Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-04
WHERE ARNOLD HID
SIDE LIGHT OF HISTORY FOUND
ON cAMPoBELLo ISLAND.
Old House Where the Revolutionary
Traitor Lived for Two
Years.
From the Lewiston Journal.

| From the Lewiston Journal.
| There has recently disappeared from the
! Island of Campobello one of the most his
| toric buildings this section of the At
| lantic coast. There are no records TO snow
when the old house was built; but, in spite
| Of all assertions to the contrary, 1t has
| been generally accepted for many years
| as the abiding place, in the years 1876 and
| 1887, of Benedict Arnold. the traitor.
| There are few men in American history
whose lives furnish such fascinating mate
rails for the novelist historian as does
the career of this high-spirited, brave, but
over-sensitive revolutionary officer. Cod
man. in his history of the Inflated expedi-
ton against Quebec, we'll says that, had
that enterprise succeeded, it would have
been the most famous event of the war;
and Arnold would have Won an enduring
fame. Or, had he lost his life at the battle
of Saratoga, few names would have been
more honored than his.
But every school boy is familiar with the
story Of his treachery and disgrace 1t is
not so generally known, however, that for
nearly two years he lived almost within a
stones throw of the coast of Maine: Vet
such is the fact, as several records conclu-
Sively prove.
At this time 07s6) Col. John Allen had
been appointed by Congress to take charge
of all the Indian tribes east of the Penob-
| scot river. The Passamaquoddy Indians
were then the most powerful as they are
now the sole surviving representatives of
THESE numerous tribes and clans. Col. AL
| len was also collector of the port of East
port. and had his headquarters on a small
Island midway between Eastport and the
present village of Lubec, and not far from
ICampobello The island is still called AL
zen Island; and in secluded graveyard on
the southern slope of the island on a small
hill lie the remains of the brave old soldier
Trading Post.
Col. Allen kept a store-a sort of trading
post-here, and dealt extensively not only
with the Indians, but with the settlers all
| about the shores of Passamaauoddy bav
Inc OLD leather-covered daybook In which
ne Kept his accounts, and in which are to
De found many interesting and curious en-
tries, Is still in existence, the property of
Daniel Smith of Machfas. one of his de-
scendants
The house which Benedict Arnold occu-
pied. and which tradition saws he had
oullt ior himself. and assisted often in con-
structlnS. was in plain sight of Allen
! trading post and less than mile distant.
COL Allen, though loyal soldier. seems
never to have made any attempt to seize
AInold IN spite OF the large reward offer
ed for his capture, dead or alive; in fact
he, or his assistants for Col Allen was
often absent on visits to the Indiansl. seem
not to have been averse to trading with
.iio oiiSe ieuouDtdDle Arnold. There are
two entries in this old day book which bear
Arnold's name. One of these reads:
Lee. II. Benedict Arnold DR.
10 1 Gallon Rum, 3-6.
More Rum for Arnold.
The other entry is similar, leading one to
infer that even then Arnold was trying to
drown the memory of his treason; and an
interesting fact in this connection is that
neither entry is marked paid" Evidently
! there were some things he could forget, if
| not West Point and Andre
1t is interesting to conjecture what must
have been the life of this once gallant of
| ficer and his wife the beautiful belle of
Philadelphia. Margaret Shipper. in this
wild and savage region. What lodgings to
revisit his native land, to exchange his
| ill-gotten gains for the right to be the low
| lest citizen of a country that he had tried
| to betray.
But he soon grew tired of gazing across
the turbulent waters of the channel to a
land that had renowned him; so he left
his lonely house for the still greater soil
tude of London, where no one would have
aught to do with him. Even the loneliness
of life on CampobellO must have been pref
cradle to the bitter scorn and contempt
which he met everywhere in the world S
! metropolis.
For many years before it's demolition in
| 1898. the old house stood deserted. Some
| said it was haunted, and that strange cries
| and ShriekS. mutteringS and curses had
been heard issuing from its broken doors
and windows on dark and stormy nights.