Alexander Smith doth declare the same.

Lieutenant William Clarke, being sworn, deposeth, That from all appearances and circumstances, and what he could learn, Stephen Fountain went on board the vessel of Nathan Gyer for a passage to the ships of war as an enemy to his country.

Mrs. Hannah Hawkins, being sworn, deposeth, That Captain Jonathan Baker came to their house when her husband was gone abroad, and she was telling him that she was very uneasy about the times, and amongst other things, she asked him, Supposing there are Tories amongst us when the King’s troops shall come, how will they get to them? To which he answered, That one hundred and forty had asked him that question already; he also said, Tell your husband to come and see me, and do you come also; he also said, He advised all the Tories to obey all orders of the Committee, and sign all their papers whatever, and by all means be still at present; she saith that she, at that time, did not think he meant any harm.

Mr. Robert Homan, being sworn, deposeth, That Captain Jonathan Baker came to his house, and asked him if he would not come down with Mr. Samuel Conkling, and help take the guard of Minute-men stationed at Blue-Point, saying it was a poor notion of the Committee to send them there; and said that as they were young men that did not know their duty, he believed a few old men would take their guns from them all.

Mr. Matthew Beall, being sworn, deposeth, That the common report of Captain Jonathan Baker is, that he is an unfriendly person to the common cause of America; yet saith he doth not know him to be an enemy, yet he does verily believe him one, from circumstances he hath observed in his deportment, and the manner of his spending his time amongst others who bear the same unfriendly character.

Mr. Humphrey Avery, being sworn, deposeth, That he knows nothing of Captain Jonathan Baker of his own absolute knowledge that does positively prove him an enemy to his country, but that he hath observed many circumstances in his behaviour that hath given him (the deponent) strong suspicion that he is an enemy to his country, and is so deemed by common report; he saith that he heard said Baker say there was no order in the Committee, and despised their conduct.

This may certify, that the thirteen foregoing pages consists of true copies of the evidence of the twenty-two aforementioned witnesses, who were all regularly sworn and examined before the Joint Committee of Brookhaven, Manor of Saint George, and Patentship of Meritches, and the evidence of each witness recorded upon the Record of said Committee; and that at the examination of each of said witnesses, the sum and substance of what each declared was then so carefully recorded as that, upon distinctly reading to each witness what was recorded as his or her evidence, each of them declared that the Record so read was truth, and agreeable to their respective meanings.

June 14, 1776.

ALBANY COMMITTEE TO GENERAL SCHUYLER.

Albany Cornmittee-Chamber, May 25, 1776.

HONOURED SIR: We enclose you a copy of a letter from the Committee of Tryon, and our answer thereto; from which you will perceive that we have promised them your answer, with which we beg to be favoured for that purpose as soon as convenient, or that you would forward it to them, as you think proper.

We are, sir, with much esteem, your most obedient, humble servants,

ABRAHAM YATES, Jun., Chairman.

To General Schuyler.

German Flats, May 23, 1776.

SIR: This is to acquaint you that we did stop all the batteaus from, here to Stanwix, and found the chief part of them is for supply for the garrison, as they are loaded with loaf-sugar, green tea, shoes, soap, spirits, wine, brown sugar, &c, and such articles are no Indian supply; but by this they have a very small trifle of wampum, which is likely for Indian affairs, but only for a scheme, under the pretext that they may pass with the rest; and we shall leave it to your judgment whether we shall let the fort be supplied as our enemies, or we shall do the best for the country; and we expect a speedy answer what to do in so critical an affair.

And remain, with all respect, your most obedient, humble servants.

By order of the Committee

FREDERICK FOX

To the Commissioners of Indian Affairs.

Mr. ROBERT YATES:

Sir: Please to deliver the within letter to the Committee of Albany, and desire their advice to the Committee of German Flats, and you will oblige, sir, your most humble servant,

VOLKERT P. DOUW.

Albany Committee-Chamber, May 25, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: We have received your favour of the 23d instant. By the passes the traders have obtained, they were only to carry merchandise to trade with the Indians. You have therefore done well to stop them, as they had with them necessaries for the supply of the garrison. Your representation of this matter we shall transmit to General Schuyler immediately; however, we are of opinion, in case they leave the necessaries for the garrison, that you may let them pass with such merchandise as is manifestly intended for trade with the Indians. The moment we receive the Genera’s answer, we shall transmit it to you for your further guide.

True copies. Attest:

MATTHEW VISSCHER, Secretary.

To the Committee, German Flats.

ELDAD TAYLOR TO BENJAMIN LINCOLN.

Westfield, May 25, 1776.

HONOURED SIR: As soon as I received the publick moneys for the troops at Canada, I proceeded on my journey, arrived safe at Westfield, and this week I continued my journey through the green-woods to Barrenton, where I intended to strengthen my guard; but hearing that General Schuyler was not at Albany, but was gone up to the Lake, I doubted of the propriety of delivering the money to any other person, as my order was to deliver it to Mr. Schuyler and take duplicate receipts of it; and travelling now appearing more dangerous than common, I immediately sent for Colonel Mark Hopkins and Doctor Whiting to advise with Mr. Hopkins came to see me soon, from whom I received the intelligence of a most hellish plot laid against the Province, as was supposed; which the Committees of the whole County of Berkshire were then and had been some days sitting to search into, and to see what further discoveries might be made. Two persons, who had been in the Army, were in the plot—one was a Sergeant and the other an Ensign. The manner of their leaving the Army I must omit for brevity’s sake; but they say, on examination, as I was informed by Colonel Hopkins, that they heard one Brown, an officer, say that there were but two persons in the York Congress but what were Tories, and they had communication with the Asia; and that the York forces were to be stationed, as many as possible, in a line of forts from Montreal to York, on Hudson’s River, to cut off our communication with the Southern Governments as soon as matters were ripe, and the Ministerial troops were advanced up Canada River. The said evidences further say that most of the towns on Hudson’s River were in the combination, and then the King’s ships might proceed up said river with safety.

How far this intelligence may be depended upon I cannot say, but there appears to be much secret riding in the night amongst the Tories. The upper part of Berkshire has set up a night-watch. The said watch took up McKay, that broke his parole and absconded from Hartford, with one John Graves, from Pittsfield, who went to Hartford, as was supposed, and went through Westfield in the night and through the woods, as pilot to McKay. They sent them to Hartford. John Johnson and the Albany Tories,