decided to features of Jordan; his nostrils expanded; vivid But to return to the Columbia County Association arrest him. His capture and that of his l.t-utenant, gleams of anger flashed from his large, expressive and the New-York men who are its "A gentleman of singular distinction, you may "Little effected with difficulty. eyes, eye members. Thunder." were great and In a twinkling of an he planted a president of be well assured, even though you are not Then the Sheriff went after another. Walter heavy blow on the face of Van Buren. It was re- Jacob F. Miller,the the association. BUREN KINDERHOOK CEMETER familiar Hutchine. known as the "White Chief." He had graduating XUMEXT OP MARTIN VAN IN with his name: but as Iam not writing a bio- turned with the rapidity of lightning and with is the son of a Claverack farmer. After boasted that he would never be taken alive, but stunning effect; then, grappling with each other, studied law In th» graphical dictionary Ishall leave It to my reader was found secreted in a garret, and offered no re- a terrible struggle ensued. Rage and fury ren- from Williams College in1a59 he Hamilton, jr.. in this city, and ; days before Hudson became a city of preten- Van Buren was the son of a Kinderhook farmer to find out who and what he was." sistance. dered these great lawyers forgetful of their posi- office of Alexander eld The men were confined in the county jail at tions as ministers of justice, deaf to the voice of practised here. In1883 he was imember elons, Major Creek and the Kin- and tavc-rnkeeper. and was born in that town in Elisha Williams was a son of Connecticut, Hudson, that were be has since when Abraham's who when the news came they to the judge, to everything but their desire for ven- of the Assembly, and has since a term in th» ana Claverack creeks were famous fishing 1782. His early education, such, as it was, was came to Columbia County to practise law rescued by a thousand armed men from the east- geance. But Sheriff Waldo, with his assistants, served derhook soon part of vice-president of the George \] and game was to be found in the Tagh- acquired at the Kinderhook Academy. At the age after he had been admitted to the bar. ern the coui»ty. who had banded together rushed into the bar and separated the Infuriated, legislature. He Is . --streams As an for that purpose. The jailand town were placed In combatants before the contest proceeded to any Junior Republic Association, president of the Patria preu many of the men around the of fourteen ho began to study law in the offcc of orator he was famous State, state of !I'-. kanlc hills. A all over the and his a siege, and four pieces of artillery were extremity. the Canal this dinner were of the alumni of the Francis Sylvester, a Kinderhook advocate, but he powers were almost as well known in as mounted. Troops were furnished by the neighbor- "As soon as order was restored Judge Edmonds Club and of Columbia Association. ! Aboard at New-York ing towns, and for a month the was like a great Jacob S. Van Wyck, vice-president of the asso- '\u0084-.. College find Hudson River Institute, the soon came to New-York to continue his studies in Hudson. town addressed them with dignity. *Should Iciation, was born in and occupies his Claverack military camp. The rescuers never came, how- neglect to promptly punish you for the great wrong Claverack. ;« known County educational lnstltu- under a Columbia County man, who had settled Columbia County was the ever, ancestral home as his summer residence. He Is a •well Columbia scene of the most and the rioters were nnally brought to trial. you have done Ishould myself be unworthy to oc- Van Wyck family -Their stories -went back to 1854, the year In here. When admitted to the bar. In 1803, he re- bitter anti-rent riots, and from the beginning of "Big Thunder" was sentenced to life imprison- cupy the bench." And he sentenced both to soli- direct descendant of the original VUoa. ment Prison, which came from Holland early in ISO and setUed ;V the Institute was founded, turned to Kinderhook to practise. His rise from a the trouble against holders patents in the Clintcn State but he was re- tary confinement in the county Jail for twenty- recently appointed First } ""which the of until the leased when the anti-rent party elected Governor four hours. on Long Island. Ha was .The association has srrown rapidly the or- struggling lawyer in an obscure country village to courts finally decided in favor of the anti-renters Young. Deputy Receiver of Taxes for the Borough, of i since '•When the judge concluded Mr. Van Buren arose Brooklyn. jjvganization, and its membership hst now contains the first office In the land Is Interesting. Most it -was the centre of strife. An anti-rent party It was in course of the second trial of "Big and with impressive dignity made an apology, vice-president, ha» Mfor :- Thunder," in September, 1845, that couched in of touching eloquence, William A. Nash, second 1 . more than two hundred names, nearly every town Columbia County boys have known the details of figured In the elections for a number of years, and Columbia words conclud- •[: being represented. youth. Itis held County's most exciting court fight occurred. ing• as follows: in the county The officers for Itfrom out to them as a bait for Its organization was kept up after Its legitimate "Prince John" Van Buren, Attorney General of the r>What could Ido, your Honor, what could I Continued on eleventh pnse.

SPOOK ROCK, IX crAVERACK CREEK. Tr.s rock Is Eald to turn around when the clock s*.rlkes the midnight hour- STuyyESANi; .falls. Columbia county/*