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discovery, wherefore he, Benjamin, and William Forbes, were obliged to stay behind; that when this examinant was qualified, there was present one Clarke, who had been a school-master about eight or nine miles from Goshen, and with whom the said William Forbes was acquainted; that the said Clarke said in the examinants hearing that he had in-listed about sixty men, of whom he had a list, and who were ready to assist when the troops came; that examinant believes the list was given to Gilbert Forbes to be sent to the Governour, for that the name of the examinant, William Forbes, and William Benjamin, were taken down by the said Gilbert, as this examinant supposes, to be sent to the Governour; that one Hickey, of the Generals Guards, he believes to be concerned, who is now in confinement; that one Greene, of the Generals Guards, a drummer, is concerned, for that examinant saw Gilbert Forbes in conversation with said Greene, but could not hear them, and since that time Greene hath administered an oath to this Hickey and some other soldiers of the Generals Guards, and, as examinant is informed, is to have one dollar per man from Forbes for every man he shall inlist; one Barnes, of the Generals Guards, one Johnson, a fifer of the Guards, who, as well as Greene and Hickey, have been in the regular service, are qualified for the same purpose; that William Benjamin told examinant he heard Gilbert Forbes say that he would go to the Mayor and get one hundred pounds which he must have; that examinant and William Forbes, in their way from William Forbess house, came to a fine house; that examinant asked what fine house that was; that Forbes said it belonged to the brother of the Mayor of New-York; that he knew him very well, and had been there several times and must go there now to tell him what he was going about, to know if he had any word to send to his brother, and that the examinant must walk on slowly and he would overtake him; that at the door of the house examinant saw an old, short, thick, fat man; that Forbes stayed there about a quarter of an hour, and then followed and overtook the examinant, who asked Forbes if the Mayors brother had given him any letter; Forbes said no, he had only desired him to tell his brother that he was well; that the Mayors brother asked who the examinant was, and Forbes told him it was a young man going upon the same errand that he was. Examinant believes Gilbert Forbes is at the head here, and the Mayor and the Governour. JAMES MASON. Examined the 20th June, 1776, by us:
List of persons charged as enemies to AMERICA. William Forbes, by trade a tanner and currier, formerly an inhabitant of Orange County. Lowry, a tavern-keeper, (no sign,) four doors from the corner of the Broadway, opposite the south side of Oswego market, in one of the low houses; a fat man, with a blue coat. William Benjamin, an apprentice of Mr. Erskine, now a soldier in Captain Roosevelts Company. Inquire of William Leary. McLean, a shoemaker, near the Royal Exchange. Thomas Mason, a tavern-keeper, at the sign of the Highlander, at the corner of Beaver street and Broadway. James Houlding, a tavern-keeper, in Tryon Row, opposite the gate of the upper barracks, (no sign;) his name written over the door; a beer-house. Corbie, a tavern-keeper, to the southeast of General Washingtons house, to the westward of Bayards woods, and north of Lispenards meadow. Fortune, a tanner, living in the Swamp. One Fortune. Fortune, a saddler, who works at Cooks, in Broadway. Fueter, a silversmith, who was ridden upon a rail lately. Fueter, a brother of the other. Gilbert Forbes, a gunsmith, opposite to Hulls tavern; a short thick man, with a white coat. Clarke, formerly a schoolmaster about nine miles from Goshen. James Ramsey, Christopher Wyley, George Gammel, three of Mr. Erskines workmen. Inquire of William Leary. John Taylor, formerly a constable in this town. Forbes, a tavern-keeper, at the sign of Robin Hood. McGinnes, a pensioner, with one arm. Information respecting Dr. ARDEN and others at JAMAICA. Doctor Charles Arden, was the person who instigated the Tories to sign against having a Congress or a Committee. Benjamin Smith, (son of Samuel Smith, Esq.) Robert Hinchman. Thomas Smith, (son of Thomas Smith,) whom he threatened to hang if he would not sign a paper. Isaac Leffertse. Bought the Widow Belts farm. He wrote the affidavit of Roeloff Duryee about Parson Kettletas, and carried Justice French to Duryees for that purpose. Captain Benjamin Whitehead, late Supervisor. Repeatedly refused to communicate to the town of Jamaica certain letters from the General Committee of New-York, requesting the town to be called together to elect members of a Committee or Congress. Witness: Waters Smith, or either of the other persons above named, or Captain Jacob Wright. Alexander Wallace. Resides at Jamaica, in Wat Smiths house. Bethune. He maintains an intimacy with Benjamin Whitehead and with Dr. Arden. Martin, from Antigua. Dwells in Oba. Millss house, opposite the Meeting-House, at a high rent. He associates chiefly with James Depeyster. Charles McEvers. Resides in John Troops house. Thomas Colgan and Flemming Colgan frequently go to Creeds Hill to look out; the two Dunbars, John William Livingston, Jun., and one of the Colgans, were there lately, looking out for a fleet. That the Dunbars shut themselves up, and refused to train or pay their fines. John and William Dunbar. George Folliot. Lives with Jacques Johnson, at Fresh Meadows, about one-and-a-half mile from Jamaica. Theophilact Bache, of Flatbush. Comes to Jamaica to Alexander Wallaces. James Depeyster. Lives next to William Belts. His son, Joseph Depeyster, has been pursued several times, but cannot be taken. He is said to be a dangerous Tory. June 21, 1776. To His Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq., General : SIR: Whereas David Matthews, Esquire, stands charged with dangerous designs and treasonable conspiracies against the rights and liberties of the United Colonies of America : We do, in pursuance of a certain resolve of the Congress of the Colony of the 20th of June instant, authorize and request you to cause the said David Matthews to be, with all his papers, forthwith apprehended and secured, and that return be made to us of the manner in which the warrant shall be executed, in order that the same may be made known to the said Congress. Given under our hands, this 21st day of June, 1776.
General Greene is desired to have the within warrant executed with precision, and exactly by one oclock the ensuing morning, by a careful officer. GEORGE WASHINGTON. Friday afternoon, June 21, 1776. Long-Island, June 22, 1776. In obedience to the. within order and warrant, I sent a detachment of my brigade, under the command of Colonel Vernon, to the house of the within-named David Matthews, Esq., at Flatbush, who surrounded his house and seized his person precisely at the hour of one this morning. After having made him a prisoner, diligent search was made after his papers, but none could be found, notwithstanding great care was taken that none of the family should have the least opportunity to remove or destroy them. NATHANAEL GREENE. Flatlands, Friday, June 21, 1776. Mrs. BREWERTON presents her compliments to Captain Thomas Randall, and begs to acquaint him that when she returned from the city to her family at Flatlands, she. found a summons left at the house by a person from the Congress for Mr. Brewerton to attend on them at ten oclock this day. She begs it as a favour of Captain Randall to acquaint the gentlemen of the Congress that it has not been in her power to make Mr. Brewerton acquainted with it, as he went out yesterday morning fishing and does not expect to return *
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