 The story of Inif Crosby, the spy starring the noted American actor Henry Howell as Inif Crosby. The DuPont Company, makers of better things for better living through chemistry, tonight brings you a story of personal sacrifice and unselfish heroism, of one man's devotion and loyalty to the cause of freedom. The story of Inif Crosby, a spy of the American Revolution. Here, 1820, in the town of Bedford, New York, on a shaded port, two men sit with their pipes in wine in the late afternoon. The younger is James Fenimore Cooper. The elder is a former president of the Congress of the Continental Congress and the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John Jay. Mr. Jay, did you ever have a plague of critics spiking you? You mean this novel you've written, James? Yes, sir. Have you read it? Certainly. Well, it seems to me we've had enough books about European properties. Why don't you write a novel about America, James? Perhaps I might, sir, if I had a proper subject. Proper subject? Why, America's full of them. I can tell you a story of one man who helped make our country free. I'd like to hear it, Mr. Jay. Well, this man was a shoemaker. The British were in New York, the Americans in retreat. Westchester, sounding in between, was at the neutral ground. When was this, sir? It was the year 1776. I was a member of the Committee of Safety, meeting at Fishkill. We met with General Washington at his headquarters. He'd summoned us there for a conversation on the difficulties which faced our cause in the state of New York. Gentlemen, many things are happening before we know it. We need a type of spy this war hasn't seen yet. What do you mean, General Washington? We need someone, some man, who loves our cause so completely. He'd be willing to masquerade as a British spy to get us the right information and give them misleading reports of our plans. It is the duty of your committee to find such a man. Very well, General Washington. We'll be asking someone to do a thankless task, Mr. Jay, but you and I know it isn't necessary, one. His identity must be a secret between us. But remember, the very success of our cause may depend on that man. What do you want this time of night? I've got to see you, Mr. Jay. I brought a friend with important news. All right, wait, I'll be right down. Let's see after the horse is gone. I hate them under a tree over there. They'll be all right. Step inside out of the rain, young man. I'd like to land. Now, what is it? Mr. Jay, this man is in a cosplay. He has information for your committee. Good, good. What is it, Mr. Cosby? Mr. Jay, I know of a company where Tory is being recruited. Not an hour's ride from here. Who are they? Do you know their name? I've got all their names written out right here and the time and place of their next meeting. Well, sit down, Mr. Cosby. Sit down. Tell me your story from the beginning. Well, sir, you see, I'm a shoemaker, but trade. But I was on the way to enlist. When I was going through Lisbeth town, I fell in with a traveler who mistook me for Tory. I take it he was one himself. Precisely, sir, a blasted Tory. But I stayed with him in his home for three days until I had all the names and facts good for you. Then I persuaded him that I was so eager to join the British I'd go on ahead of them. But instead I came here to Mr. Young and then he brought me here tonight. Here. Here's the list. Oh, yes, yes. Everything seems complete. Now, Young, will you go to Mr. Dewar's tell him I sent you an urgent invitation here with the other committee members? Yes, sir. I'll be glad to do whatever you say. I'll have them all here as quick as I can. Well, I wish we could discover more or all their plans had easily caught me. Oh, we could. I'm sure we could, sir. It would be a dangerous cost for any man caught me. Well, a man would have to be sharp as true, but if a man's business was plausible, he might deceive him if he was, say, an itinerant shoemaker. Ah, yeah. Perhaps you're right, Mr. Dewar. Yeah, I did it just one time. I could do it again, I reckon. If you succeed, Crosby, you deserve more credit than you'll ever get. But if you fail, well, I know. I'd be a spy. Is that it? That is it, Crosby. If you're ever caught by the British, we can do nothing for you. Absolutely nothing. And I'll see to it that the red coats never catch me. But the Americans themselves may catch you. Oh, but couldn't I set them right quick enough? No, Crosby. You could not. And be of any use to our cause. Oh, I see. Now, do you still want to be a spy? Yes, Mr. J. I do. And I'll risk my life for it. Little Harkov. Yes? There's a shoemaker outside of which to see you. I have no time for shoemaker today, Lieutenant. He says he has certain information of a rebel who may find interesting, sir. They all have information. It's all worthless. What is his name? Where is he from? His name is Crosby, he says. He's just come from White Plains. Well, send him in. To keep his eyes open at White Plains, he may be worth our while. Yes, sir. Little Harkov will see you. