Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-10-21
Capture of Andre.

| Capture al andre.
The smallest schoolboy knows that Bene.
dict Arnold had made terms with Andre tC
! surrender West Point TO the British, and
| had prepared dispatches for the British
commander in New York giving detailed
| information of the condition of affairs in
the department that the traitor command
| ed. II was while returning 10 New York,
rs private citizen ON horseback that Andre
was captured and the dispatches found.
| The spy was eventually executed. A re-
porter having made inquiries a short
time since among the old residents of
the county has cleaned some iniorma-
ton of an interesting character which
had been handed down from their ances-
tors. From Caleb Van Tassel of Kings
| Bridge; Henry ROmeT of Pleasantville,
and AleXand Van Wart of Tarrytown, the
following history of the capture was OBJ
tanned: On the eventful day, Paulding
Williams, Van Warr, James Romer, John
Gerks and Stephen Van Tassel were sent
to guard the roads against cattle thieves.
Paulding had been prisoner for several
months in the British caLAp and. had es-
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 off the Albany road half
mile northward and led eastward, each
party being stationed about half a mile
from the forks of the two roads, and being
IN a straight line over half mile apart.
About ten o'clock in the morning, while
Paulding and his companions were sitting
on a rock, playing a game of cards known
as ''seven up" they saw Major Andre
coming down the road. He stopped at the
brook 10 water his horse, and Paulding's
party approached him. Paulding, who
was the spokesman, said, ''Good morning,
stranger. Which way are YOU gOingI"
He thought he had found cattle thief,
but when the man spoke like u gentleman
and said he was gong to White Plains ION
important business for General Arnold"
Paulding's opinion was changed, and he
quickly replied that he guessed he had
little confused, and Paulding said, (which
patty do you belong tol"
''To your party" said the man.
Chow do you know which party be-
long TOT" said Paulding.
Il can tell by your dress" SAID the
mau.
81 suppose, then, you belong to the lower
party2" said Pauldlng.
"Ges, said the man.
Then we must detain you," replied |
Paulding.
Il cannot be detained, was the answer.
"My business is urgent
What business have YOU with the lower |
party?"
..... "Oh, sh,, bell9ng ll to the other party,,1 the
Arnold" requesting inc i--eo passage of
John Anderson on important business"
Paulding and his party held brief con.
on the propriety of detaining him
and were in doubt. Andre, seeing this,
started his horse forward and had gone
about three rods when Pauldne command
ed him to halt. The man Stopped and
begged to be allowed to poceed, but
Paulding said that as he was gong toward
the lines of the lower party he should take
HIM in custody. The man then offered
Paulding's party his gold watch which was
a curiosity TO the ruralists, to let him GO
They refused the bribe. Then he offered
to secure for them any amount of money
they might name If they would conceal !
him and communicate with such parties as
he directed and then liberate him upon re-
ceIpt of the ransom. This they declined .
and ordered him to diSnOunt. Upon
searching him they found ndhing and were
somewhat in doubt about their right to in
terfere, when PauldIng commanded him to
take off his boots. The man then turned |
pale. In his stockings were found the
dispatches from Arnold. my GcA, said
Pauding, ''he is a spy!" 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 Romer party, to whom they inn
parted the information already given. 1t |
was agreed between the six men that Andre I
should be delivered 10 Colonel Jameson, at |
North Castle. 1t was then about noon and |
they stopped for dinner at the Landrine |
place, and Andre was placed in room un-
der guard, and the room in that house,
which is still standing, is called ''the Andre !
room." To Colonel Jameson's camp the
prisoner and the evidence against him were
delivered. His watch, horse and personal
property were all sold and their value di-
vided among the six men. Soon after An
dre's arrival he wrote letter to Arnold
and Colonel Jameson sent messenger with
1t to the traitor, to whom 1t was delivered,
the old traditions say, while he was eating
dinner with General Washington, near
rarrytown. Upon reading it, Arnold
hastily left the table, saying he had inn
portant business ITO attend to over the
river" and departed. Taking small boat
berow Tarrytown and rowing to the British
sloop of war Vulture, he was never seen
again in the American lines. The trial
and execution of Andre are well-known
historical facts.
The Early Rising Delusion.