The Documentary history of the state of New-York; arranged under direction of the Hon. Christopher Morgan, secretary of State. By E. B. O'Callaghan ...

640 CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE
Charlestown aforesaid that by means of the abuses this Deponent
Received as aforesaid the great fatigue he underwent &'the Grief
and anxiety of mind & fear he laboured under, this Deponent
felt himself much indisposed and Intreated that his ill state of
Health might excite Compassion, notwithstanding which the said
Rioters ofteni threatned this Deponent & could hardly be prevailed on to allow him to retire to sleep a;ltho he stood much in
need of that Refreshment-That this Deponent was not suffered
to write to his wife to Quiet her mind as to the dreadful apprehensions she must have Entertained of what had befallen him,
nor to any other of his Friends but with the utmost difficulty &
first submitting to have his Letters perused & approved of by
the Rioters, That the said Rioters made use of the most shocking
Threats to this Deponent in Case he should attempt to Escape,
swearing that if this Deponent was anywhere between Heaven
& Hell he should be taken again That this Deponent on Sunday.
the Tenth day of June aforesaid effected his Escape being detained
six days a Prisoner in the Hands of the said Rioters-And this
Deponent further Deposeth that on arriving at Charlestown
aforesaid the Rioters in discourse said' we have now broke up
the Court: if we thought we had not Effected it we would go
back and bring away, one of the Judges" (or to that purpose)
and more than once asked this Deponent whether he thouglht the
Court would continue to sit, to which this Deponent answered (being willing to prevent any violence being offered to'any of the
Court) that he was sure they would not sit anylonger. And further
this Disponent saith, that from Chester to Charlestown the said
Rioters were Commanded by Joseph Wait and from thence to
Windsor by Nathan Stone. And further this Deponent saith not
JOHN GROUT.
Sworn before me this
ninth day of August 1770 S
DANL HORSMANDEN.