Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-04-28

the Highlands James Half, of Fishkill, |
Duchess county confessed before the commit
tee of safety, at Cornwall, that he was one of
number who were to join the British on
their arrval-the;r first movement to be to
spike all the cannon in the newly erected re-
doubts in the Highlands
.ckey and his associates of the Guard,
were arrested Immediately after dinner, on
the twenty third !; and, according to a letter
written at New York the next day, the gen.
erals househeeper WAS taken up on suspicion
of being an aocomplce.
''The late Peter Embree, Of this city, who
was present at the last public act of the dra-
ma, iu conversation with my friend, Mr..
William J Davis, a member of this society,
confirmed this statement concerning the
housekeeper; but in his explanation proved
not only her Innocence but her patriotism.-
She was the daughter of Sam Frances. no.
ted innkeeper Of the day, whose public house
is yet standing on the corner of Pearl and
Broad streets, where, it will be remembered,
Washington took an alectionate farewell of
his officers near the close Of 1888.
1t was chiefly on the testimony of this
woman that Hicky was arrested, tried and
condemned He was dark-complexioned
Irishman, and had been deserter from the
British army several years before He had
lived in W,athersGeld, Connecticut, where
he bore good character, and was selected
for the Guard frcm Kuowltob's Connecticut
Rangers He had the confidence of the Com
mander-in chief, and was favorite at Rich
mond Hill, Having enlisted in the conspir
acy. to him wa entrusted the work of de-
stroying Washington. He first corrupted the
| iter and drummer Of the corps; and having
! resolved to poison the Commander in- chief,
/ lie next approached the housekeeper, with
| whom he vas on good terms. He made her
/ bis confdante, and sae pretended 70 favor his
! views.
"Washiugton was very fond Of grcsn peas,
and it was agreed that when a dish of them
vas ready for the generals table, Hickey was
to put the poison in it. Meanwhile the house
keeper disclosed the plot to the general, The
peas were poisoned, Washington made some
excuse for sending the dish away, and Hick-
ey was soon afterward arrested He was
tried by court martial, and, on the testimo-
Nv of the housekceper and one of the Guard,
whom the culprit had uusuccessfully attempt
ed to corrupt, he was found guilty Of 'nutiny
and sedition, and Of holding treacherous
correspondence with the enemies of tue colo
nies.' and was sentenced to be hanged. Or
the following day the expected British fee
appeared. Important events and changes I'M
mediately occurred, aud the other conspira
tors who were sent prisoners to Connecticut
escaped punishment.
.Ou the morning of the twenty eight day
of j une, Washington ordered William Moro
ny, the provost marshal, to execute The sen
tcnce upon Hickey that day, at eleven o
| clock in the forenoon, upon the ground be
tween the encanpmeuts of the brigades o
l Brigadier- General Spencer and Lord Stir
1 ling In q letter dated New York, July l
1776,' an eyewitness OF the execution wrot
as follows Last Friday, in the forenoon
was executed in a field, between the Colonel
t McDougall and Huntington's camp. Dear tn
j Bowery lane, Gin the presence OF near twent
i thousand spectators) a soldier belonging to hi
e Excelency General Washington's Guard, 70
mutiny and conspiracy, being one of thos
{ who formed and was soon to have put in cx
2 ecution, that horrid plot Of assassiuating tn
e staff officers, blowing up the magazines. an
t securing the passes of the town on the arriv;
a of the hungry ministerial myrmidons.'
i "The venerable Enbree, just mentionec
: was present when Hickey was hanged. Til
e place of execution was not far from the il
: tersection of the present Grand and Chryst
: streets, a little cast of the Bowery. 1t is
IS singular fact that the victim of this the ytt-
5, nalaary erecution IN Ms Continental arm
IS was member Of the Body Guard of II
l. Commander In clief, who were chosen f
of their trustworthiness
i "A new organization of the Guard toe
e place at the close of April, 1117. when Wa
N ington, was in Morristown, in New JeTse
On the thirteenth of that mouth he issued Il
d following circular to the colonels of regimen
in stationed there =
ID :. Sir want to form company for Il
ID Guard In doing this wish to be extrem
ID ly cautious, because it is more than probah
es that, ia the course of my campaign, my ba
ne gage, papers and other matters of great pu
p lie import, may be committed to the sole ca
a. of these men. This being promised, in ord
id to impress you with proper attention in
4 choice, have to request that you viii INN