Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-01-25

An Incident OF Domestic HeroiSm during
... the Revolutionary War. :
At the time ofthe Revolution here, there
were many French people in the country,
the chief portion OF whom were, when
war was declared, placed to support the
glorious cause whose success has given
The oppressed of cizilized creation an a.y.
lum.
We had sought of late. frequently to
hnd French story, and had nearly aban.
ooned the search as a vain one, when we
came upon the name Of Francis Rague.
OF this State. He was native of Ronen,
and was worker in some kind of woven
goods, but what, whether carpets or vel.
vets, the chronicles say not. He had lived
IN the country, or on this continent, ten
years prior to the Revolution, spending
| most OF his time in the Canadas, with In.
dams and with adveuturers ola very bad
stamp. Collecting number of persons,
dark and white, as bad as himself he
commenced a trip Of toryism on the from.
tiers. and also down into the heart of New
York, which he pursued for period OF
four years. He seldom or never risked a
battle. could it by any means whatsoever
he avoided. However, the oldthreadbare
tory business of incendiarism, child and
woman murder, and scourging 4narmed
and lone men, was done by wholesale un.
der the firm of F. Rague & Company.
He Prided himself on an Italian. bandit
look, which he possessed, and thssexer
ciso of natural cunning and quick percep.
ton. He was no inactive marauder we
are assured, but on the contrary, was very
servicable against our people in favor of
the invaders. Occasionally he did ser
vice as spy, for acts pertaining to which
office he once narrow y escaped being shot
by an officer under Putnam. .a'..s.
Rague had extended his route as far to
wards the city as the vicinity Of Peekskill,
accompanied by two of his companions,
and furnished with information which en-.
abled him to pick up the right kind ofma.
torial for desperading troupe. rl
| An old gentleman, named Elicott Find.
lay, lived near Peekskill, with bis mother.
less child and a poor serving maid. The
old man was reputed wealthy, and as
strong boxes were then more common
than bank vaults, it was presumed that
his house contained considerable money.
RaguO was made acquainted with this
tact, and at once determined to possess
himself oflhe ''root Of all evil'' there pre-
served. The old man was rebel, and 1t
was no harm to rob him. The house was
easy OF access, and very simply construct.
ed. It had a cellar, a sitting room, and
sleeping apartment on the ground floor,
and small room and open garnet above.
The old man slept below--the servant,
| Mary, with the child, above. On the
| night Rague sailed out to rob and punish
4 This old 'rebel,'" the snow tell thick and
fast, and the cold was intense. Rague
took only one comTade. vicious Indian
who had been civilized by fire water
and rAscality, and who was known thro'.
out the Canadas, assPoor Jack?'' Tbi.
glorious couple entered the house withou
muchexPcnse ofexeTtion, and soon stool
beside old Mr. sFindlay's bed. ArousinE
him, they demanded his morey. He pro
tested tkat there was not one fafthinr II
4 the aOuses We'll, where was Il? the,
/. inquired, 10 be answered, that he had pn
it Gus Of his hands. BY this lime. 10,
rufiAnH were desperate, aud their intend
10 .s1lag 81 Go Isdf sa eisyfosls 1aa .ssas33