COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. ■ 437

Valentine House ; seizing the proprietar, Thomas Valentine, they demanded his life or money ; whereupon, disbelieving or aifecting to disbelieve him, they threatened, on his again refusing, to hang him instantly. Obtaining no satisfactory answer, they carried him to the foot of a cherry tree, still standing, near the corner of the old garden, and had placed the cord around his neck, when he suddenly threw it off, exclaiming, " Don't be such

d d fools as to hang a man when he hasn't any money."

The coolness and apparent sincerity of his langnage served eftectually to disarm the robbers, for they not only desisted from their purpose, but released him. Instances had occurred in the neighborhood in which they had actually carried their threats into execution.

One or two instances of heroic courage in a female of this family (Susan Valentine, now Mrs. Vredenburgh, still living, 1847, aged 93) is deserving of record. These marauders, hke all other villains, frequently proved themselves great cowards. Miss Susan Valentine, when a young woman, prevented a large party from entering the house by threatening them, single handed, with a large oven shovel, solemnly protesting she would split the head of the first man that dared to cross the thresh hold. Her courage and determination alone served to protect the house from plunder. On another occasion, an intimate friend, Mr. Sneden, had entrusted her with the care of £30 in gold and silver, not daring to carry this amount about his person, as he was going a long journey into the interior.