Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-09-17
CHAPTER y.

For Constitution, was from Ellen Gansgyoou.
Her situation was perlous in the extreme. \
prisoner among the most lawICss Of men, she was
held, as has been said, in pledge for the safety OF
Bender. aud was threatened, in the event OF his
execution, with being carried into remote capuy-
iy. detachment Of Indians, belonging to 4
western tribe, formed part Of her captOrs, aud on
the fourth ensuing day were 10 sci out on their
return to the wilderness, with her, or without,
the fate Of Bender should decide. 1t is unncccs-
sary to say thai Wiley was the agent IN this inter
nal transaction. Horror-slruck at the arrest Of
his patron, his terror had gwen way only to the
most yndcuye anger toward his supposed GUpe,
Ganseyoorl. He knew well the extraordinary
affection which that gentleman entertained iOr his
sister, and had also some InIInnlIon Ot Count De
Zeug's attachment 10 Ellen. With the desperate
hope of aiding Sir Philip, for whose arrest he
considered himself responsible, he had cOucocl-
ed. and. with unrelenuug barbary, carried into
effect, the plot which has been detailed; aud
which his intimate connection with the Tories Of
Westchester county had afforded Tm every aciI-
ny for consumlnallng. His hand had forged The
lelter which had deceived Miss GonscyuOrt, and
he had been her companion in the carriage. In
the further execution Of his plan, he had been
compelled 10 disclose himself to bis prisoner
But. although it was his eXOrcISm that had cOnJu-
red up The storm which now mpcnded over the
unfortunate Ellen, he had moi The power 10 con.
lrol It's fury. The sayages, whose services had
been engaged, had been secured by the promise
Of large reward from Major Bender, 1t rcleas'
ed, or The person Of the prisoner, II the PROJECT
failed. Wiley had not The means, If he had had
the disposition, 10 purchase her release IN the
event Of failure. Ii was therefore no idle threat
which had been made,
The substance Of these facts was briefly CON-
municatcd in EIIen's letter to her brother which
was written al the request Of Wiley. and.b him
forwarded to Ganscroort. In this he proposed 10
send Ellen, at once, in safety tO the lur, upon re-
ceiving written promise from the commander
in-chef TO pardon Sir Philip. Miss Ganssycofi
expressed her belief that there was no Reasonable
hope Of her rescue, owing TO The wild and almost
inaccessible nature of the Businesses among which
her capiors were lurking. Her language bcIray.
ed inadvertently the anguish OF lear which over
wheIred her, and which, in pity 10 her Trends
she would iu in have concealed. The startling
effect produced by this letter in Coils. GanseSoorI
and De Zeng, will no longer be considered sur
prising; or that all other considerations were inn
nedlately lost sight of in so engrosSng subject.
To them the safety of Ellen was a matter Of par
amount moment and had they possessed the
power 10 procure her release by the discharge OF
! Bender his shackes would have melted al u
breath. But, alas! such was not the case. An
immediate sally was earnestly urged by DE Lehg
| in pursuit of the brigand force; but this. without
a guide. without any clew 10 the hiding-paces OF
the enemy, who had their choice OF hundred
impregnabe positions among the mountains
would have been but wasting time. and rendering
the situation of the captive sill more perlIouS.-
The inheXibe character of the commandments
chief in matters pertaining 10 the welfare OF The
country, left them but liulc hope that he wouIC
sacrifice lis interests to any private consideration
But there was no time 10 be lost in deliberaIlon
and De Zeng himself sci out on the same even
ing, with a small guard, for N0shIngton's quar-
ters. His route lying exclusively through
friendly region, he was enabled 10 obtain lrequen
RELAYS of horses and, by dint Of hard riding, ar
rived at the camp soon after daylight the ensuing
, morning. He did not hesitate todIslurb he sum
ers of the commander with message, begging
an instant audience. In the leweSt words ne hat
put General Washington in possession OF all tht
facts, and pale with fatigue, and trembling VIII
anxietv, stood watching the working oil his coun
tenance, to catch the first gIimpscs OF decision
which he knew would be final. Bencvolenc
: cleaned from the commanders eye, but ster
, compression of his lips foreshadowed his reply
, 1t was impossible, he said, 10 compromise the IN
terests of the whole country for single tle
however precious Bender's guilt was unmga
5 ted The example of his punishment must d.
= made. Similar attempts al corruption OF
the part of the British Government had be
= come frequent, and unless checked by some sig
t nal act, might be productive OF the most uIsas
= trous consequences. In vain did The Count, VIII
all the earneslueSS of impassIoned leeilng, plea
the cause of poor Ellen and her distracted broth
ey. A calm rcbuke from the commander remu
ded him that he also possessed the feelings OF be
= neyoence common 10 humanity, but thai his dc
: csion, paintHI as IL was, had been well weighed
e and could not be altered.
e After a brief repose, De Zeng, with heav
heart, prepared 10 return; but in The meantime,
second messenger had arrived from the fort, beal
= ing dispatch for The Count. 1t was from s.
, Philip Bender himsef, and had been tOrwafde
, by permission Of Gansevoor. 1t enclosed lei
ter to General Washington, in which the prison
er proposed not only The release Of Ellen, but al
so the surrender OF his coadjutor, Wiley, TO pro
: cure his own pardon. He boldly asserted that h
had The means TO bring about these results WI
2 lev was well known al headquarters as deSpe
Z rate and daring man, whose connection both WI
2 the British army al New York, and with the Io
; rios in the RIVER counties, rendered him Il form
E dabIe adversary. His bitter hatred of the reput
a icans, the frequency and facility OF his disgu
scs, and his utter Disregard Of every principle