Putnam patriot., 1921-04-08
History Stories Of
 Connecticut
The Resieidc.


 When the first settlers came to Bos- ton and New Haven, Charles I was king of England. This king had much trouble trying to rule his people. We have learned how this trouble caused many English people to go to the new world, there to build themselves new homes and establish the form of gov ernment they desired. During the many years that followed, these trou- oles in England grew worse. Some of the time there was war between the kings armies and those of Oliver Cromwell and others who opposed him. The royal officers were badly beaten at Marston Moor and Naseby.
 Finally the king was arrested and brought to trial on the charge of trea- son. Sixty-seven judges declared him guilty, fifty-nine of them signed his death warrant, and he was behead- ed January 30, 1e4s. His son, Prince Charles, immediately claimed the right to become king. but Cromwell's party prevented his taking the throne for eleven years. In 1860 Parliament placed him upon the throne as Charles II.
 The new king and his Parliament at once determined to punish the reg icides, as these judges were called. who had condemned his father to death. Ten of them were executed, nineteen were imprisoned for life, and many fled to other countries. Two others, Edward Whalley and William Goffe, came to Cambridge, Massachu- setts, and for several months appear ed in public with perfect safety. Gov ernor Endicott even invited them to his home. News soon came from Eng land, however, that the two men were to be arrested. They left Massachu- setts for New Haven, passing through Hartford and Guilford and taking nine days for the journey. When they reached New Haven they became the guests of the Reverend John Daven- port. In few days an order came from England to the governor of Mas sachusetts saying that he must arrest these regicides. The governor did not act immediately. He took enough time to allow the news to reach New Ha- ven. Then he sent two officers to make the arrest. At Hartford the officers asked Governor Winthrop to help them. He gave them a search warrant and sent them in the direc- tion of Guilford. At Guilford they called on Acting Governor Leete and asked his assistance. They handed him a paper explaining their business. Glancing at it and seeing what it was the governor read 1t aloud in the presence of some friends. His friends at once sent a messenger to New Ha- ven with warning to the reglcldes. Governor Leete dared not refuse to give his help, but he delayed the off, cers for two days saying he must con suit with tfe magistrates. Two days later the officers and the governor ap- peared in New Haven. The magis- trates talked the matter over for five or six hours and then decided to call the freemen together four days later. The officers saw that they had been outwitted and left in disgust.
 In the meantime where were the regicides?
 They had left New Haven as soon as the messenger from Guilford had warned them. The next day MT. Dav- enport preached a sermon from the text, Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou convert to them from the face of the spoiler." The people knew this meant Help the reg icides."
 For two days and nights Goffe and Whalley were hidden in the old mill two miles away and their friends sup piled them with food. Fearing to re- main longer at the mill they went three miles farther into the woods. Finding hatchet on the ground they used it to build rude shelter of branches which they named "Hatchet Harbor." In this shelter they re- mained two nights. After hearing from their friends that the officers had left the town they returned to West Rock where they found cave that had been formed of several large boulders.
 Thus sheltered from the wind and rain they made this cave their hiding place from May 18th to June 11th, 1861. A MT. Sperry who lived mile away brought food each day and left it on stump in the woods where the regicides could find it.
 How slowly the days passed.
 How wild and lonely were the nightsl
 One night the regicides saw pam ther thrust his head into the mouth of their gloomy cave. His eyeballs blazed in the darkness and when he uttered terrifying cry the two men fled for their lives to the home of their friends, Mr. Sperry.
 Why did they not return to the town when they learned that the off, cers had gone?
 Because the New Haven officers were pretending to make search for