1890.] Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 597 
of Americans crossed the Kills, and losing their way, wandered about 
for some time until attracted by a light in the window of the old cot- 
tage. Simcoe’s men were lurking about the premises at the time, and 
listened to the directions given by its occupant concerning the where- 
abouts of the British soldiery. 
As soon as the Americans had departed Simcoe’s subordinate en- 
tered the cottage and informed the unfortunate man what he had 
seen and heard, at the same time stating that he had authority to exe- 
cute him without trial or delay. The man appealed for mercy until 
he could acquaint General Howe (who was renowned for his leniency 
and kindheartedness) of the facts, and the daughter prayed for an 
interview with Colonel Simcoe, whom she believed would save her 
father’s life. But justice and mercy were unknown among the brutal 
“ Queen’s Rangers,’’ from the Lieutenant-Colonel down to the hum- 
blest private; yet they well suspected the influence that the pretty 
girl might exercise under the existing circumstances. As “murder ” 
and ‘‘ plunder ’’ were ever the watchwords of that infamous organiza 
tion, there seemed to be no time to lose. The guard drew near, with 
the exception of the pickets, and, with the assistance of ever-willing 
Tories, all the occupants of the cottage were pinioned to their chairs. 
The husband and father was taken out to a tree, a rope quickly placed 
around his neck, and in a few seconds he was suspended from a limb, 
and his soul was hurled into eternity. The tree on which this execu- 
tion took place stood in front of the old ‘‘farmer’s house” on the 
county farm, and I once conversed with an an old Staten Islander 
who remembered it well. Decayed and worm-eaten, it could no longer 
bear its own weight, and it fell to the ground in a terrible wind storm 
that swept over the Island about 1827. 
The ‘‘ Spanish ”’ spur, as it is called to day, and of which this relic 
is a fair specimen, is not an invention of the Spaniards. In a cum- 
brous form it bears equal date with the establishment of battle armor, 
such as was used by the Egyptians considerably more than ten cen- 
turies before the Christian era. During the Crusades—the third, if I 
mistake not—the spur was ‘‘ remodeled ’’ by order of Cœur de Lion, 
and made in the exact style of the relic here presented. About two 
centuries ago the ‘changers of fashion’’ thought it too heavy for 
light riding, and the English spur, with its small wheel and thin foot- 
piece, was substituted. In Spain and other European countries, as 
well as in Mexico and the Western States o seem the 
spur is used almost exclusively. 
Aue there is a popular belief to the contrary, it is far less 
‘c cruel”? than the fine English spur. A horse once well broken to its 
Am, Nat.—June.—7- 