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Well, sir, a hard good hard you do. Well, coming, Crosby, come in. I'd say you needn't bow so low as all that. Oh, I'm bowing, sir. Well, not rightly, but, you see, I'm a shoemaker, but trade, and I always like to see good boots on a man. I suppose you forget boots for the moment, Crosby, and hear the news of the rebels. You come from White Plains, I understand. Eh, yes, sir. And speaking of the rebels, none of them got boots to compare to yours. Not even General George wasn't in himself. Well, indeed. Can you tell me you're his cobbler? Oh, well, well, I get around, Colonel. And when you know a man's boot, you know the man pretty well, I always say. Now you take General Lincoln and come home. Come, Crosby, I want to know the strength of the rebels at White Plains. If you can tell me do so. If you can't be gone. Eh, if I do, will you let me make your next boot, sir? Oh, yes. Yes, we can arrange something, Crosby. Now, what of White Plains? Why, it was just that, sir. Yes, sir. General Lincoln took himself and his boots away from White Plains this morning, and there's only a company of 40. Just a minute, Crosby. Yes, sir. Get up here at the desk a moment. Oh, Crosby, some of my boots are in that cabinet over there. Take a look at them. They'll give you an idea of my style in these I'm wearing. Yes, sir, very well. I certainly will, sir. Just a minute. The fool told us more than he'll realize it. There's only one company of foot soldiers at White Plains. We can strike their sundays and catch the Hing-Sing rebels away from their market. What are you doing here? Amy's my darling. You're home. Amy, what are you doing here this time of night? I don't want to see your father. I just got him comfortable. Father? Did you hear him? You're sick with worrying over you. And I'm worried too, Amy. Oh, I miss you. I'm so glad you're back with me now. Oh, don't leave again. Oh, please, please, please, please. Let's not talk about that. You know what? Everybody's wondering which car you work for. My car, Katie? Well, my only cause is if you're making me. People don't think so, Amy. They say you're a Tory spy and that you must have been sorry when the British were beaten at White Plains. They say you've been played British role and that the wonder of the skinners haven't robbed you long ago. All those skinners in it. They're robbing faculty, everybody, and I'm afraid for you. Katie, do you believe all this about me? I must believe some of it, Amy. I know there's a price on your head. And I know Captain Townsend says you'll hang you on site. Oh, let's don't just see what's going to happen to you. Give it up. Let's move that. Hide. Hide quickly. We can all see. Maybe the skinners. Yes, it is the robbing skinners. Hide. I'm getting to go. No, no, no. They'd find me Katie. But, you know, I don't care what you do. Hide. Open up. Open up. We'll break down the door. Open up, Posse. We know you're in there. Make it in there. Here he is. Man, there's our pilot, a shoemaker's spy. You know, Robbers, get out of this house. Not so far away, gentlemen, we come to tell. Please, please, be quiet, William, my father's asleep in the next room. Oh, we care not for an old man. Where's your money, Crosby? He has no gold. Now, be quiet, Katie, Anne. He has gold, sure enough. The king's gold. And King George is a good playmaster, I'm told. He's up. He's up. What's the matter? Please, please, my father's sick. If I give you what gold I have, where'd you go? Well, now, Crosby, you show her the way. Then we'll see. Yeah, you go lift the corners on over there, the heart. You'll find it? Well, all I've got. Hurry up, Lance. Oh, I know. What is it there? Well, there's little gold. Well, I'll tell you, that's all I've got. The little landmaker's a cobbler. Now, where's your gold? All right, get along. You'll leave us alone. Wait. Just a moment, Lance. We've got some of the gold. Now, we want the rest. We want you, Crosby. Take your hands off him, you cusseroes. Keep quiet, Lance. You come along with us, Crosby. I don't. There's 50 Guineas rewards for you. We're taking you to Captain Townsend at the Continental Army. Come on, we said, Crosby. We're taking you to Townsend for the reward. 