The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1840-08-14
From the Staten Islander.
An Incident Of the Revolution.
OTTAWA.

io In the summer of 1873, during one G
q the darkest periods of our revoutonar
,o struggle, in the then small village O
pl S, Though it now bears more dig
g nified title,) in this state, lived Judge v.
j, ,,one of the finest and truest patriots within
II the limits of the 'Old Thirteen" ant
4 deep in the confidence of Washington
Like most men Of his times and substance
I he had furnished himself with arms anl
. ammunition, sufficient to arm the males OF
: his household. These consisted of him.
Itself, three sons and about twenty-five ne.
groes. The female part Of the family con-
sisted Of his wife, one daughter, Catha-
rine, about Is years of age, the heroine
of our tale, and several slaves. In the
second story of his dwelling house, i'm
Fmedlately over the front door, was a small
room, called the armory," in which the
arms were deposited and always kept
ready for immediate use. About the time
atwhich we introduce our story, the neigh
T oorhood of the village was much annoyed
/ by the nocturnal prowlings and depreda-
tons of numerous Tories.
Ii was on calm, bright Sabbath after
noon of 'he said summer, when Judge V.
and his family, with the exception of his
daughter Catherine, and an old indispOs-
ed female slave, were attending service in
the village church. Not breath disturb
ed the serenity of the atmosphere--not a
sound protaned the sacred stiffness of the
day; the times were dangerous, and Cath
arine had locked herself and the old slave
in the house, until the return of the fami-
ly from chnrch. A rap was heard at the
front door. Surely" said Catharine to
the slave, " the family have not yet come
home; church cannot be dismissed. -
The rap was repeated. Il will see what
1t Is, said Catharine, as she run up stairs
INTO the armory. On opening the window
and looking down, she saw six men stand
ing at the front door, and on the opposite
side of the street, three of whom she
knew were Tories, who formerly resided
in the village. Their names were Van
Zandt. Finley and Sheldon; the other
three were strangers, but she had reason
to believe them to be Of the same polit-
cal stamp, from the company in which she
found them.
Van Landt was notorious character,
and the number and enormity OF his crimes
had rendered his name infamous in that
vicinity. Not murder or robbery was
committed within miles of S., that
he did not getthe credit either for planning
or executing. The characters of Finley
and Sheldon were also deeply stained with
crime, but Van Zandt was a master spirit
in iniquity. The appearance of such
characters, under such circumstances.
must have been truly alarming to a young
lady of Catharine's age, if not to any
lady, young or old. But Catharine v
possessed her fathers spirit" the spirit
OF the times" Van Zandt was standing
on the stoop, rapping at the door, while
his companions were talking in whisper
on the side walk on the opposite side of
the street.
els Judge V athome Z! asked Van
Zandt, when he saw Catharine at the win
dow above"
"He is not" said she.
"We have business of pressing impor-
lance with him. and if you will open the
door," said Van Zandt, we will walk in
and remain till he returns"
"No," said Catharine, "when he went
to church, he left particular directions not
to have the doors opened until he and his
family returned. You had better call when
the church is dismissed
"No," retorted the villain, "we will
enter now or never"
Impossible" replied she you can
not enter until he returns"
"Open the door," cried he, " or we'll
break it down, and burn youand the house
up together" SO saying, he threw him
self, with all the force he possessed, a.
galnst the door, at the same time calling
upon his companions to assist him. The
door, however, resisted his efforts,
a" Donot attemptthat again." said Cath
arlne, "or you are dead man." at the