USA > New Jersey > Tenth volume of extracts from American newspapers relating to New Jersey > Part 19
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- From Salem to from Greenwich to Salem 3S. - - and luggage, per 100 Wt. from Philadelphia 5s. -
Greenwich to Salem IS. - from Salem to Philadel- phia 4s 6d. - - Letters 4d apiece, the Money to be delivered with the Letters. All Gentlemen and Ladies, that please to favour the Subscriber with their Com- pany, or Orders, may depend on the most civil usage.
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and punctual Execution of their Commands, by the Pub- lic's humble Servant.
March 1, 1774.
BENNONI DARE.
The Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 2358, March 2, 1774.
TO THE PRINTER.
SIR,
LATELY observing two publications in your paper (apparently spurious) meanly intended to injure the character of J- K - -, Esq; a member of the Jersey Assembly, they commanded but little of my atten- tion (never supposing that any opinion of a man's character ought to be formed from such malicious at- tacks) till being obliged lately to take a tour into Morris county, I found the people in general, I mean the better sort, much offended with an assertion, contained in one of those publications, "that it was the opinion of the in- habitants of that county, that Samuel Ford was the robber of the Treasury." I was greatly surprised to find a large majority, nay nine tenths of the people, not only doubtful of the fact, but insisting that the evidence brought to support the charge was in itself altogether incredible, and even if allowed credibility, was, on ex- amination, conclusive to the contrary.
This led me to inquire into the character of Mr. K-, and the reason for his being made the object for such low invective. I received the following infor- mation, which I transmit to you to communicate to the public. By this you will repair the injury done to a very amiable character, by the groundless aspersions in the above publications, and do justice to the reputation of a stranger in this city, who deserves the highest applause from every friend of his country.
-
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It seems that one Reynolds, who suffered death for being concerned in counterfeiting money with Ford, acknowledged, in his confession, that wanting a consid- erable sum of money on interest, Ford promised to let him have it, and took him to a place in a wood, where he shewed him a large bundle of paper money, promising to bring the desired sum the next day to Reynold's house, several miles distant. Reynolds asked him where he had got so large a sum? Ford answered, "Why, have you not heard of the robbery of the Treasury? I got hold of the fag end of it." The next day Ford kept his appoint- ment, but no sooner entered the house than he desired to lie down. For this purpose he was shewed into a cham- ber. Soon after, Reynolds, looking through the key-hole, saw him cutting the money from sheets. This has been represented as conclusive evidence, that Ford had got this money from the Treasury; for, having but one set of types and plates, it was said to be impossible to make any other than single bills.
The morning of the execution Cooper was long and carefully examined. He was informed that they knew he was acquainted with Ford's robbery of the Treasury; that if he would confess the truth, they were impowered from government to pardon him; but if he did not, he must die. He then replied, in the most solemn manner, "If I must die, I must prepare for it in the best manner I can; for I do not know anything about it." He was returned to the prison, and everything was conducted as if he was to be executed. His irons were taken off, and his arms pinioned. Reynolds being turned off, the sheriff, with part of the guard, and the executioner, re- turned, and brought Cooper out of the prison into the passage, from whence he could behold his companion hanging; and before putting the rope round his neck, he
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was again addressed by the person who had so much laboured to extort the confession of his knowledge of Ford's robbing the Treasury: "You have now but ten minutes to live, if you do not confess." He knew what they meant by confessing, and accordingly said, "I will confess." And who that knew his character would think he would not confess anything to save his life? For, in reality, it was that confession he was given to understand he must make, as the only condition upon which a pardon could be obtained.
On this the respite was immediately produced, and the convict unpinioned. The next day his examination was taken, when he declared that Ford had told him every circumstance relating to the robbery, and that Ford, with two soldiers, had committed it; although he had so re- peatedly, under oath, declared he had never told him anything about it.
