Copyright 2009 by Denman Maroney
This project is made possible, in part, with funds from the Individual Artist Grants program of the Arts Council of Rockland and
the Decentralization Program of the New York
Synopsis
Claudius Smith was a Tory in the American Revolution
who terrorized the local population from hideouts in the
raiding patriots’ homes and stealing their livestock, weapons, and provisions to give to British troops.
He was hanged and buried in
In 1841, when the present Goshen Court House was built on the gravesite,
Smith’s grave was dug up and his bones mortared in over the front door.
The piece may be performed in conjunction with a digital media presentation created by Lisa Karrer
from slides and videos by her and composer Denman Maroney.
Libretto
Prologue
Claudius Smith,
the most daring marauder,
the most merciless cowboy,
the most thorough scoundrel
that ever met a just fate on the gallows.
A. Cowboys
In the time of revolution,
led a gang of desperadoes
called the cowboys.
They took part in Tory raids
with the Mohawk Joseph Brant,
ravaged Smith's Clove,
They were Tories on the wrong side
in the time of revolution.
B. Deeds
Claudius Smith, and his three sons,
his son William, his son Richard, and his son James,
raiding, stealing, burning, killing,
horses, cattle, oxen, patriots.
C. Hideouts
At Horse Stable Rock, on
near Wesley Chapel, they rendezvoused.
From Man of War Rock, onto
they came rushing to attack.
In the den of Claudius Smith,
they divided all their spoils.
Monsey Indians used to use it
on their hunting expeditions.
D. Archeology
Shards of pottery, also arrowheads,
have been found nearby.
E. Geology
The den took shape in late Pleistocene
as roches moutonnées were pried out of the cliff by thaw-freeze.
F. Time
The sheepbacks took thousands and thousands of years
to move just a few feet along.
G. Woodhull
Colonel Woodhull had a mare that
Smith gave out he meant to steal.
To prevent this, Woodhull put her
in his basement, safe and sound,
so he thought.
One fine day, as he dined
with a friend, Smith slipped in,
stole the mare. Spotting Smith
steal away, Woodhull’s friend
took up his rifle, made to shoot.
“Stop!” shouted Woodhull.
'If you shoot him, he will kill me!'
So it was that Smith escaped.
H. Prophecy
His mother prophesied,
“You’ll die with your shoes on, like a trooper’s horse.”
I. Youngs
In the battle of Fort Montgomery,
Col. McClaughry was taken captive.
His wife asked the wealthy Abimal Youngs for bail money.
He declined.
Enraged, the Cowboys swung him up
on the well pole, up and down,
but he would not relent.
Instead they took his papers.
J. Strong
One night, the Cowboys broke into the home
of Major Nathaniel Strong,
who boarded himself in his bedroom.
They said if he gave up his arms he’d be spared,
but as he approached the door to comply,
they shot him through a broken panel.
He died without a word.
K. Goshen
A price was put upon the head of Smith.
He fled to Long.
A posse was formed,
was captured by candlelight,
sent to Goshen,
jailed, manacled, chained to a ring in the floor,
tried, convicted and hung.
L. Epilogue
A huge crowd saw the hanging,
among them Abimal Youngs.
“Where are my papers?” he cried.
Smith said, "This is no place to talk about papers!
In the next world, I’ll tell you of them."
Then he kicked off his shoes.
“Why?” asked the hangman.
“To prove,” he said, “my mother a liar."
They buried him in a shallow grave near the scaffold
and mortared his skull o’er the door of the Court House.
The rest of his bones became souvenirs.
His son James also was hung;
his son William, shot in the mountains,
the flesh devoured by wild animals,
the bones left to bleach in the sun.