It was, I believe, in the Sugar House in Liberty Street where he was confined. In jail he went by the name of the Quaker, in consequence, probably, of his father belonging to the Friends. He had many friends in New York who furnished him with provisions. These were always left 'for the Quaker.' By good address he made the jailer his warm friend. When he determined upon an escape, his city friends furnished him with citizens clothes, without which any attempt of the kind would have been fruitless. He escaped, contrary to the wishes and earnest entreaties of his brother, Isaac, who was confined along with him, by twisting and forming a rope out of the blankets cut into strips. His brother, Isaac, persisted to the last in begging him not to go, for that he would never be able to reach
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the American lines. It was sometime in the month of August, and probably in the year 1779, (?) that he effected his escape by the assistance of his fellow prisoners who after letting him down from one of the upper stories instantly drew back the rope without being observed. While this was going on, a fellow prisoner had drawn off the attention of the sentry by pointing and looking down the street at some object. It was almost the hour of noon, upon a very warm August day, when he gained the public street, and he forth with commenced walking as fast as he could in the direction of Haerlem, holding his handkerchief to his face constantly, under pretence of wiping off the perspiration. It was about the middle of the afternoon when he reached the widow Day's Tavern at the head of Haerlem Lane. He presented himself to her and said: "I have just