The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-07
A Revolutionary Spy.


Enoch Crosby. who Is generally be-
| Eeved TO be the original Of Harvey Birch,
| the hero OF Cooper's famous novel, was
! born at Harwich, Mass, January 4, 100.
/ When the Revolution was fairly be-
( gun, the colony Of New York organize 4
/ @ provincial congress" which was he
/ recognized government. A committee OF
! safety was appointed, consisting Of John
I Jay Zethania Plat William Duer and
John Sackett. whose duty It was TO
! counterfeit the plans and inrigues Of the
! Tories, who abounded and embraced
( many men of high standing and infi1-
! ence. Resolving to enter again the ser
I vice of his country. Crosby shouldered
/ his knapsack and took his way TO the
! headquarters Of the American army.
! While on his lonely walk through
/ Westminster county he fell IN with a
/ Tory who supposed Crosby TO BE- one
| also, on his way TO join the British,
and the stranger cautioned him as TO the
! dangers Of the way, "as rebels were on
/ the alert" Crosby, with affected con-
| Germ, inquired what course would be best
/ to pursue and was advised TO 90 with
! him to his home and 90 down to the
British with q company then forming.
| Seeing in this a very favorable opportu-
nifty to strike q blow for his country, ne
! accepted the invitation and was soon
introduced to number OF men Who
we're bitterly hostile to the friends of
liberty.
In three days he had made himself
master of all the information they could
comm unicate, and pretending to be i'm
patient to Join the enemy and desp te
many warnings he took his leave and
was soon out of sight on the road to
New York. Fastening as quickly as pos
sible to the house Of a Mr.. Young, q
wei known patriot, they went together
to White Plains, where the committee
Of safety was then sitting, and were
soon in the presence Of Judge John Jay
and his associates. Crosby was instruct
ed to go as guide to a company Of rang
ers, and the result was that the whole
Of the Tory gang were arrested.
Judge Jay, seeing his peculiar ability
urged him to serve his country as a Sc
cret agent, and to this ne agreed, only
STIMULATING that in case of his death
they should do justice to his memory.
He received a pass, which he was in
structed never to show except in a case
Of dire necessity. In any battle or Skin
mish he was TO run the risk Of being
killed or wounded, but it was expressly
understood that If he was taken prisoner
the committee would furnish means for
make a volume far larger than the ia
nous novel that purports to relate them.
Equipped with a peddler's pack con
tanning q complete set of shoemaker s
tools he sailed out on his dangerous
mission and soon found company Of
Tories about to Join the British and re-
solved to be one of them. GaininH the
confidence Of the leader, he was conduct
ed to thehiding place of the company,
which was in the interior of an immense
haystack. While the rest were asleep
Crosby FASTENED to White Plains and,
informing the committee, returned i'm
mediately before his comrades had learn
ed Of his absence. The result was the
capture Of the entire company, Crosby
among the rest. After examination the
prisoners were returned TO the church
in Ffshhdil. which was their temporary
prison, but Crosby was secretly informed
that certain window was eeft unfas-
tened. AS soon az darkness came The
availed himself Of his information, leap
ed from the window, and, although fired
upon by the sentinels, he was again at
large in a region where he knew the
roads perfectly.
Captain Townsend, who commanded
the company that captured him. was
considered by all except the COMMITTEES
a very dangerous Tory. His next ex-
plot was the discovery of another com
pany, which was recruited by a British
officer and had their rendezvous in the
highlands on the west Of the Hudson
river. He soon found means to send
word to the committee, who quickly Dis
patched Captain Townsend with his com
pany Of rangers. In the skirmish that
oil
and Captain Townsend was overtoyed 10
find among them the prisoner who had
escaped him at Ffshkill. "WeH met, old
comrade," said Townsend, with a smile
OF triumph. You showed US a light pair
Of heels at Ffshkill. but If I DO not see
them made heavy this time may I never
be a major"
Mr.. Duer, one Of the committee, who
was present inquired, innocently: ''Who
IS hep "Enoch, the patriarch" return
ed Townsend. who disappeared from the
church at FashlziI almost as mysterious
" as his ancient namesake did from the
earth"
Crosby and all the rest were taken TO
Ftshkill, but while the others were con-
fined in the church Crosby was taken to
a house where Captain Townsend had
his quarters, and who was fully deter
mined that he should not escape again
and, to make sure, had him confined in
a room strongly fastened, with a guard
at the door. The committee were at
first in doubt how to effect his escape
but finally they procured a quantity of
laudanum, and this having been mixed
with a suitable quantity Of New England
rum and molasses, the guard was lber-
ally treated with the mixture. Its effect
was soon apparent, the door was careful
ly unlocked. and Enoch Crosby was soon
at large with fresh instructions.
When morning came. and Captain
Townsend came early, eager TO conduct
his prisoner to condign punishment.
what was his amazemeat to find the
room empty and the prisoner fowni The
guard was questioned, but Ike the SOL
diers who guarded s.. Peter they could
tell nothing" and finally, after long de-
bate, Il was concluded that he must
have crawled uD the chimney. His nu-
meroUs escapes finally made the Torres
suspicious, and an attempt was made 20
assassinate him. which came near beng
successful Exchange
tes-
Produced Resuits
CFrom the Philadelphia Fress)
Please. lady, gimme a penny" plead