The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-23
Washington 5 Spy
He Had . Unique Way Of Getting
information.
By F. A. mitchell.

sui StaBdlng-l not1ced among olnel
relics of bygone times one OF tpos'
quaint, old fashioned clocks standing
some six or seven feet high. One may
see clock OF this kind frequently il
these days. either an antique or made
to look antique. so that there was moth
ing especially peculiar about this one
except that ii was very large one
My host, noticing me looking at 1t, told
me story about the timepiece.
.'All the antique furniture in this
house." he said. has been here since
1856. though some of it is earlier than
that There is a bed upstairs in which
General Washington slept when he
passed through this place when he
was going to make his headquarters
at Morristown. Ny great grandmoth-
err, then a girl of seventeen, was here
ut the time and has left an account
of the flutter in the family occasioned
by the presence Of the commander in
chief and description OF him.
washington passed on up to Morris
town, from where he kept In touch
with all the region between New York
and Philadelphia. He learned much
from the patriots living hereabout, but
his principal source Of information
was spies. whom he sent In different
directions.
Zone of these emissaries was Lieu
tenant Rogers, fearless youngster.
but so gallant that he was very liable
to spend more time with the girls than
In looking after the movements of the
enemy. Nevertheless he seemed to
pick up more information than any of
the other spies. and for this reason
Washington relied much upon him,
Though his commander did not know
1t. the secret of Rogers success was
that he had way of getting news
from girls in whose homes British Off
GERS had been CHARTERED and who had
heard their talk. What they said
Rogers usually wormed out of the
girls. With the patriot girls he had
ceeded by making love to them.
zone day .the young officer came
through here on his way to New York,
where he was going to gather informa-
ton of Howe's army. then occupying
that city. My t-grandmother-th
one was telling you about-was the
only one of the family who sympathiz-
ed with the royalists. The reason for
this was that she had been at school
in England and had returned but
short time before the Revolution broke
out. Rogers. instead of going to New
York, dallied here. Ny great-grand-
MISUNDERSTANDING was her name-was
sweet on him, and perhaps the reason
he stayed was that he was getting
more out of her about the British
plans than he was likely to get in New
York. Anyway. Howe and party of
his officers had been here only a day
or two before.
Rogers could have got out of Cath
crime all she knew-so | should sup
pose within a week, although 1t may
have taken more lovemaking than
could be done within that time to do
the job. But he stayed two weeks.
Most of this time he was sitting up to
my t-grandmother-I mean Cath
erine-and whether be was doing the
business of his general or making love
for the fun of 1t / don't know. But
one evening his counting or spy work,
or whatever it was, came to sudden
end. 1t was IL o'clock at night, an
hour which in those days found every
body in bed. but Rogers and my great |
randmother-C atherine-were sitting |
together in this very room. The clock |
stood exactly where it does now Sud !
denly there came tramp OF horses |
hoofs. a clatter of side arms and rap |
at the front door.
Rogers, thinking that party OF Brit |
ishers were without, looked about for |
a hiding place The girl stepped to |
the clock, opened the door and babe
him get inside. He did So and she |
went to the door and opened it.
Who should be there but General |
Washington. He came into this room,
by his officers. He asked /
Catherine IL she had seen or heard
anything OF Lieutenant Rogers. She,
knowing that her lover would rather
be caught there by the redcoats than
by his general, declared that she knew
nothing about him. Washington turn
I'd away, saying that several weeks be-
fore he had sent Rogers on a mission
md since he had not returned the
general feared he had been captured
by the enemy.
"All would have gone well had not
Rogers been taken with an uncontrol-
able desire to sneeze Suddenly loud
"a chew came from the clock. The
general. fancying Tory might be
hidden there. went 10 the clock and
,pened It. There cringed Rogers. red
10 a beet
How now, lieutenantT said Wash
ngton. Is this the way you get in
Drmation. dallying with Mistress Cath
rine? However, ! am nightly pleas
a 10 find you alive. ! believed you
.ad suffered the fate Of Captain Hale
nd been hanged for a spy
We'll. Rogers was received with
bouts of laughter by the officers, hut
t was said that he gave Washington
important information he had got out
q ord Iagt /