The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-06-28
The Kidnapping of Washington at New.
burgh.

1t was while at these headquarters
bold attempt was made to capture
| Washington. Clinton was very
anxious to get possession of his per-
son, and Washington received many
letters warning him of his danger.
But with all the plans that were laid,
none seemed to be so easy of execution
as the one that was fOiled here by the
patriotism of a young lady, the daugh-
ter Of one Ettrick, who professed to be
warm patriot, but those who knew
him best looked on him with suspicion.
This man and this spot were selected
to effect Washington's capture. The
plan proposed was to have a boat ready,
and a party of Tories secreted in the
wood near by when Washington
should be invited to dinner. His
daughter overheard conversation
that exposed this plot, and informed
Washington OF her suspicious, and
begged him not to accept the invita-
ton Of her father to dinner. The dim
ner hour was to be late, so that it
would be dark before the meal was
over. Then the seizure was to be eff
fected, and the captive borne off to
the bosom Of the Hudson. The boat.
manned by strong rowers, would
easily have reached the English YES
sells below West Point before Wasing-
ton would be missed. Instead of de.
| Ginning the invitation, he accepted it,
but in the meantime ordered detach-
ment of his life guard to march to the
place just at evening, and present
| themselves at the door. While Et-
trick was engaged in conversation
with his distinguished guest, he
heard their footsteps and the low COM
mand of their leader, and supposing
them to be the detachment of Tories,
he rose, and laying his hand on Wash
ington's shoulder, said:
II believe, General you are my pris-
oner.''
Il believe not, sir, but you are
mine,' was the reply, as the life
guard closed around him.
He was Immediately marched off
and locked up. This threw the daugh-
ter into a paroxysm of grief. She had
given no positive misunderstanding
told her suspicious to Washington,
thinking the only result would be to
make him decline the invitation. That
he would make her kindness to him the
cause of punishment to her father she
did not for a moment dream, and she
besought him not to repay her fidelity
to him by the imprisonment and death
of her father. If it had been a mere
personal matter, Washington would
doubtless have suffered the man to 60
unmolested but the blow was not
aimed ut him, but at his country, and
this he would not have forgiven in an
only son. Still, every instinct Of his
nature revolted against iniicting need
less suffering on the daughter who had
acted SO MOLLY. If it had become
known, however, it is doubtful if even
Washington's influence could have
saved the wretch whose crime was
tenfold greater than that of Arnold.
A drumhead court.martial and swift
death was what he richly deserved.
Washington, however, kept the whole
matter quiet except to few personal
friends, and after short confinement
released him on the promise that he
would leave the country. To this he
gladly consented, and escaped to Nova
Scotia. The secrecy which Washing
ton maintained in regard to it for the
daughters sake doubtless kept it from
becoming part of the history of the
times; but there is no doubt of it's
truth among the old Revolutionary
families of the region.
| How to Make a Rug.
A lady writes in the American Farm
| .TOnrna1 Az tho makinr Of flor noa+c