Las Vegas optic., 1911-02-10
BENEDICT ARNOLD'S
CASE HAD AN ELE-
MENT OF PATOS|

the next night Arnold sent out boat
which brought him ashore about fouI
miles below Stony Point. There in a
| thicket of fir trees, the scheme was
matured; but as dawn came on before
all the details had been arranged, the
boatmen became alarmed, and refused
to take Andre back to the ship, and
he was accordingly persuaded, though
against his will, to accompany Arnold
within the American lines. 1t was be-
lieved that they might spend the day
discussing their enterprise, and when
it should have grown dark Andre
could be rowed back to the Vulture.
But now an unforeseen accident oc-
CURED. Colonel Livingstone, COM
manding the works on the opposite
side of the river, was provoked by the
sight Of British ship standing near,
and he opened such fire upon the
Vulture that she was obliged to with
draw from the scene.
Meanwhile, Andre left to himself,
struck into the road which led through
Tarrytown. About 8 o'clock as he
was approaching a creek above Tarry-
town, a short distance from Sleepy
Hollow, he was confronted by three of
this party, who sprang from behind
the bushes and ordered him to halt.
One of these men happened to have
on the coat of Hessian soldier. Held
by the belief that they must be Cow
boys" or members of what was some
times termed the "lower party" Andre
expressed hope that such was the
case; and being assured that it was
so his caution deserted him, and with
that sudden sense of relief which is
apt to come after an unwonted and
prolonged constraint, he avowed him
self British officer, travelling on
business of great Importance. To his
dismay he learned his mistake. John
Paulding, the man in the Hessian
coat informed him that they were
Americans, and ordered him to dis
mount. When he showed them Ar
nold's pass they disregarded it, and
insisted upon searching him, until
the six papers were discov-
cred
by God, he is spy exclaimed
as he looked over the pa
pers.
Threats and promises were of no
avail. The young, men took their
prisoner twelve miles up the river and
delivered him to Colonel John Jane
son. To the honest Jameson it SEEM
ed that this must be some ruse of the
enemy for stirring up suspicion in the
camp-something at any rate, which
could not too quickly be brought to
his generals notice Andre in charge
of a military guard, was sent toward
West Point When Major Benjamin
Tallmadge came in from some errand
on which he had been engaged, he sus-
pected that all was not right with /Ar-
mold and insisted that Andre and the
letter be recalled. After a hurried
discussion Jameson sent out a party
which brought Andre back; but he
still believed it his duty to inform Ar
mold, and so the letter which saved
the traitors life was allowed to pro-
ceed on its way.
AS they sat at table, courier en-
tered and handed Arnold a letter in
which Colonel jameson informed him
that one John Anderson had been TAX
en-. With astonishing presence of mind,
he folded the letter and put it in
his pocket, finished the remark which
had been on his lips when the courier
entered, and then, rising, said he was
suddenly called across the river from
West Point, but would return to meet
without delay. None of
the officers observed anything unusual
in his manner but the quick eye OF
his wife detected something wrong,
and as he left the room she excused
herself and hurried after him. He
told her that he was ruined man and
must fly for his life; and as she
screamed and tainted in his arms, he
laid her on the bed, called in maid
to attend her, stopped to kiss his baby
boy, who was sleeping in the cradle,
rushed down the yard, leaped on a
horse that was standing there, and
galloped down a bypath to his barge.
1t has occurred to his quick mind that
the Vulture would still be waiting for
Andre some miles down stream, and
he told the oarsmen to row him thith-
er. A brisk row. of eighteen miles
brought him to the Vulture. From the
cabin of the Vulture Arnold sent let
ter to Washington, assuring him of
Mrs. Arnolds innocence and begging
that she might be allowed to return
to her family in Philadelphia, or come
to her husband as she might choose.
AS washington was taking supper In