50 Guineas. Well, Crosby, you're my prisoner at last. No, it's due to that point, Captain Townsend. No, this, Crosby. I'm charging you with treason. You're a spy. I've sworn publicly to have you hanged on site. I've heard you promise that. You heard correctly. Nothing good might change your mind. Nothing. Well, have I no right of appeal? You can appeal to General Washington if you like, but it'll do you no good. Well, it'll do me no harm. I would give you a few days. Very well, Crosby. But I advise you to put no store in it. I promise you, you'll hang. General Washington? Yes, sir. What is your turn? Order of the day, sir. Very well. What are they? A reply to the Poughkeepsie commander, sir. He's been promised reinforcement for his garrison. Yes, I remember. He's, uh, that old... There's a matter of the spy captured by Captain Townsend. He urges that you confirm the sentence of hanging. But I attend to a term. Yes, sir. Take care of it. Very good, sir. At once. Oh, uh, just a moment, sir. That, uh, that last matter. Who is this spy? He goes by the name of Inet Crosby, notoriously in communication with the enemy. Crosby. Crosby, yes, sir. I think I'll hold up his sentence. But, sir, this spy hasn't offered even the shadow of a defense. Nevertheless, I'm withholding my confirmation to the time being. As you say, he's in communication with the enemy. So, uh, suppose we escaped. Escape? Well, sir, I don't understand. Well, there are some things a lot of us don't understand, General. In this case, I must ask you to carry out my orders without question. Yes, sir. I want you to see to it that Crosby escaped with the information for him to deliver to the British. Information that would lead Sir Henry Clinton to hold his troops in New York, leaving Cornwall, a son protected at Yorktown. Then we will strike at Yorktown and, God willing, we will win the war. I'll give the order for Crosby's release at once. No, no, not releasing Colonel. We must permit him to escape, secretly. Um, find his wife for his sweethearts. You must have one or the other. You have heard to affect his escape. I'll say to that, General Washington. Do so, and, uh, remember Colonel, it must appear that we've been caught napping the prisoner's spy escape. But, uh, he'll be very wide awake at Yorktown. By Judas, that's good. I tell you, General, those are the very words General Washington said to Colonel Hamilton. I heard of myself. Well, I never would have believed it. Then the general, just like you'll meet, I know. Why, of course he is. It'd be as good a jailer as you or I. You should know him as I do. Now, what would he do with that spy Crosby we got in the jail here? He's a general, isn't he? He knows the fortunes of war. You mean the misfortune of the rope. That's the fate of a spy. What's that? Who's out there? You hear that? It's a woman this time of night. Who is it? It's me, Katie Haines. Oh, sure, sure. Katie Haines. She has a bright eye for Crosby in there. Well, what'll I do? Oh, let her in. Where's the harm in a pretty face, ever so often? Well, right there, right there. Come in, come in, Katie. Wait, no. What have you in that sack? It's in its tombaker sack with food in it to make up for what you don't give into it. Now, let me see what you've got there. Open it up, Katie. All right. Now, there you are. There's some food for the poor man and a fresh noggin of wine for you to warm your bones with this sharp knife. You hear that, my friend? Wine. That's good of you, Katie. I knew you'd be letting me see him for the wine. You're both fine gentlemen. You'll not be denying me. Not me. I'm in no mood to deny anyone, especially a wint with a wild, beautiful face like yours, lad. Hey, Taylor? I'll be drinking your health, Katie Haines. Now, go on, go on in with your pretty. Thank you. And God's grace to you both. I'll not be staying long. Second door on your right. You'll find Crosby there, Katie. Waiting for you. Aye, I hope so. See you next. Katie, Katie, my darling. Oh, it's good to see you in it. I have some food here. Come out for a press of air, Taylor. I have something to tell you. Never mind your presence, all right. Peace and good company. Good night, Ariel. Do me good. I'm coming. Look, quick. What is it, Katie? The tall one, not the jailer. Well, who is he? He don't belong here. First time ever. I've seen him around the jail. He's from headquarters, unit. He gave me this parcel for you. There are papers in it you're supposed to read. Your instructions. Why? Instructions for what? That man came to see you to