Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-02-24

and they uni'e IN thu aeriarsti"n us
Inc man is s,ore entitled to be believed
than Isaac Van Wsr
The nature of the case does moi
admit Of testimony more precise per
feet and eouelusiye.-1he refutation
lie GLENN, sworn 10, and BY a man
Who in moral and religious deport-
ment during q long life, has had No
superior.
ISAAC VAN WART'S AFFIDA-
VT.
Isaac Van Wart Of tho town OF
Mount Pleasant, 10 The county Of
" es,chestsr, being duly sworn, doth
d pose and say, that he is one Of the
three persons, who arrested Major
Andre. during the American reSolu.
tionary war, and conducted him To-
the American camp. That he this
deponent together with David Wiz
Iisms and John Paulding. had secret
ed themselges at the side oflhe high.
way, for the purpose Of deteetins|
any persons coming from or haviDg|
uulau full intercourse with the enemy
being between the two armies /; al
service not uncommon in those times.
That This deponent and his rompa
nions were armed with lnuskets 81
and upon seeing Major andre ap.
proaeb tho place where they we're
concealed. the, rose and presented
their mu,kets al him. and required
him to stop, which he did. lie then
asked them whether they belonged
to his party3 and then they asked him
whieh was bis party TO which he
replied, the lower party Upon
which they. deemiug n little STRATA
gem, under such circumstances, not
only justifsble. but necessary. gave
him to understand that the, were Of
his part, } upon which he joyfully
declared hi,uself to be BriIi-h on
Ger and told them. thai he hid been
out upon very particular business
Having ascsrtnined thus much. this
deponent and his companions unde-
eeived him rs 10 their character. de-
elAripg themselves Americans, aud
that he must consider himself their
prisoner. Upon this, With seeming
unconcern he said he had pass from
general Arnold, which he exhibited.
and then insisted On their permitting
him 10 proceed. But they told him
AS he had confessed himself TO be a
British officer, they deemed il TO be
their duty 10 convey him 10 the A.
merieau camp; and then took him
into a wood short distance from
the highway, in order to guard a.
gainst being surprised BY parties Of
the enemy. who were frequently re-
connsitering 10 that nsighborhood.
That when they had MIN in the wood
they proceeded 10 search hun, for the
purpose Of ascertsining who Il what
he was and found inside ofhis stock.
ings and boots next 10 his bare feet,
papers, which satisfied them, that bel
was spy; Major Andre now showed
them his gold watch, and, remarked
that il was evidence of his being aI
gentleman, and also promised to-
mako them any reward they might
name, if they would but permit him
to proceed. which they refused. lie
then told them, that if they doubted
the fuIflment of bis promise. they
might conceal him 10 some secret
place and keep him there, until they
could send to New York and receive
their reward. And this deponen mt
expressly declares that every oGtr|
made b! Major Andre to them was
promptly and resolutely refused.
And for himself he solrmnly declares
that he had not. sndhe does sincere.
ly beii'e that PauIding and Williams
had not any iutentiun Of pluudsrinsl
their Pris"ser; nor did they confer
With each other, or even hesil.te,|
whether the, should accept his pro-
misses, but On the contrary they were|
10 the opinion Of this deponent, go-|
verned, like himself, by deep inter.
est in the cause ofthe country and al
st oag sense Of duty. And the dc.
pooent further says that he neverI
visited the British camp, nsr does he
believe or suspect that either Pauld-
ing or Williams ever did, except tl,atl