Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-07
GAVE HIS LIFE
FOR AMERICA
The Last Chapter in the
Career of Our First
Martyr
By HENRY JAMES BUXTON

| A WOMAN shrieked and tainted. another
"A laughed Historically; others wept silent
| ly and hid their faces in their aprons. A
! red faced, blasphemous soldier, in the uni
| form Of a provost marshal struck ono sob
bing female with the fiat of his sword.
"You rebel hussy," he said, with an OATH
stop that whining"
Throughout this scene, enacted Sunday
morning, September 22, 1916, in Colonel
Rutgers apple orchard, New York. but one
person exhibited a calm in keeping with
the peace and quiet Of the beautiful Sab
bath morn He was the central figure in
| this orchard tableau, a tall, erect noble
featured young man, who stood upon a
| rudely constructed scaffold.
So superb was the poise and courage of
this man that no answering tremor dis
turbed his young body, even when the gem
tie morning breeze swayed the. hangman's
moose against his cheek. It is probable
that he did not feel the momentary kiss of
the death-rope that those calm gray eyes
were oblivious of the weeping women, and
that his ears were closed to the blasphemy
or the provost marshal. The calm of the
young mans soul was too profound TO be
disturbed by mere temporal things
1t was left to one of Gods pure little
creatures to bring him back to his sur
roundngs and sense Of his position. A
robin flew to a branch Just owe! his head
ana perched there, swaying, its head cooked
TO one side, as If 1t were pondering as to the
import OF the scene. The bird warbled In
Joyous notes, and the man in the shadow of
death, looking up at the songster. sp;led
cd ha A.
as message Of hope from another worla.
Inc circumstances which brought this fine
specimen Of manhood TO the gallows had
begun unfolding a few weeks previousIv
when General Washington had found II i'm.
peratve to send spy into the British camp
on Long Island. bright young lieutenant
volunteered for the work lJo aid so against
the protests Of his friends, v 10 pointed out
the stigma attached TO the OF erations Of a
spy. He sllenced them with t,e proud re-
ply: Il am fully sensible of the conse-
quehces or capture and discovery in such n
situation Any kind Of service necessorv
Tor the public good becomes honorable bv
being necessary" Assuming he role Of a
pedagogue he visited many British cannps
cleaning much information, With draVinss
and plans Of British fortihcations Concealed
~ ,h ms shoes he was preparing 70 return 10
nus own lines when he was captured by
some English marines Brought befora
General Howe, the young man franlsI,, "a
mltted that he was spy, and declared tbat
ne was sorry he had not been able 10 ssr,,s
nus country better Although his heart
Ialrly bled for the fine young fellow. Lord
move could do no more than cornpIv MFR
the stern necessities OF warfare ana CO..
denim him to be hanged 'o"-
move SAID after the war: 'It Auad ma
with sorrow TO have to send this snIspdtJ
young American lieutenant to his doom The
irankness, manly bearing and fine patriot.
ism OF this young man touched a tender
chord in my heart" ''4iuei
The doomed spy was given into the leor-
ing or William Cunningham, a provost mar
shal' notorious for his cruelty-crueItv 81
such savage order that he was repudia,od
ana summed by his own fellow off1csrs
Inc young American asked for a BibIe ana
chaplain and both requests wera de,taS
The Lieutenant composed brief letters to bis
mother and sister, and to Alice Adaro.
connecticut maiden, TO whom he was
trothed. These letters breatbed raa,..'S
able purity OF thought and soul. ,rha 80
vost marshal, with foul language then taU.
UP these missives In the very face 80 ~
young victim. The lieutenant, loolinS oon ,,s
temptuously at his inquisitor, then reslnoed
has impenetrable calm S91leo
TINS narrative OF events brinoa.,,. y. !,
execution Of our hero. 20 ~ me
The audience "a tho orchard bac.,,.
WAN S1n19 eekcd. tnsorine 80 ~.