escape tonight and I'm to help. Escape? Now? No. You better go quickly when the jailer drops off to sleep. He never sleeps. He stays awake all night. You're warned tonight. Not after he drinks that wine I drugged. Oh. I tell you, Rawlings, we've got to get some information somehow. Sandra came to me spantig. The situation is desperate. Yes, I wish I could get hold of that shoemaker. Maybe he could tell us something. Of course. He's all up with our spy. The rebels have him with a rope around his neck. I wish we knew what those rabble and rags are planning to do next. Yes. What is it? The man's out here to see you, Colonel. I'm busy. He said he'd tell you it was the shoemaker. Crosby, escape. More lives than a dozen cats. We better see him, sir. Naturally. Have him come in orderly. Yes, sir. Then Margaret will see you. Yes, sir. Hello. Good morning, gentlemen. Good morning, good morning, good morning. Crosby, we thought we'd never see you upright again. What happened, then? A fellow like me's got a gleam in his eye for the girls. And there's always one that catches it. And rather than see me swing, she won't be stopping a drug and a jailer either. And then I walked out with a lot of news I've heard in the rebel camp. News? What news, Crosby? You wait. You here. We'll finish with you, my lad, where the rebels didn't, if it isn't the kind of news we want to hear. Oh, you want to hear it, all right, Colonel? Come, come, man, out with it. All right, then, all right, then. Now listen, it's this. The rebels are planning to attack New York. New York? Excellent, Crosby, excellent. This will certainly give Sir Henry Clinton enough time to prepare a proper reception. What a fatal error it would have been to have sent reinforcements to Cornwallis in Virginia. I knew it. Our cause will win, Crosby. I always knew that, Colonel. You were right, sir. Our cause will win, all right. October 19, 1781. The headquarters of General Washington at Yorktown, Virginia. The cause had won. Gentlemen! Gentlemen, one more cup before we go out to the parade ground. To our glorious victory. Just a moment, Colonel Hamilton. To General Washington, our commander, and the eternal memory of this day here at Yorktown. General Washington. Thank you. Thank you, gentlemen. General Lafayette, may I call your attention to the music? Perhaps you and France are not acquainted with the brave old tune. The world turned upside down. Well, it certainly turned our world right-side up. Well, may it ever remain so. Shall we go, gentlemen? Come in. A message from Lord Cornwallis, General Washington. He will not be able to present his sword to you this day. He's suddenly been taken ill. He has instructed General O'Hara to deliver his sword to you. Thank you. Ill? He does healthy as a bull. There's an insult to you, General Washington, in this sudden illness. It's not my Lord Cornwallis that surrenders. It's his sword, a symbol of British defeat. We have one gentleman, and that's all that matters. General Lincoln, will you receive Lord Cornwallis' sword in my name? In your name, yes. I will, General Washington. General O'Hara, I have the honor of representing General Washington. It is my Lord Cornwallis' sword, General Lincoln, in token of his surrender. Good day, sir. You keep your appointment, Mr. Jay. This is our last meeting, Mr. Cotney. The war is over. Yes. I suppose you must be right, sir. We wanted your town, and now America's free. So am I. Free once more to go with my head up among my neighbors. Can you do that now or ever, Cotney? But I don't know. Can't I, Mr. Jay? But I've been a spy. They've always thought I was a spy. I'm a pro-ray spy. Would they change their opinion now? It's hard to overcome suspicion, Crosby. Your neighbors don't know that you never betrayed information to the enemy, unless we authorize you. We know what you've done, Crosby, but I doubt that your neighbors will ever understand it. You've made a great sacrifice, and you've done your country a noble service. That's a reward enough, sir. Thank you. I can do a little more. I can now pay you in part for that service. This isn't much, but it may help you to start again. No, no, no, thank you, sir, but no. No, what I did, I didn't do for money, but to serve our country as you and General Washington did. But, Crosby, our situations are different. We have gained some honor, but you have gained only the reputation of a traitor to America. And you may go to your grave for that reputation. Is there nothing I can do for you? Well, just give me your hand, sir, as you haven't given me your friendship. No matter what people will think of