At the opening of the session of Assembly in New- Jersey, the Governor informed them of this great dis- covery, and hoped for their acknowledgements to the Gentlemen who with great scal and abilities had detected this affair, and ordered all the papers to be laid before them. The Council, according to custom, echo back the Governor's speech; but on a thorough examination into this matter, by the Assembly, they think no confidence could be put in the testimony of such a person as Cooper, and in such manner obtained; and therefore, instead of acknowledgements, find great fault with the magistrates for the unjustifiable measures used to extort from a con- demned malefactor a confession, only calculated to obtain a respite for a life forfeited to public justice; and which evidence had no one corroborating fact, or probable cir- cumstance, to support it. The character of Ford being that of an artful, cunning, sensible, cautious villain; and
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hence the highest improbability of his making a declara- tion to Cooper affecting his own life, without any imagin- able reason for so doing. Add to this, the striking circumstance, so much depended on, of the money's being in sheets, lost all its weight with the Assembly, when they recollected that the Treasurer, in his first affidavit, had declared that the money stolen was cut into single bills, and tied up in bundles of twenty bills to a bundle; so that here was demonstration that the money in sheets could not be the money stolen from the Treasury. On this the Assembly send a message to the Governor, re- questing him to point out the striking circumstances mentioned in his speech, to which the Governor returns an answer, and the Assembly reply. This reply gave of- fense to those who were expecting great credit and reputation (if not something more substantial) from this ample discovery; which, it seems, they had de- termined to force people to believe, at all events.
Mr. K- is a very principal member of the Lower House, and has great influence with many of the mem- bers, having an established character for integrity, honesty, and an unshaken attachment to every thing that he thinks essential to the liberties of his country. He dared boldly to deliver his sentiments on the conduct of the officers of government concerned in this matter, as well as with regard to the insufficiency of the evidence laid before the House to charge Ford with the robbery. of the Treasury. However justifiable the magistrates were in the end proposed, it was thought, that by the means used, they had set the most dangerous precedent. He therefore bore a public testimony against it. This rendered him peculiarly obnoxious to a certain party, who treated him, behind his back, with great disrespect; but finding this not to answer their end, he is now to be
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vilified in the public news-papers; to try, if possible, to draw off his attention from the dispute before the House, by a news-paper war, with an antagonist in the dark.
The late adjournment of the Assembly,1 given the different members an opportunity of spending a few weeks among their constituents; from whom they have learned what has passed in the capital.
I was informed that the dissatisfaction with the mode pursued by the officers of government arose very early, as being rather inconsistent with the freedom of an Eng- lishman, who, however guilty, is entitled to a fair and impartial trial, and one gentleman of the law was had COR. NOB. for saying, that the court was a Spanish inqui- sition, or something like it. On the whole, I found the matter quite misrepresented in the publications above referred to,-a general dissatisfaction reigns in the prov- ince, which must soon break out, and they are universally determined to support their opposition. However it gave me pleasure to find the most laudable candour among the people, with regard to the Treasurer; for altho' they con- sider the measures, relating to the discovery being thus forced upon them, as injurious to the Treasurer's real interest; yet they seem to be against harbouring any sus- picions of personal guilt in him; and rather justify his unhappy situation, and heartily wish, for his sake, that the discovery was really made.
But with whatever avidity, defamatory publications may be read, by the more malicious part of our species, I cannot help thinking, that every man of candour and im- partiality, will form a very different idea of the conduct of the New-Jersey Assembly, respecting the matter under consideration; from that which is attempted to be con- veyed by the literary assassin in question. They will
1[Has].
