New-York tribune., 1901-11-24

Israel Putnam hanged Edmund Palmer. an Eng
lish spy. The other is big oak tree on Acad-
erny HILL where traitor was hanged This is
Peekskilrs particular legend, and almost every
one knows it. The traitor Daniel strang
and he was a native of the town. He sent
to New-York a mission and returned on an
other. In the interval he changed masters. Brit
ish gold had been too much for the young
countryman. 4 captains commission was Of
fereG him if he would return 10 Peekskiu ana
persuade the villagers 10 come to NewYork
and take with the British. He was SO
proud Of the commission that ne brought it back
with him, safely hidden. he thought, in the
toe Of his boot. His sudden change Of front
aroused suspicion, which was confirmed by the
discovery of the commission The soldiers and
villa gers lost time. but dragged him up the
hill and strung. him from branch Of the big
oak Children can point out the very branch.
and in their minds hanging IS the inevitable
fate Of all traitors, though they wonder why
the hanging Of Benedict Arnold is left out of
their histories
II has been nearly fifty years since Peekskill
has had a genuine excitement over the buried
treasure of Captain William Kidd, the British
pirate. Strangers have hunted for treasure III
the vicinity of the old town since that time, but
PeekskilIs real treasure secret died with "Unc.e
Dan" as everybody called Did fisherman
named Lent. He lived in a miserable cabin on
the edge of a dark ravine which leads up from
the bay hot lar from the State Camp. One af-
ternoon a sick sailor came up the shore and
fell exhausted at Lents door. The old man took
him in and cared for him until he died, few
days later. The sailor had come to PeekSkllI
TO search for treasure, of which an eX-plrate
haJ told him several years before when sailing
in the China Seas. When he realized that he
was diving the sailor confided the secret to the
man who had befriended him Uncle Dan
then very old. and unable to do the manual
labor necessary to uncover the treasure, II treas
ure there He did not find any one IN
whom he had sufficient confidence to share the
secret and up to the time of his death he kept
silent. in hope that he would some day be
strong enough dig it up himself.
The present generation is lamenting the fact
that their fathers saw fit 10 tear down the
Birdsel mansion, which was Washington's head
quarters while ne was at Peekskill. 1t stood IN
the middle of the road Ehen the streets OF the
town were laid out. and fifty years ago it was
demolished. Washington held several important
conferences in the Zig dining room of the ole
house and gave a series of dinners there, at
least one Of which is described in detail in the
diary of a French officer who was present
The table was served in American style, and
pretty abundantly," he writes. There was
roast beef lamb, chickens. vegetables. salad
dressed with nothing but vinegar, green peas,
pudding some pie. ana KIND OF tart greaty
in in England and among the Americans;
all this being put on the table at the same time
They gave the same plate beef, green
peas. lamb, etc At the end of the dinner the
cloth was removed and some Madeira wine was
brought, which was passed around while drink
ing different healths to the King of France
Another French officer who had heard that
Washington always asked a blessing on the
1000 m5ie The reparsi closely when the dinner
began He heard nothing that he could con-
strue as prayer. The next day at dinner
minister made long prayer.
might j ask how il WAS that we had no
blessing on the dinner yesterday?' the French
man asked the Colonial officer who sat next
But we had" said the officer. The general
asked it." and he called attention to Washing
TOMS gesture which accompanied the words
Grace be with US
was that a blessing?'' asked the French
man 1T was so short that thought it mere
politeness
One of the ouaintest cd buildings to be found
anywhere in New-York State is ST Peters
| Episcopal Church which New-York City
| erec.ed a monument few years ago TO the
| ,,,er,orv of John Paulding. one OF the three
! farmers who captured Major andre 1t was
erected in 1864 and stands to-day practcaIy
| as If was built AT times in the war Wheh the
| American forces were encamped near Peeksklll
| the church was used as hospital. AT the close
| of the war the Presbyterfans seized the church
| and attempted to secure it for their denonlha-
| tion on the ground that most OF the Episcu
| nalisns had moved away. There was as hVeiy
| = denominational as can be imagined, oue
| the Fpscopal minister was inaiiy lnstaIieu. u
| PeekskiIl is proud of the Old churcl. anu -
| enar6Ing it thoroughly against everything seNe
/ the elements