Valdez daily prospector., 1914-02-27
GREAT TRIALS
 0F HISTORY
The Trial of Major Andre.


 then only 20 years old, came to Amer ica with one of the English regi- ments. He distinguished himself in the service, and at the time of Bene- dict Arnold's treachery he was acting adjutant general to the English com mander, Sir Henry Clinton, in New York city
 It was Andre who was chosen by the English to negotiate with Arnold l for the turning over of West Point the American stronghold A long correspondence was carried on be- tween them under the feigned names of Gustavus and Anderson; and at length, to facilitate their communi- cations, the English sloop of war Vul- ture moved up the Hudson and took station near West Point convenient for the purpose.
 The place appointed by Andre to meet Arnold was the house of MT. Smith, without the American posts. Both parties repaired thither in the night at the hour agreed upon. Ma jor Andre was brought under a pass in the name of John Anderson in a boat dispatched for the purpose from the shore While the conference was yet unfinished daylight approached, and to avoid the danger of discovery. it was proposed that Andre should remain concealed until the preceding night.
 | Owing to the fact that the Vulture | had moved down the river to escape the American fire, the boatman refus- ed to return Andre to the war vessel and he was finally compelled to make the trip on horseback to the British lines. Arnold gave him permit to pass through the American lines, in order to reach White Plains. 1 He started for New York, as he sup posed, in perfect security, but when not far away he was stopped by scouting party who seized the reins of his bridle. For some unaccountable reason he forgot himself and declared l that he was a British officer on i'm portant business, and begged that he might not be detained. When he dis covered too late his mistake he of fered purse of gold and valuable watch for his release, but his offers were rejected and his captors pro- ceeded to search him. They found concealed in his boots the exact re turns, in Arnold's handwriting, of the state of the forces, ordnance and de- lenses at West Point.
 Andre was carried before Lieut.. Col. Jameson, and, regardless of himself, and only anxious for the safety of Arnold, he nobly maintained the char acter he had assumed, and requested Jameson to inform his commanding officer that Anderson had been taken. On receiving this inform tion Arnold comprehended at once the danger with which he was m naced, and fled to the Vulture and afterwards pro ceeded to New York.
 When sufficient time for Arnold 1 to make his escape was supposed to have elapsed, Andre no longer effect ed disguise and acknowledged him. self to be the adjutant general of the British army. Measures of s curity having been taken for the protection of West Point, it remained to de termine the fate of the unfortunate Andre. A board of general officers, of which Major Gen. Greene was pres ident, and the two foreign generals, Lafayette and Steuben, were mem bers, was called to report precise state of his case, and to determine in what character he wassto be consid- cred, and to what punishment he was liable.
 | The candor openness and magnani- mity with which Andre had conducted himself from the first made favor able impression. For this reason he experienced every mark of indulgence and from a sense of justice, as well as of delicacy, he was informed, on the first opening of the examination. that he was at perfect liberty not to answer any interrogation which might embarrass his own feelings.
 He, however, ignored this courtesy, and confessed everything material to his own condemnation. while he would divulge nothing which might involve others. The board reported the es- sential facts which had appeared with their opinion that Major Andre was a spy, and ought to be hanged as a spy. The execution of this sentence