The War for Independence is teetering on the brink.  The "Father of America" needs a cause celebre, a rallying point that will convince fence-sitting states to rally to the cause. Mythical cherry tree aside, did George Washington tell a deadly lie? Was an innocent man sacrificed? Thomas Hickey, a real-life historical figure, was the first person to be executed in America. Was he a sacrificial lamb?  After all, the Washington coat of arms carries the motto: "The End Justifies the Means."