The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-03-08
A GREAT INTRIGUE
Superintendent Mcdowell Tells of In
written History to the Members
of the S. A. R.
GREAT CONWAY CONSPIRACY

Mr.. MCDOWELL Takes UP an Unwrttteu-
Chapter of the History of the Revolution
and Tells Some Interesting History in
Regard to the Life of washington-Leon-
ard Lee Tells of the Invasion of Connect
icut-A Business Meeting.
The meeting of the Sons of the
American Revolution at the home of
Supt. G. r. Mcdowell Tuesday even
ing proved to be one of the most inter
esting meetings ever held by the
society.
In the early part of the evening a
business meeting was held, at which
time literary committee to arrange
for the work during the coming year
was appointed as follows: E. L. Grant,
G.. r. Mcdowell and w. H. Purne1l.
The literary meeting, however, was
very enjoyable one. E. G. Theirs
read very interesting paper from the
pen of Leonard Lee on the subject of
''The Invasion of Connecticut by the
British"
Following the reading of the paper
of Mr.. Lee the host held the attention
of the society for the entire evening
while he told the story of the Conway
caba1. To many of the members OF
the society not versed in historical lore
the story as told by Mr.. Mcdowell was
a chapter of unwritten history. Vari-
Gus historians have written of the revo-
luton, but none of them ever. made "a
more exhaustive study of the conspir-
acy against General Washington than
did Mr.. Mcdowell. In the preparation
of the paper Mr.. Mcdowell left the
usual course of consulting historical
authorities and sought the matter for
his paper in the letters left by the men
connected with the famous conspiracy.
In this manner Mr.. Mcdowell man
aged to tell the members of the S. A.
r. many facts connected with the
great intrigue which had hitherto been
hidden from the world and known only
to the students deeply versed in history
and the attendant studies.
The Conway caba1 was one of the
most extensive Conspiracies ever made
against a public man in the United
States, and strange as it may seem,
the attacks of the conspirators were
directed against the character of Gen-s,
era1 Washington. In the eu1ogies of
the father of his country historians
have nearly all failed to notice this
event.
1t was known as the Conway Cabar
on account of the fact that Thomas
Conway took an important part in the
leadership of the onslaught against
the character of Washington, and in
the days that followed, before the arch
conspirators finally admitted the in
trigue, many of the leading men of
the United States were drawn into the
meshes woven by Conway and his con-
federates.
Conway was an Trishmatl who had
seen service in the French army and
at the breaking out of the Revo1u-
ton as soldier of fortune he came to
this country and entered the service of
the Colonies. At the same time came
that true patriot, Baron DeKa1b. The
two men had met before. The rank of
Conway had always been SUPERIOR
however, Washington elevated DeKa1b
and made Conway brigadier general.
This hurt the pride of Conway and he
started a conspiracy to overthrow
General Washington and make GEN
era1 Gates commander of the American
forces. Besides Conway and Gates
many other important men were inter
ested in the conspiracy but their names
were never divu1ged.
The Vaccinations of the gang, of
which Conway was the leader, contin-
ued for several years and on account
of them several men, including Lord
Sterling, Alexander Hamilton and
Gates were called upon to fight dueEs
with Conway. The conspiracy was
finally defeated when Conway had
been left for dead on the field of honor.
At that time he wrote letter to Wash
ington telling the full story of the
crime, but the latter in his love for his
fellow soldiers refused to make the
matter public. The address of Mr.,
Mcdowell was all the more interesting
on account of the light that it threw
on the character Of Washington and
his manner of dealing with his
opponents.