Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-10

called 1t. that brought our brave fore
fathers together: IT ..as his sparkling
VINE cut OF dusty bottles that set The
discussion going. and warmed each man
to Guido his fellows in brave words
Ana suppose that Black Sam had been
q bad cook. ana had given these ex-
c"llent gentlemen n collie. or that nie
wine mad been too heavy and they had
gone TO sleep? What {. Washington
had been a dyspcptic. Hamilton afnic,
ed with the govt? 1t becomes an
parent that Black Sans cookery was
~ once the starting point and tho
sustaining pabulum OF American lib
-rty.
Bur !. appears that plots agains,
liberty as well as for I, werc fom.n,nd
at Black Sans. For IN 1875 there
were men In England who saw that tho
great personality Of Washington was
one OF tho greatest dangers TO Eng
lands hold upon the colonies, and
these men were not above removing
tn" danger AZ best they could
So II happened tina, a fr.qucnter OF
Black Sans place WAS :. young Eng
l!shman named Hickey. who had do.
serted from tho British Army, and
enlisted as nu American volunteer
Because he was clover man, despite
his bad record. he had become ono ~
General Washineton's hodyguard
Trrnson Thwnrtcd Here
This man WAS the kinc-pin in plot
70 assassinate Washington ANA the
first step in the plan was for him to
win the help OF tho generals house
Keeper. This person was none o,her
than tn" young and attractive West
Indian girl, Phoebe Fraunces. dauch-
ter Of Black sam. The murderer nrs.
won her heart. Then he ic, her know
his plan and the par, she was to PLAY.
There Is no record OF the struggle that
took place in the mind II Phoebe
"a M SpI,.
man sh" loved was tho appointed nlu--
dercr OF h"r master. Bu, tn. fact re
mains that she revealed tho plot TO
Washington and saw her lover hung
After this romantic Incident there
rolls by long century and half
OF uneventfwl years for the little tav-
,crn. Black Sam keeps II "a while
longer and many a ball and -out is
held there in the dining room. and
upstairs In the lonG-roon many a
wclEhiy and unintercsting meeting
In 1883 Washington here bids fare.
well to fortv-four OF his generals
In l7S5 Fraunccs sells the place 10
become the steward OF General Wash
!ncJDn.
Now come san days for the tavern.
New York is extending her cragEy
canyons M toward tn" other end o.
tho island As tho years pass. the
neighhorhood Of Fraunccs tavern.
where once gathered all the brave and
great ana beautiful or tho nation. be-
comes bur a drcary business section
near the waterfront. Twice rho place
Is damaged by fire. II escapes de-
struction by miracle. Finally in
1905. tho Sons Of the Revolution came
10 it's rescue. 1t Is renovated and re-
stored to almost exactly it's original
appearance. \ tavern is once again
opened on tho ground floor. Forthwith
the stream OF people that flowed
through its doors for over n century
is renewed They are people from
everywhere and OF all sorts: people
from around the corner and from the
What is tho fascination that brings
them TO this little hidden place? DO
they get n real patriotic thrill from
the sight Of these rooms where their
forcfathers planned tho nation? Look
ing them over. YOU doubt II. Too many
OF their forcfa thers lived In Russia.
Poland. Ireland. and other placeH
whore George Washington is not i'm
portant.
Maybe It tickles their vanity 70 dine
here where the great OF the earth have
eaten. They do not even invest
nickel in the excellent little chronology
OF the City History Club.
No. IL is none of these things. so
far as most Of them arc concerned.
at the imminent risk of conveying
valuable publicity gratis, let the secret
he told. Fraunces tavern is now run
! by thrifty German, who serves most
excellent things to cat.