Skip to main content

Duel with the Devil, concluded

Burr as feminist:  "I hope by her (his daughter) to convince the world . . . that women have souls."
Burr the liberal; Hamilton an advocate of the property class. . . The trial is exceptionally long--two days.  It also goes until well after midnight both days. . .  Ezra Weeks, universally condemned before the trial, is exonerated by the team of Hamilton/Burr . . . Hamilton passionate and eloquent; Burr slow and precise, both effective . . . The landlord of house, Elias Ring, having an affair with Elma Sands . . . trial is transcribed (first time in US history) After the trial, immediately some quick summaries are available to hungry, scandal-loving public.  Two weeks later, the complete transcript (99 pages) is published--the first complete transcript of a trial in the USA. . . Hamilton money problems. . . Burr "invents" today's politics, getting out and hustling for votes in NYC election, hoping to sweep all offices for his liberal friends==and doing so.  Burr as Jefferson's VP is pushed aside, Jefferson shuns him . . . hard time for Burr . . . Burr is ruined financially and politically. He hears that Hamilton, at a dinner party, has heaped scorn on him.   Duel challenge. . . Hamilton not eager, but agrees.  New Jersey (legal there) . . . Hamilton shoots into trees; Burr kills Hamilton . . . reviled in NYC for the killing . . . ends up in Paris, penniless . . . returns to NYC and is a hard-working lawyer . . . never escapes the reprobation for killing Hamilton.

Well is located at 129 Spring Street in NYC
Burr's bank ends up being Chase Manhattan (Manhattan Water Works)
Real murderer is Richard Croucher, a cloth merchant who does everything he can to frame Weeks.  Croucher in England is let off for earlier crime on "insanity" plea. (Stolen boots.)  Croucher rapes his stepdaughter, convicted, released on insanity with promise to return to Britain, instead goes to Virginia

Weeks ends up in Natchez, as an architect, and finally puts his life back together

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin . . . finished

 Follows Sadie and Sam (Mazer) from childhood to mid-thirties when both are feeling old and a bit out of it in the gaming world.  Characters are well-rounded, develop throughout the novel in interesting way.  Plot is involved but sensible.  Not a single, "Oh, come on!" moment.  The book could have been faster paced. Odd, since the main topic is video games which are not for their speed of engagement and Gabrielle Zevin clearly knows her video games. Recommended by Michael Connelly in an interview.  He also has Bosch pick up the book in his novel, Resurrection Walk, as Bosch tails a possible witness to a crime as she moves through a bookstore. Sadie and Sam do not get together at the end, which is good.   Marx killed by homophobic nutcase who really wants to kill Sam, but Sam isn't there. Marx is father of Sadie's child. 

Happy Valley Season 4

 Weakest.  Tommy is in prison.  His son, Ryan, is now 17.  Catherine the cop's sister, Clare, takes Ryan to visit Tommy in prison, without telling Catherine.  Not good.  Sisters have a break when Catherine finds out.   Plot two:  PE teacher, abusive to wife.  She is getting drugs from local Indian/Pakistani pharmacist. Husband finds out and has wife arrested!  Pharmacist worried . . . plots to kill husband.  Wife agrees, then changes her mind.  Pharmacist in a rage kills her. (All a bit of a stretch, as he is a mild mannered family man.) Tommy escapes from his court hearing, hides out, gets in touch with Ryan.  Plan is to go to Marabella, Spain together.  Tommy's "helpers" get worried about Tommy and decide to do him in.  Instead, he kills them . . . and is knifed himself.  He returns to Catherine's house, looks through a photo album showing Catherine took good care of Ryan, and decides not to kill her....