The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-13

gust %. ITS. William McAffce, a rich
Mrmcr OF Edgen.ont township Della
ware county, his wife and son 70
bert. CAPTAIN I'm the American army,
were at supper, when Fitzpatrick, armed
10 the teeth. rode up to the house. He said
he was levying tax upon all the rebel
families he knew, and had fixed the amount
10 he paid by the McAtlecs ut .ef50. The
shoes and buckles ON Captain McAfice's
feet struck the fancy OF the outlaw, and he
coolly ordered them TO be taken off and
placed on his pedal extremities. He then
discharged Captain McAnee's rife and
threw Il through the window, and began
searching the house for money. One OF
McAtfcc's shoes pinched Fitzpatrick's foot,
and he laid his arms, except pistol,
on a bed, and stopped TO ease the trouble
some shoe. Robert McAfice, who was q
powerful man, saw the opportunity he had
waited for had arrived. and he jumped on
the highwayman's back and endeavored to
hold his arms. \ desperate struggle en-
sued. but Rachel Walker, a servant, turned
the tide liz favor Of the officer. She ran
10 McAffee's assistance, and succeeded in
Wrestling his pistol from him; then setting
a heavy guilt, she clapped it over his head.
smothering him until he became insensible
David Cunningham, a farm laborer, came in
at this moment, and the trio. aided by Mrs.
McAflee, bound their prisoner hand and
foot and tossed him on bcdSto await the
arrival OF the authorities. On regainlng
CONSCIOUSNESS Fitzpatrick begged McAflee
to blow out his brains, but the Captain de-
clined to perform that friendly act. The
news Of the capture spread like wildfire,
and scores OF armed Wings, fearing that
FitZpatrick would be rescued by his Tory
friends, stood guard over him until squad
of soldiers from the American camp escort
ed the prisoner to Chester jail.
During the night beautiful girl, who
was unknown in the neighborhood, entered
the McAffee house and asked permission
10 see the highwayman. Having satisfied
her curiosity she went away and was never
heard of again, although when the soldiers
searched Fitzpatrick her picture was found
in locket that hung from his neck. An
hour or so after the strange girl went away
Rachel Walker, who sat with pistol at the
bedside of the prisoner, discovered that
his bonds were cut, no doubt by his fomi-
nine visitor. A month later Fitzpatrick
was in Chester convicted OF burglary and
highway robbery and sentenced TO be
hanged on September Goth. lie made
several attempts to break jail, and for fear
he would succeed the authorities removed
him to the old Walnut-Stree prison in
Philadelphia. The execution took place at
the intersection of Providence and Edge
mont avenues in Chester, in the presence
OF many thousand people. Fitzpatrick was
as cool as a cucumber and nodded smiling
Iy to number OF people as he rode in Il
cart to the gallows. When the rope was
fixed around his neck and the cart drawn
from under him his feet touched the
ground, and in order to ease the strain
upon his neck he raised himself on his toes.
The eXecutoner, however, was equal to
the emergency, for he jumped from the
cart, caught the rope. and planting his feet
on the wretched highwayman's shoulders
pressed him down and strangled him to
DEATH