Daily Republican., 1886-09-27
A FAMOUS OUTLAW.


In the gray of the misty morning,
September 90, 1778, at Providence and
Edgemont avenues, in the borough Of
Old Chester, Pa, was executed the in
trepid outlaw, Captain James Fitzpat-
rick, the terror of the Wing RevOlu-
tionary forefathers of Chester county.
Captain Fitz, as he dubbed himself,
was blacksmith by trade. He was a
patriot volunteer early in 1776 with
the Flying Camp" of Chester county,
which went TO participate in the dis
astrous battle of Long Island. He
might have taken not only a hand in
the engagement that killed or con-
signed TO prison ships most of the
"Old Pennsylvania Line" but have
attained rank with the best blood of
them all, had not brutal fiogging for
slight disobedience changed the cur
rent of his future actions. Deserving
the patriot cause LIE swan the Hudson
river, crossed New Jersey and reached
Philadelphia, homeward bound to
Chester County. He was arrested in
Philadelphia, and safely quartered in
the Old Walnut street prison On
promising to renew his military life he
was let go; but the memory of the
fiogging haunted him, and when the
British appeared at the Elk river, pre-.
paratory to the battle of Brandywine,
Fitz Joined the enemy's ranks.
Subsequently, when the victorious
British, under General Howe, took
possession of Philadelphia, Fitzpatrick
was there in the role of captain, with
a lieutenant of his own choice named
Mordecai Doherty. With a small
band they terrorized their neighbor
Wings in Chester County. Their
headquarters were often at Hands
Pass" near the present town OF Coats
vile. The tax collector seems to have
been the particular object Of Fitz s
affections.
1t Is related that on q certain forag-
ing expedition, falling in with two of
these worthless armed with muskets,
and entering into conversation with
him, they inquired II he had ever seen
this Captain Fitzpatrick. One of
them, Captain MCGOWAN, was par
ticularly bellicose in expressing the
great pleasure it would give him to
meet the outlaw and give him lesson.
On hearing this Fitz drew his pistols,
giving them to understand he was the
individual in question and would be
obliged to them to fork out their
money and valuables. The boastful
captain was forced TO resign his mill
tary sword and pi tolls, his queue was
cropped close and being tied to tree.
he was severely logged. On repre-
senting that the watch Fitz helped
himself to was a family relic it was
returned. An old ballad says:
Some he did rob, then let them 90 free,
Bold Captain MCGOWAN he tied to tree;
Some he did whip and some he did spare,
He caught Captain MCGOWAN and cut off
his hair.
These daring acts of lawlessness led
the Wings OF Chester to combine in
an effort to capture the outlaw, and TO
this end they offered reward OF
81, 900 for his head. Several vigilance
committees were on the hunt and
meetings were held to devise plans to
bring the outlaw to justice. Fitzpat
rick himself put in an incog appear
snce at one of these meetings at tav-
ern on the West Chester road. A
militia captain was holding forth in
the most grandiloquent style, d.
lating ON the eminent pleasure it
1t would afford him to meet Captain
Fitz face TO face that he might hand
him over. The outlaw watched his
chance, and when the noisy captain
was alone he approached him and said
he could have his wishes gratifed re-
lative to Captain Fitz. He was invited
to neighboring room to see the out.
law face to face. On entering the
room Fitz locked the door and leveled
a candle-stick at the dumbfounded
captains head, saying: "Young man,
you want to see Captain Fitz? l am
that person. I'll trouble you for your
watch and the money you may have
about you" With hands tied with
his own handkerchief behind his back,
the captain was told: "You may go
back to your friends and tell them that
you wanted to see Captain Fitz and
you have seen him." The proclama-
lions of the executive county commit
tee offering prize for his head made
him target tor concealed marksmen,
yet he escaped, appearing even in
broad daylight in Kennett Square,
with pistols and dagger, at the uni
corn" the noted tavern of that time.
1t is said that the people made way
for him as he passed, but these must
have been Tory friends, who were
very numerous and influential there
abouts.
Never was it said that Fitz molested
a Tory, robbed poor peddler or in
suited female. This brought him
into favorable recognition with the
young ladies who sympathized with
King George, and they regarded the
outlaw as a hero. On August 20, 1778,
he called at the house of Captain Nc
Afee. an ardent Wing, residing near
Castle rock, romantic spot, where the
West Chester road crosses Crum creek
about ten miles from Chester. Inquir-
ing If William McAfee lived there, he
was given politely to understand that
he was talking to the son, Robert Gap
tain McFee. Reckoning, 81 am Capt.
Fitzpatrick" he was politely asked by
the muscular McAfee to tea. Fitz-
patrick gave them to understand there
were two of them; that he came to
levy a contribution of ESQ, and draw
ing pistols, demanded the needtul.
Espying handsome pair OF buckled
shoes on young McAfee he was not
long in discussing their uti ity.
Thwarted in not finding the money