me, I'll always try to remember that no sacrifice, no matter if it's a lifelong one, is ever too great to ask of any man in the service of his country. Well, goodbye, sir. Come on, boy. Oh, get along, boy. Get along, man. Goodbye. Crosby. The story told a young American author, James Fenimore Cooper, by an aging jurist, patriot, and American statesman, John Jay. It was that same author, Cooper, who immortalized this story in the first truly American novel, The Spy. The adventures were similar. The name was not. Americans know The Spy as the story of one Harvey Birch. In reality, the hero of The Spy is Enos Crosby. For among the unheralded facts of American history, the name and story of the Revolutionary War shoemaker, patriot and spy, Enos Crosby, is secure. And tonight, he takes an honored place in the cavalcade of America. Thank you, Henry Hall. We're happy to have had you as our guest on the cavalcade of America. And now, before Dr. Monahan brings us news of next week's program, we have a story from the wonder world of chemistry. One day over 1,600 years ago, the Roman emperor Aurelian had to be a stern husband. His wife asked him to buy her a new silk mantle. History records the fact that the emperor said, no, in a firm voice, because the mantle would cost too much. In those days and for many centuries afterward, textile fabrics of all kinds were not only costly, but also poor in quality compared with modern textiles. And much of the beauty and long wear and low cost that you find in textiles today is due to chemistry. Nature provides fibers from plants and animals, and man spins them into threads and weaves them into fabrics. Chemistry helps man put them into usable form. Wool, for example, has to be cleaned and cleaned before it's fit to use. Today, chemistry provides solvents and soap-like products to clean wool far better than in generations past and at lower cost. Nearly all textile fibers and fabrics have to be bleached, and this too is done by chemistry. Then there's a dyeing process to give fabrics the colors you want. In the early days, it was done with vegetable and animal dyes. Some of them so costly that only the rich could afford goods of certain colors. Now chemistry steps forward to the rainbow of colors men never dreamed of before, so inexpensive that everyone can afford them. And within the past 20 years, American chemists and DuPont laboratories have created fast dyes that stand up under the strongest sunlight and remain bright and fresh through repeated washing. Even after the fabrics are woven, the chemist's work goes on for years-developed products that make textiles resist either water or fire. DuPont recently introduced a new durable water repellent that lasts the life of the garment. The chances are you own outdoor clothing that has been treated to make it resist moisture. When it comes to cleaning fabrics, chemistry provides new solvents for dry cleaning that really take out re-spots and grime. And your laundry relies on efficient but harmless chemical products to keep white things white and to keep colors bright and fresh. Further research on textiles is being carried on every day in DuPont laboratories to continue to fulfill the DuPont pledge better things for better living through chemistry. And now the Cavalcade of America's historian, Dr. Frank Monahan of Yale University. Next week, Cavalcade will present the Stolen General, a rollicking story of a Fourth of July celebration in Rhode Island in 1777. The most spectacular part of the celebration was the daring, almost mad exploit of a youthful lieutenant, William Barton, whose role will be taken by the distinguished young actor John Garfield. It is probably the secret ambition of every soldier to steal into the enemy's midst and kidnap the commanding officer. The capture of the British general, Prescott, in his night shirt, was hailed by General Washington who said that America might well rejoice because a black cloud had been lifted in an evil hour. This was precisely what Lieutenant Barton did as a sitting celebration for the first anniversary of American independence. Before we say good night, we would like all the friends of our guest star, Henry Hull, to know that his latest picture, My Son, My Son, will soon be playing at their local theaters after his world premiere next week here in New York City. Cavalcade next week presents John Garfield in the Stolen General. On tonight's program, the orchestra and musical effects run the direction of Don Burry. This is Battle Rise Dale saying good night and best wishes from DuPont. This is the National Broadcasting Company.