Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-10-20
benedict Arnold.


can Continent as citizen and merchant o
st. John, New Brunswick. We bave oh
tanned some information on the subjec
quite pew TO the people of the Unite(
States. A highly respectable gentleman
by the name of Lawrence, a furniture
dealer in st. John, Canada, obtained from
the executor of Mr. Chapman. the Colona
Solicitor General, who was friend of AR
mold, and his counsel in his numerous law
suits at st. John, several autograph letters
and other documents throwing considerable
light on the career of that vindlCtive ad.
venturer. Mr.. Lawrence IS a gentleman OF
a fine, intelligent, American coUntenance,
with milk-white hair. He converses with
difficulty on account of his bad hearing,
but he cheerfully gave me such information
as he supposed would be pleasing 10 me,
and also produced autograph letters OF
Arnold and Of his wife, the celebrated Miss
ShIppen, of Philadelphia. II appears from
these that Arnold left New York City
pending the treaty of peace with Great
Britain, when he was apprehensive that he
might be in personal danger on account of
the rigorous refusal of the Americans 10
consider any terms of concession for the
Torres in arms. He therefore sailed in one
OF three vessels, ali of which departed from
New York about the same time, IN the year
1882. Among the officers In this company
were Lord CORVALLIS, Colonel Tarleton,
Colonel Simcoe, of the Loyalist Rangers,
Major Ross-perhaps the same officer who
was subsequently, killed at the attack on
the city Of Baltimore-and several others.
The vessel he was on was called the Ro-
bust; another vessel of the tuo was called
the London. When they were within a
short distance of the British coast, making
for Falmouth or Southampton. a French
prIvateer captured one of these vessels, and
on the privateer were some Americans
A MIR. Geyer, Massachusetts, Tory, was
one Of the prisoners. He says in letter
81 was soon recognized by an American
prIvateersman, who upbraided me with
having deserted my country" Geyer took
this American aside and bribed him TO say
nothing about his status. They then gave
1900 guineas ransom for the vessel, and
we're allowed TO take her into an English
harbor. Arnold's vessel escaped.
The next letter in Mr.. Lawrence's pos
session is dated Halifax, and says that
General Arnold has jus, arrived U7S6) in
that port in brig of his own, and is
gong TO settle at st, John. "What an ac-
quisitionl" says the writer, using the ex-
clamation point as if he doubted whether
such citizen as Arnold would be of any
good TO st. John. Arnold soon arrived at
st. John with his vessel, and landed his
effects, and built himself a storehouse at
what is called Lower Cove Slip, on the
point of st. John between the mouth of
the river Of that name and Courtney Bay,
or the Backwater. 1t Is Immediately op-
poslte the Island In the harbor called Part
ridge Island, which Whittier in his poem
has mistakenly called Isle of the Pheas-
ants" Here Arnold took partner named
Munson Hoyt, a Connecticut citizen, or
refugee. He built vessels and sailed them
from st. John to the West Indies. He
also maintained lumberyard at Carleton,
near the falls of st. John. Sometime after
ward ne built q house on the northwest
corner of King and Germain streets, two
short blocks above the market slip, which
was standing until 1866, when it was
destroyed by a fire. 1t was a wooden
house, story and half high, with hip
gable. Here he resided with his wife and
some of whom may have been
born in ST. John.
He was suspected by the citizens from
the beginning. partly on account OF his
services in the rebel American cause and
partly because he was a traitor TO that
cause for no other consideration than re-
venge and money. A cloud was upon bis
character all the time he was in st. John.
He was of litigious spirit, and figured in
the courts continually. His store took fire
some time after he had been in business
and burned TO the grodnd, and he recovered
considerable insurance upon it. A year or
more afterward his old partner, Hoyt. pub
licly accused him of having set fire to the
store. Arnold at once instituted a suit for
slander, laying damages at 9I0, 900. An
abstract of the testimony and the charges
in this case is in possession of MIR. Law
renee, which | saw. Among the charges
IN the Indictment is one that Hoyt said
''his character was as black as itcould be-"
Filing his rejoinder to this in court Mr.
Hoyt said: ''It would be impossible for
any man to have blacker character than
Denedict Arnold" Arnold alleges in his
affidavit that he is faithful citizen of the
Crown and of good general character and
commercial standing, and that he has been
damaged to the amount claimed. The jury
returned verdict of So to 81.
In course of time Arnold went to the
West Indies as a ship-chandler and purvey-
or for tlNe British fleet. He writes letter
from Martinique detailing his hazards. His
wife, who signs her name Margaret Arnold,
(Arnold called her Peggy" also writes
letter whicn l read, referring to the re-
markable escapes of the General in the West
Indies and speaking of his courageous ex-
ertions as the only reason why he was
saved. Her letter begins something to the
following effect. 81 cannot admit that
would ever like to live in st. John again,
but | have the best wishes for some of the
people there, among them my dear friends
the ChIpmans Dear old England is in a
bad way on account of the outrageous
treatment she has received by her allies. :"
She tnen writes politics for few sentences,
intimatlng that the Ministry has been Sc
verely handled by its opponents, the
Wings. Her letter shows that she was a
woman of education and considerable ad-
dress, and bears out the common opinion
In America that she had some influence in
taking Arnold away from the Americans
aud their cause.
There Is anotl er letter in Mr.. Lawrence's
possession from Benedict Arnold, defend
ing himself from the jealousy of his peers
in the British army for having received
92, 600, or $40, 900, by order of the King
in person, as full eighth of certain property