Hart's in Purdy Street to warm themselves by the fire. (?) They hadn't been long at the fire before two armed men belonging to the upper party came in and called upon Palmer and his boys for immediate surrender The names of the two Whigs or Skinners were Eli Nelson and Thomas Pew, and they threatened the three drovers with instant death if they attempted to escape. Thereupon they proceeded to secure the captives who were all three unarmed. Pew drove the boys into a corner of the room and there guarded them, while Nelson proceeded to secure Palmer by tying his arms with a cord taken from one of the farmer's beds. Palmer re- -fused to be bound, and a fierce struggle ensued between him and Nelson who had laid his musket aside, in which the former was victorious having succeeded in tying his antagonist fast with the very bed cord he had
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made use of. While Palmer and Nelson were struggling for the mastery, Close and Conn cheered the former on and at last rose upon Pew. These boys were only about 15 or 16 years old but strong enough to keep Pew from using his weapons or aiding his companion, until Palmer came to their assistance and terminated the struggle by knocking down their opponent with the but end of Nelson's musket. Nelson and Pew were then securely fastened arm to arm and the drovers with their cattle and prisoners prosecuted their journey without delay and arrived at New York in safety. The blow by which Pew was prostrated broke Nelson's musket. Soon after the above adventure, Ja- -red Palmer was taken prisoner (he probably belonged below) by a scouting party from Horseneck, and his captors gave him the choice either to remain a prisoner or to fight a very celebrated bruiser of their company who had invariably