The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-21
Capture OF Andre.

| -
The smallest.schoolboy knows that Bene
dict Arnold had made terms with Andre I,
surrender West Point to the British, ant
had prepared dispatches for the British
commander in New York giving detailed
| information Of the condition of affairs |,
the department that the traitor command
Ell. 1t was while returning to New York
as private citizen on horseback that Andre
was captured and the dispatches found
The spy was eventually executed. A re-
porter having made inquiries shor
! time since among the old residents OF
| the county has CLEANED some informa
ton OF an interesting character which
had been handed down from their ances
tors. From Caleb Van Tassel of king'f
Bridge; Henry Romer of Pleasantvile
and Alexand Van Wart of Tarrytown, the
following history of the capture was Oh.
tanned: On the eventful day, Paulding,
Williams, Van Wart, James Romer, John
Yerks and Stephen Van Tassel were sent
TO guard the roads against cattle thieves.
Pauiding had been prisoner for several
months in the British camp and had cs.
capped four days previously and was attired
principally in British uniform, the rest be-
ing dressed in ordinary rural style. Pauld-
Ing and his two companions stationed them
selves on the Albany road and the other
three took charge of the White Plains road.
which branched of the Albany road half a
mile northward and led eastward, each
party being stationed about half mile
from the forks of the two roads, and being
III a straight line over half mile apart
About ten o'clock in the morning, while
Paulding and his companions were sitting
on rock, playing game of cards known
as ''scvcn up" they saw Major Andre
coming down the road. EIc stopped at the
brook 10 water his horse and Paulding's
party approached him. Paulding, who
was tho spokesman, said, 'Good morning,
stranger. Which way arc you going?''
Hc thought he had found cattle thief,
but when the man spoke like gentleman
and said he was gong to White Plains con
important business for General Arnold" :"
fauidlng's opinion was changed, and he
quickly replied that lie guessed he had
missed his road. The man seemed to be a
little confused, and paulding said, (Which
patty do you belong to-"
''ro your party" said the man.
GLOW do you know which party l be-
long to9" said Paulding.
IL can tell by your Dress" SAID the
man.
81 suppose, then, you belong to the lower
party2" said Paulding.
'Ycs," said the man.
Then we must detain you," replied
Paulding.
II cannot be detained" was the answer.
"My business is urgent
What business have you with the lower
party2"
"Oh, belong to the other party" the
man sail, and exhibited pass signed "B.
Arnold, requesting the safe passage of
John Anderson OIL important business"
Paulding and his party held brief con-
sultation Oh the propricty of OBTAINING him
and were in doubt. Andre, seeing this,
started his horse forward and had gone
about three rods when Pauldng command
ca him to halt. The man stopped and
begged to be allowed to proceed, but
Pauiding said that as he was going toward
the lines of the lower party he should take
INN in custody. The man then offered
f"ulding's party his gold watch, which was
curiosity to the ruralisis, to lot him 20.
They refused the bribc. Then he offered
10 secure Tor them any amount Of money
they might name If they would conceal
HIM and communicate with such parties as
he directed and then lberatc him upon re-
ccipt OF the ransom. This they declined
and ordered him To dismount. Upon
searching him they found nothing and were
somewhat in doubt about their right to in
tertcrc. when PauldIng commanded him to
take OF his boots. The man then turned
pale. In his stockings were found the
dispatches from Arnold. "My God" said
Paulding, 'he is spyl" On making this
discovery they started for North Castle
near White Plains. They went to the
forks of the road and turning into the
White Plains road with their prisoner they
met the tomer party, to whom they i'm
parted the information already given. 1t
was agreed between the six men that Andre
should be delivered to Colonel jameson, at
North Castle. 1t was then about noon and
they stopped for dinner at the Landrlnc
place, and Andre was placed in room un-
der guard, and tho room In that house,
which is still standing, is called "lhc andre
room. 10 Colonel Jamcs0n's camp the
prisoner and the evidence against him were
delivered. His watch, horse and personal
property were all sold and their value d.
Vldtd among the six men, Soon after An
dres arrival he wrote a letter to Arnold,
and Colonel Jameson sent messenger with
IL TO The traitor, to whom 1t was delivered,
the old traditions say, while he was eating
dinner with General Washington, near
Tarrytown. Upon reading il, Arnold
hastily left the table, saying he had i'm
p0rtant business ITO attend to over the
river" and departed. Taking a small boat
bc.ow Tarrytown and rowing to the British
sloop OF war Vulturc, he was never seen
again in the American lines. The trial
and execution of Andre are wcll-known
his. orical facts.
Tho Early Rising Dolilsion.
JS/,r For,,oro o,1 ty,,oo ,,,1,o IT,, l., 1>.,E