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conclude, notwithstanding a thousand angry scribblers, and all the disappointed seekers after lucrative substanti- ates in New-Jersey, that as the reward intended for the discovery, is to be drawn from the purses of the people, and to be faithfully applied, by their representatives, to recompence the discoverer : the Assembly have an un- doubted right to be convinced that a discovery is actually made, before they apply the promised gratuity. And that if what appear to be striking circumstances to one man, do not appear so to another, (which in the nature of things will inevitably be the case wherever facts are endeavoured to be proved by probabilities ) the latter ought not for that reason, to have his non-conviction ascribed to the most infamous motives; and his reputation weekly gibbeted in the public papers, till thereby compelled to put out his own eyes, and to see with those of the former .- And it is surely one thing to insist that Ford is not guilty of robbing the Treasury, and appearing as his advocate, pleading his cause under the strong bias of a large fee (which is the scandalous insinuation of another of your correspondents, who signs himself a Somerset Free- holder) and another thing to say, that he is not proved to be so, by the circumstances and probabilities adduced for that purpose; or in other words, that he is not proved so at all. The Assembly it seems are not struck with what appears very striking to others. For this one of their members is to be libelled and traduced, till the whole House is equally struck with those who are most won- derfully struck; and until this letter striking produce full conviction, and this conviction terminate (for here is the beauty of the jest) in the something more substantial, so warmly recommended by his Majesty's Honourable Council. And for this writer to pretend, that the evidence of Ford's having robbed the Treasury, is equal to that of
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his being concerned in the counterfeit money, is a mani- fest outrage on common sense. For though he was charged with both crimes by the same witnesses, he was accused by them of the latter before their conviction, and when they accuse themselves and one another, and were under no bias to extend their charge to the innocent. With the latter he was charged after their conviction, and in expectation upon that account of a reprieve, a few months before their expected execution, and with all the terrors of death before their eyes. With respect to the robbery, there is no proof in corroboration of their testi- mony. Relative to the counterfeiting, there is full proof without it,-the finding the tools in his custody, and his immediate flight in token of guilt .- To conclude, Sir, give me leave to tell you, that the usefulness of your paper is greatly hurt, by suffering so many personal invec- tives to pass in publication .- As the liberty of the press ought to be held most sacred among a free people; so the printer who expects to meet with encouragement from the public, ought to be doubly guarded against permitting personal scandal to pass through the channel of his paper; especially without the name of the author being affixed .- No man, however upright his character may be, can be proof against low buffoonery, which greatly abases him even to attempt to answer; and the very general spread of your paper, may render it impossible ever to retrieve.
I am your constant reader,
CIVIS.
[Here ends this controversy.]
TO BE LET,
And may be entered on the Ioth of April next,
THAT very pleasantly situated house and several lots
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of land in the upper part of Trenton, on the Penney-town road, now in possession of Mrs. SARAH ELY; the house is built with brick, is two stories high, with four rooms on each floor, commands an agreeable prospect of the river Delaware, and is very suitable for a gentleman's seat. For terms apply to ISAAC DE Cow, Esq; in Tren- ton, or the subscriber at Allen-Town,
DAVID BREARLEY, jun.
FEB. 18, 1774.
[The Arrival of the Packet has obliged us to defer our Accounts of the public Affairs in North Carolina, New- Jersey, and other American Intelligence, as well as many pieces intended for this Paper. ]-The New York Jour- nal; or, The General Advertiser, No. 1626, March 3, 1774.
February 23, 1774.
THIS is to give notice, that the Managers of St. Thomas's Church Lottery, in Alexandria, in the county of Hunterdon, West New-Jersey, are now rolling up the blanks, prizes and numbers, in order to put then: in the wheels, and intend to proceed to drawing said lottery with all convenient speed; therefore they desire all those that have tickets still on hand, to return them to the Managers as soon as possible.
N. B. A few tickets still on hand, to be sold by the Managers.
-Rivington's New York Gazetteer, No. 46, March 3, 1774.
September 20. 1773.
To be LETT, or Leased for a Term of Years, the new House at Passaick-Falls, in New-Jersey, with 8 Acres of
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Land, and a good Barn: The House is two Story high, very convenient for a Tavern or Store. For further Par- ticulars apply to Robert Drummond, Tunis Day, and Henry Garrison, Esqrs, who will treat with them on rea- sonable Terms.
To be Sold, or Let, And entered upon the Ist of MAY next.
THE noted tavern at the sign of the Black Horse, in the city of Perth-Amboy, now kept by ELIJAH DUNHAM : The house is large and commodious, fit for the entertain- ment of company on public occasions, with very good stables and coach-house, out-houses, garden, and ten acres of land, mostly meadow. This tavern is in as good a stand as any in the city. No person need apply for it, but such as can be well recommended, as the house is in good repute. For particulars apply to the subscriber on the premises.
