Daily Republican., 1882-09-14

pearing before people who had vowed
to capture him. A Captain MCGOWAN,
who had often expressed desire to see
and capture the daring highwayman
met fellow traveller on the road to
Chester. AS they journeyed the con.
versation turned upon the daring ex-
ploits of the highwayman, and after
MCGOWAN had boasted some time, Fitz.
patrick poked the muzzle of a horse
pistol In the face of the astonished off. .
Ger and ordered him to dismount. The
unhappy boasCer was then tied to
tree and whipped, after which his hair,
including neat queue, of which he
was very proud, was cut of his head.
Hoping 20 earn the rewards which were
offered for the guerilla, bands of armed
men repeatedly Assem- bled and secured
the country for miles around.
Fitzpatrick by his numerous acts of
generosity, made many friends among
tho poor people, and they and the Tory
sympathizers willingly secreted the
htghwayman when he was hotly pur-
sued. Despite his many brutal offenses,
there was rough chivalry about Fitz.
patrick, and this trait was especially |
noticeable in his gallantry towards |
women. On the evening of August !
10th. 1778, William McAffee, q rich |
farmer Of Edgmont township, Della
ware county, his wife and son Robert,
captain In the American army, armed
to the teeth, rode up to the house. He
said he was levying tax upon all the
rebel families he knew, and fixed the
price to be paid by the MCAffee's at
4l6O. The shoes and buckles on Cap
tain McAtfee's feet struck the fancy of
the outlaw and he ordered them to be
taken cff and placed on his pedal ex-
tremities. He then discharged Cap
tain McAtfee's rife and threw 1t out ofl
Inc window and began searching the
louse for money. Ono of McAffee's
shoes pinched Fitzpatrick 3 foot and he q
AID his arms, excepting pistol on a
bed, and stopped TO ease the trouble. Is
ome shoe.
Robert McAttee, wi o was powerful =
nan, saw the opportunity he had wait
"a Tor had arrived, and he jumped on
he highwayman's back aud on L eayor. o
d to hold his arms A desperate O.
truggle ensued, but Rachel Walker, a y
ervant, turned the tide in favor of the
nicer. She ran to MCAffee's 8 assistance
nd succeeded in wrestling his pistol al
rom him; then setting a heavy Quilt
ne clapped IT. over his head, smother.
lg him until he became insensible. 81
'aVid Cunningham, a farm laborer, GO
ALhe In at this moment, and the trio W
SISTED by Mrs. McAtfse, bound their ot
rlsoner hand and foot and tossed him or
q bed, to await the arrival of the aV
lthorlties. On regaining conscious. av
ess Fitzpatrick begged McAtfee to st' se'
ow out his brains, but the Captain er
'clined to perform that friendly act. sa
ls news of the capture spread like We
lldhre, and scores Of armed Wings, ~
airing that Fitzpatrick should be res vi, VII
led BY his Tory friends, stood guard sa
'er the jail until squad of soldiers tn
om the American camp escorted the de
isoner to Chester jail. ~,
During the night beautiful girl, wi
no was unknown in the neighbor-
od entered the McAffee house and 5
ked permission to Zee the highway o.
An. Having satisfied her curiosity, p.
went away and was never heard of
ain, although when the soldiers be
Grched Fitzpatrick her picture was on
ind in locket that hung from his ept
ok. An hour or 80 after the strange va
l went away, Rachel Walker, who
with pistol at the side of the III
soner, discovered that his bonds ia
re cut, no doubt by his feminine visi
. A month later Fitzpatrick was in a
ester convicted of burglary and high wv wv.
y robbery and sentenced to be hung boz
Sept. 26. Il
1e made several attempts to break sire
and for fear he would succeed the al
horities removed him to the old iV w. =
Ilnut street prison in Philadelphia. to q
execution took place at the inter- elgl
ti0n of Providence and Edgmont ives
'nues in Chester in the presence of sees ste.
ny thousand people. Fitzpatrick sen
as cool as cucumber, and nodded be t
Ilingly to number of persons as he Rec
9 in a cart to the gallows. When Sc 80
rope was fixed ar 1und his neck and My My
cart drawn from under him, his
touched the ground, and in order SE
ase the strain on his neck he raised 0, Is
lis toes. The executiJner, however =
equal to the emergency, for he N
ped from the cart, caught the rope V'
, planting his feet on the wretChed
lWayman's shoulders, pressed him
u and strangled him to death.