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Show EVADED CAPTURE BY BRITISH Quick Wit of American Patriot Saved Himself and Family When in Dire Peril. There is an incident in the life of George Read worthy of mention in connection con-nection with these men who were martyrs to the Declaration. Fortunately Fortu-nately Read suffered no real privation at the hands of the British, a fact.due. however, solely to his presence of mind. When President McKinley, presiding pre-siding officer of Delaware commonwealth, common-wealth, was made a prisoner, soon after af-ter the battle of Brandywlne, it was necessary for George Read to take charge, he then being vice-president of that colony. He was in Philadelphia Philadel-phia at the time of the president's capture and to return home entailed considerable danger. The enemy occupied the west back of the Delaware river and Mr. Read had to take the New Jersey shore, run the risk of crossing the river and elude, if possible, the vigilance of the enemy's ships, which were strung along the whole distance. The. 13th of October. 177T, Mr. Read resched Salem, N. J., where he obtained a boat for the purpose of conveying himself and family across the river. At the place where he undertook the crossing, the river was about five miles wide. Almost in view of the British ships he had about reached the Delaware coast when he was discovered, discov-ered, for his boat had grounded just too far from shore to make it practicable practi-cable to land his family. Unable to go on or leave the boat they were forced to wait while a ship's boat came up to them. Mr. Read's wits had not been Idle, however, and he devised a plan which he and his wife immediately immedi-ately put into practice. They destroyed all traces of identification of their bag gage, a feat made possible by the time required for the other boat's approach. When the boat came alongside he politely informed them of his plight, and added that he was a country gentleman gen-tleman returning home from a pleasure pleas-ure excursion he had made with his family. The presence of his mother, wife and children added weight to this story. The commander of the English boat was only a coxswain, his companions compan-ions common sailors. There was nothing noth-ing suspicious about the party. So, taking pity upon a family thus stranded but a short distance from their destination, the English boat's crew obligingly assisted them to land, helped to get the baggage on shore and, after receiving thanks for their kind assistance, returned to their ship. Mr. Read continued his journey, the end of which was the colony's governmental gov-ernmental headquarters, where he assumed as-sumed the role of chief executive until un-til the release of the president was secured. |