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T His One Man War WarIN JN IN TN THAT curious old chronicle the 1 Newgate New Calendar published In London in tn 1777 may be found this entry So dangerous an h individual to the this kingdom as this nina man man AItken perhaps never existed Confession and repentance can hardly soften the abhorrence felt on the contemplation contemplation content content- of of the extent of ot his crimes Aitken that universally detested character during the progress of his public ruin and desolation had bad gone by several names names names-a a plan generally generally gen gen- gen gen- emily adopted in a l long ng course courso of at villainy Thus did old bid England pour out the vials o of ot her wrath against the young patriot who waged a n one-man one var war against t tl the e enemy and who all an but succeeded In crippling the Mistress of ot the Seas The son of ot a Scotch blacksmith smith James Aitken en came to America at atthe atthe atthe the age of nineteen to enlist In the fight light for lIbe liberty ty He rie was a member of ot the Boston Tea TeD Party and after the Revolution opened he lie decided that he could best serve sen e tb the pat patriot lot cause by striking a blow where It would count most most most-at at Great Britain's sea power He went to England In in 1770 and from August to November of ot that year wandered fr from m one p. p port rt to another Having perfected a crude time bomb bomb It It was a tin tea canister filled with spirits at the bottom and fitted with matches and candle to Ignite them them them-he he succeeded In putting putting put put- ting fire tire to the rope house at Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth Ports Ports- mouth although the attempt on the h hemp mp house failed Then he lie went vent to Bristol and a series of fires Inthe in inthe inthe the vessels and wharf buildings In which ships shIllS ammunition and war supplies went up In smoke followed Finally suspicion fell upon the young Jan and a reward was offered for his arrest There followed followed fol tol- fol- fol lowed lowell a thrilling chase from Bristol to Exeter to Plymouth to the Isle of ot otMan Man and then to Odiham where he was caught with Incriminating evidence evi eyl dence concealed upon his person He was placed on on trial Mar March h 0 0 O. 1777 presented by council and refusing to speak In his own defense defense defense de de- de- de Aitken was found guilty He was paraded past the scene of ot his crime In Portsmouth then hanged on a gallows made from orn the mast of ot ofa ota a warship Later his body was taken down and removed to Blockhouse Blockhouse Block Block- house Point where It hung In chains for several se years years years-a a grues gruesome me remInder reminder re re- re- re minder of the fat fate which befalls a patriot who falls fails The Robert Morris of the West G i EORGE ROGERS CLARK has a n ajr jr place In our school hl histories even though the United States allowed allowed al al- al- al lowed th the conqueror of the Old Northwest to die In poverty and neglect ct and did dIU not pay the tile full honors due his memory until years ears later But where Is there any monument erected to the memory of Oliver Pollock or an anything cl else e to remind us of our great debt to him I Pollock k was an Irishman who emigrated em em- to America as a youth lived for a time In Carlisle Pa then In Havana Cuba and finally in New New- Orleans During these years he had become a successful merchant and hanker banker n a wholly self-made self man nina Soon after the outbreak of ot the Revolution RevolutIon Revolution Rev Rev- he was ma made e commercial l agent for Virginia by Gov Coy Patrick Henry When Ge George Rogers Clark planned his ambitious project for forthe forthe the conquest of the British posts In Inthe Inthe inthe the Illinois country countr It was Pollock who bought with his own money the powder and supplies which Clark Clarl needed and shipped them up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Pitts PItts- burgh Altogether Pollock advanced more than to the patriot cause mostly o on his own notes After the war var was over he lie sought In vain for fora a reIla repayment ment of f these debts Believing ing that he lie might aught make enough money In Cuba to discharge his debts he went there But nut his New Orleans creditors gave him no rest and they succeeded in having him thrown Into jail In Havana Ills His friend the former Governor Galvez GaJ of Louisiana secured his release as a n prisoner on parole ho lie was allowed d t to go to Philadelphia to press his claims against the American American Ameri Amen can go government Finally In 1785 Pollock was awarded award ed the sum of but there was no no money In the national treasury and anti It was not paid for another six years Undiscouraged by his fortunes Pollock again embarked upon trading halling ventures and was so that In 1700 he hu had pa paid every cent ent he be owed in New l Orleans Even Eventually E the federal govern government meat paid him a claim of arid and his his' other accounts with Virginia were paid b by that state In Jn 1702 he lie settled settled set set- tied In Carlisle Pa In and three times lIlies received the nomination for congresS congress congress con con- gress but butas was as defeated In the lie election election elec elec- tion each time O c 1931 Western Newspaper Union |