The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-27
An Early American Plot

1Ac EElnee OF wales was not the AIst
member OF a royal family who had paid
a visit 10 New York CITY. Just as the
American colonies were fighting their
way our OF Engiand's control, and while
British rule in this city was on its last
legs. q handsome yoaag English mid
shipman landed In New York This mid
shipman was Prince william. afterwards
King OF England
Prince William came TO New York TN
der the guardianship Of Admiral Digby,
who travelled with him, and they made
their headquarters in the ane old house
OF Governor Beekman, on Hanover
Square. then the aristocratic portion OF
the city There the Prince gave some
elegant dinners. Many young ladies set
their caps at him. and the Admiral mad
much trouble in nipping Ia the bud his
royal wards fiirtations- Prince William
was free and easy in his address. IN
dUlged in no airs. and became very pop
ular he repuaiated the idea OF ee4ns
| attended by a bOdyguard, and insisted
upon going about the streets OF New
York, ike any other man or boy, ali
by himself"
Meanwhile. the news of the Princes
visit 10 New York and Of his freedom
| OF action spread Tar and wide, and the
fact that he was in direct succession TO
the throne and might. II he lived, be
some day the King OF Great Britain. led
| some OF the coionists 10 conceive the
| idea OF getting hold Of him and keeping
| him as hostage. and so dictate terms
| OF settlement Of the colonies affairs
with Great Britain. Among the Jersey
| men, at that time prominent, was a gen
! tleman named Ogden. OF irish descent,
who held q commission as Colonel IN the
| Continental army. This Col ogden was
! the originator OF the scheme to abduct
/ the Prince. He arranged 10 have two
trustworthy army officers and thirty
1 nine men 10 ai6 him. II was planned 10
| land on n dark night as near as possible
/ TO the old Beekman mansion, force. The
door. seize the Prince. gag and bind his
| guardian, leave the Admiral a prisoner
| in his own room, and carry of the Prince
/ 10 a designated place. 1t was . bold
| plan. and in its very holdness lay its
safety and its likelihood Of success. The
plot was arranged in all its details. 4
/ dark, moonlesS night was chosen. and
/ the participants ia the scheme Were
/ landed in three boats An advance was
! then quietly made on the Beekman man
sion: but they did not secure the Prince.
nor the Admiral. The bcst-iaid plans
| Of mice and men gang aft agley." wrote
| Burns. and it was true In this instance.
| Nothing extraordinary had happened. no
| alarm had been given. yet Col. Ogden 5
scheme and all the trouble incident 10
| il went for nothing ON account Of a
| doorknocker.
| They did not indulge in door-SeIls in
/ those days. Even the most aristocratic
doors had big knockers on them 10 an
nounee callers; and on the night on
which Ogden and his two officers and
| thirty-nine men landed 10 secure the
Prince. the Prince had gone 70 party
| ''out Of town"-that is. about as far out
| of town as present Canal strickland did
not think OF starting for his place OF
/ residence until late, and then returned
/ on foot because he wanted To indulge IN
one Of his favorite amusements when
out on a lark-wrenching OF door
knockers and door-knobs from the
| houses he passed, a fad with young En-
glish aristocracy.
II was nearly O'Clock in the morning
| or about an hour and a half after Og-
| den and his party had gone back TO their
/ boats in disgust before Admiral Digby
and his royal charge were inside their
domicile. One of Ogdens men had been
chosen TO shadow the Prince on the
/ appointed day and night. ard Il was ar
| ranged that no attempt should be made
| to force the door OF the Beekman house
| until this spy had assured them. at an
1 appointed TenutZNDuSf lllSt t44e rinse
7 was inside The man who did the shad-
owing was faithful TO his duty. but
when he found that the Prince was on
! a "jamboree" and In the company Of a
! dozen or more military officers, he hur-
| riedly made his way Ia Ogden's party,
| to advise the Colonel OF the unexpected
situation. Ogden, believing that. under
| the circumstances. it would be best 10
defer the arranged program til more
/ propitious occasion, retired with mis- par
I ~ to their boats But the propitiCus
moment had gone forever. An individual
residing opposite the Beekman house.
having noticed the suspicious movements
| OF Ogden's aids reported the fact 20
/ headquarters the next day, and guard
was thereafter stationed in and around
| the Beekman mansion.