THE CAPTURE OF JOE BETTYS. ALTHOUGH the event of which we are about to speak created no peculiar excitement at the time out of the immediate neighborhood of its occurrence, and has been noticed by but few historians, yet it was one of manifold importance to the inhabitants of a large and thickly-settled section of the country, where it occasioned the most intense interest for a time.

aside all vestiges of humanity, and, guided by all the dictates of a fiendish nature, without the slightest compunctions of conscience, or feelings of pity or commisseration, he ranged the neighborhood of his early home, becoming a scourge to his former friends and neighbors. Possessed of an uncommon amount of shrewdness and intelligence for one in his station in life, powerful and athletic, cold, revengeful and cruel, inflexible in his determination, untiring in his purposes, and knowing no fear, he was well calculated to excite terror among the people of the border settlements. With a desperate boldness seldom equaled, he eschewed all disguises, and made his appearance openly in the midst of the

Joseph or "Joe" Bettys, as he was commonly called, was a resident of Ballston when the Revolution commenced, and early took sides with the Republicans. A sergeant's warrant was procured for him, and he joined Colonel Wynkoop's regiment; but his temper and disposition were so intractible that he was soon re-settlers-sometimes alone, at others accompaduced to the ranks for some act of insubordination. His friends, however, knowing his character for determined bravery and courage, and unwilling that his services should be lost to the country, procured another warrant for him, and had him transferred to the fleet, under Arnold, on Lake Champlain. In the naval battle which soon afterward occurred he eminently distinguished himself for daring and indomitable gallantry, and, all the officers on board his vessel having been killed or wounded, he took the command himself, and fought her with the utmost intrepidity, until General WaterburyArnold's second in command-was obliged to order him to repair with the survivors of his crew on board of his own vessel. Here he continued to fight with the reckless contempt of danger peculiar to his disposition, until this vessel in turn became crippled, the General wounded, most of the crew killed, and only Bettys and two others left in a fighting condition, when it was surrendered to the enemy.

The prisoners were taken to Canada, and while there Bettys was seduced from his allegiance, and entered the service of the enemies of his country, with the rank of ensign. His intimate knowledge of the country rendered his services as a messenger and a spy-in which capacities he was almost constantly employed-of great value, and his fearful and bloodthirsty disposition made him a formidable enemy. During one of his missions he was captured, and narrowly escaped the gallows. He had been condemned to suffer death, but the entreaties of his aged parents, and the influence of many friends, obtained a pardon at the hands of General Washington. Instead of feeling grateful for this act of generosity, his feelings were very much embittered by the danger he had escaped, and he lost no time in regaining the ranks of the enemy. From this time he seemed to have cast

nied by kindred spirits and never taking his departure without leaving mourning, misery and sorrow in his track. He proclaimed himself an outlaw, and dared any to attempt his capture, saying he was as careless of his own life as he should be of the lives of those who should undertake such a task. He declared that he would never be taken alive, and that his death would be fearfully avenged by his followers upon the heads of those who should cause it. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that his name became as terrific to the settlers as were those of the bold buccaneers of old to the inhabitants of the Spanish Main, or that he should for a time be successful in his murderous forays against the Republicans. He seized the persons of many of the most influential and active Whigs, whom he carried to Canada, subjecting them to the most cruel and inhuman treatment by the way. Such as he entertained a particular resentment against lost their dwellings by fire, and sometimes their lives. His boldness and audacity had so increased by the success of his expeditions that, on one occasion, he made an eruption into the city of Albany, for the purpose of abducting the person of General Schuyler. There were those, however, bold and fearless enough to undertake his capture, and many were the attempts made for that purpose before success crowned the effort. It was successful at last, and occurred in the following manner: Three men, residents of Ballston, hearing that a suspicious stranger had been seen, thoroughly armed, and on snow shoes, making his way toward the house of a well-known loyalist, and satisfied of the identity of the man, determined to make a bold and strenuous effort to take him alive. Their names were Corey, Perkins and Fulmer; and, having armed themselves, they started in pursuit. The trail led them by a circuitous route to the house of the Tory before mentioned, which they ap