The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-02-19
Washington S Spy
lie Had Unique Way OF Getting
Information.
BY F. a. Mitchell

houses in northern New Jersey AMI
there are a number of such houses
still standing-I noticed among other
relics OF bygOne times one of those
quaint, old fashioned clocks standing
some six or seven feet high. one may
see "A clock of this kind frequently in
these days. either an antique or male
TO look antique. so that there was moth
! ing especially peculiar about this one
except that il was Il very large one.
! My host, noticing me looking ut il, told
me "A story about the timepiece.
"All the antique furniture in this
house, lie said has been here since
1856. though some OF it is earlier than
that There is Il bed upstairs IN when
General Washington slept when lie
passed through this place when he
was going TO make his headquarters
at MorristOwn. My great grandmoth-
er. then Il girl of seventeen. was here
ut the time and has left an account
of the nutter in the family accustomed
by the presence of the commander III
chief and II description Of him.
"Washiugton passed OH up To Morris
town. from where he kept in touch
with all the region between New York
and Philadelphia. He learned mnch
from the patriots living hereabout. but
his principal source OF information
was spies whom he sent in different
directions.
"One of these emissarieS was Il Lieu
tenant Rogers. Il fearless youngSter,
but so gallant that he was very liable
TO spend more time with the girls than
in look ing 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 Il way Of getting news
from girls in whose homes British Off
GERS had been quartercd and who had
heard their talk. What they said
Rogers usually wormed out of the
girls. With the patriot girls he had
10 trouble; with the Tories he sue
ceeded by making love to them.
One 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 great grandmother-the
one | was telling you about-was the
ot ha I'm = Il
ed with the royalists. The reason for
this was that she had been ut school
in England and had returned but Il
short time before the Revolution broke
out. Rogers, instead of going to New
York. dallied here. My eat-grand-
mother-Catherine 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 II party OF
his officers had been here only Il day
or two before
Rogers could have got out of Cath
crime all she knew-so | should sup
pOse-wlthin week, although il may
have taken more lovemaking than
could he done within that time To do
the job. But he stayed two weeks.
Most of this time he was sitting up To
my great grandmother mean cath
erine-and whether he was doing the
business Of his general or making love
for the fun of ii | don't know. But
one evening his counting or spy work.
or whatever it WAS, came To II sudden
end. 1t was II o'clock ut night an
hour which in those days found every
body In bed. but Rogers and my great
grandmother-C atherine-wcre sitting
together in this very room. The clock
stood exactly where it does now. Sud
denly there came n tramp of horses
hoofs. Il clatter of side arms and Il rap
at the front door
Rogers. thinking that party OF Brit.
ishers We're 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,
followed 10y his officers He asked
Catherine if she had seen or heard
anything of Lieutenant Rogers. She.
knowing that her lover would rather
he caught there by the redcoats than
by his general. declared that she knew
nothing about him. Washington turn
ed away. saying that several weeks be
fore he had sent Rogers on n mission
and since he had not returned the
general feared he had been captured
by the enemy.
"All would have gone well had not
Rogers been ken with an uncontrol-
liable desire to SnceZc. Suddenly u loud
ca-chew came from the clock. The
general. fancying Tory might be
hidden there, went to the clock and
opened ii. There crlnged Rogers. red
as a beet.
How now. lieutenant said Wash
ington. is this the way you get in
formation. dallyiug with Mistress cath. |
crime? However, | am nightly pleas
I'd to find you alive. believed YOU
had suffered the fate Of Captain Hale |
ana been hanged for spy
well, Rogers was received with |
shouts of laughter by the officers. but |
il wuS SuiI fbnt bn ,,aV., |