Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-04-08
the Tories struck him with his sword,
and exclaimed:

Hurry up, you - old rebelI'
Reynolds knew at once that he had been
dipped by the Tories. He turned quickly
around with lighted candle in his hand,
and recognized Benjamin Kelly, who
lived within half mile Of him, and Ed
ward Robin, another neighbor, both
members of the Claudius Smith gang.
They were accompanied by several others.
Reynolds dashed past them and got out
of doors, but stumbled and fell. He
was seized by the Tories and dragged
backinto the house. He called loudly
to bound boy who lived in his family
to run for assistance. AS the boy was
hurrying out of the house Edward Robin
seized him and stood him against the
wall, and told him that if he turned his
head one way or the other he would cut
it from his body. By this time Mrs,
Reynolds and the oldest child, Phebc,
entered the room. Mrs. Reynolds was
soon to become again mother. Her
husband was PROSTATE on the floor, bleed
ing from wounds inflicted by the knives
and swords of the Tories. The wife fell, in
convulsions, to the floor. One Of the
children, named Caleb, had followed her
into the room, and Tory kicked him
until he became unconscious, and threw
him on his mothers sinsensible body. The
Tories then tied rope around Reynolds
neck, and hanged himupto beam. Phebe
Reynolds was less than 12 years old, but
she fought this attempt of the gang to
murder her father with such fury that it
was necessary for two of the men to hold
her before it could be executed. Sup
posing that they had accomplished the
death of Reynolds, the Tories proceeded
to plunder the house. They no sooner
had left the room than Phepe cut the rope
by which her father was suspended, re-
moved the moose from his neck, and car
ried him to bed. She had succeeded
in restoring him to consciousness, when
one of the gang re-entered the room and
discovered what she had done. He sum-
moned the others. Phebe took her posi-
ton in front of the bed, brandished her
knife, and declared she would kill the
first one who attempted to touch her
father. Benjamin Kelly, the leader Of
the gang, shouted:
"Get away, you little rebel -, or I'll
run my sword through you!"
The undaunted girl refused to move.
"You may kill me- she replied, 'sfor
if you kill my father / do not want to
liver'
Kelley made lunge at her with his
sword. She knocked it from his hand,
and in trying TO catch it before it fell to
the ground he received wound from it
on the under part of the wrist from which
the blood flowed freely. One Of the
Others stabbed Phebe in the breast, and,
seeing that she would be ovcrpowered by
the Tories, she threw herself upon her
fathers body on the bed, and clasped her
arms about him in order to shield him
from the weapons Of his assailants. While
one Of the gang prodded the girls arm
with his sword, the tiend Kelley tore her
clothing from her and lashed her bare
body with the rope with which
they had hanged her father. In
relating the brutal details of this
assault, even seventy years after
ward, Phebe never attempted to repress
her anger and Indignation at the memory
of it. During all the severe punishment
she received at the hands of the Tories,
she never uttered moan or gave any
sign of the pain they inflicted. The
blood ran down her arms from the
wounds made by the sword, and the
rope cut great gashes in her flesh,
the scars from which she carried
to her grave Being unable to force the
brave girl from the protection Of her
helpless father by this means, the Tories
removed her by main force, and hurled
her, weak from her superhuman efforts,
into far corner of the room. Hel
mother had regained consciousness by
this time, and was crouching in corner,
holding little Caleb, who had also re-
vived, in her arms. The assassins again
hanged Reynolds from the beam in sight
of the moaning woman and her two
children, and, believing that Phebe was
past rendering any further aid to him.
proceeded to the completion of theil
scheme of plundering. They had mis-
calculated the courage and vitality of th'
girl, however, and the last Tory wa
barely out Of the room before Phebe had
once more cut her father down. She
was attempting to remove him to another
room when he fell heavily to the floor
Phebe at once threw herself on his body
and the Tories found them mingling theil
blood together, the father apparentl,
dead, and the girl shielding his bod,
with hers The murderers thrust theil
knives aud swords several times into th
body of their PROSTATE victim, and twic'
Phebe was stabbed in her efforts to pro
tect her father. The Tories fnall.
dragged her from her father and threv
him into chest, shutting the lid dow
upon him. They then departed will
| what booty they had obtained, first roll
ing large stone against the door, whicl
opened outward, to prevent it beinI
opened. AS soon as the murderou
gang was out of the house, Pheb
herself covered with blood from he
wounds, FASTENED to remove her father
body from the chest, hopeful that he wa
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