ELIJAH DUNHAM.
FEB. 25, 1774.
TEN DOLLARS REWARD.
RAN AWAY from the subscriber, living in Elsen- borough, Salem County, West New-Jersey, an Irish in- dented servant man, named DANIEL M'INNIRY: Had on, and took with him, one pair of velvet breeches, pieced in the seat with light coloured cloth, a light coloured fustian jacket, a green ditto of half thick, about half wore, neither of them lined; a pair of speckled trowsers, a new dark brown sagathy coat, striped Bengal jacket, a pair of buckskin breeches, remarkably thick, with wooden but- tons, almost new, black grain shoes, and thread stockings. He is about five feet eight inches high, well set, light straight hair and very bald; has a large scar on one of his
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heels, cut with a scythe, and lengthway of his foot, full face, redish complexion, small beard, is very apt to use the word really, talks very broken and backward, and is fond of strong drink. The abovesaid coat was plain, neither cross pockets nor folds. Whoever takes up said servant. and secures him in any of his Majesty's goals, so that his master may have him again, shall have the above reward, and reasonable charges, paid by
RICHARD SMITH, Junior.
-Dunlap's Pennsylvania Packet, No. 124, March 7, 1774. Postscript.
NEW YORK, March 7.
We are informed that a quarterly visitation of the first grammar school in Elisabeth-Town was held on Wednesday the 23d ultimo, upon which occasion the young gentlemen belonging to the school underwent a critical examination in the Latin and Greek languages, and acquitted themselves in a manner which gave gen- eral satisfaction to the visitors, and was an agreeable presage of the future utility of that seminary.
NEW YORK, March 7.
Friday Night, Mrs. Elisabeth Scaman, Wife of Ed- mund Scaman, Esq .; Clerk to the General-Assembly of this Province, and Daughter of John Zabriskie Esq; of Hackinsack, in New-Jersey, died at her home in this City, in the 30th Year of her Age.
To BE SOLD OR LET,
THE Brewery, Dwelling House and Garden, together with a Store House and Barn, and about Fourteen Acres of excellent Land adjoining the same, belonging to the
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Estate of the late Henry Van Deursen, deceased, in the City of New Brunswick. The Brew-house is in length 70 feet, and in Breadth 48 feet, with all the Utensils compleat and in good order: In said Brew-house is a good Malt-mill, and will grind 40 or 50 Bushels a Day : also an excellent Malt-house, the lower floor under Ground, and turned over with a fine Brick Arch, 70 feet long, and 16 Feet wide. The Store-house is 36 feet long and 20 feet wide, with a good Cellar under the Whole, cool in Summer and Warm in the Winter. The Barn is 36 feet by 22. The above mentioned Premises lay a little below the Center of the Town, and is pleasantly situated. For further Particulars enquire of the Subscribers, in New Brunswick.
WILLIAM VAN DEURSEN MATHEW SLEGT Executors.
-The New-York Gazette : and the Weekly Mer- cury, No. 1167, March 7, 1774.
Amwell, New-Jersey, March 1, 1774. TO BE SOLD.
A PLANTATION, lying on the Great Road, leading from Trenton to Pitts-town, 21 miles from Trenton, and 9 miles from Pitts-town, with about 200 acres of land, good buildings and orchard, about 20 acres of mowable meadow, and more may be made, about 150 acres of cleared land, the remainder is good timber; there are on the premises 26 bushels of winter grain in the ground, which will also be sold. The title is indisputable, and the buyer may enter on the premises immediately. For terms of sale, apply to JOHN UPDYKE, or
JOHN BUCHANAN.
N. B. It is the place whereon Mr. Jonathan Furman did lately live.
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Roxbury, Morris County, East New Jersey, Jan. 25, 1774.
SIX DOLLARS Reward.
RUN away from the Subscriber, the 19th instant, a Negro man named JOE, about 25 years old, 5 feet 9 or Io inches high, a stout, strong fellow of a yellowish black: Had on, when he went away, a new flannel shirt, old leather brecehes, a light coloured over waistcoat, lined with flannel, an under ditto black, all of homespun, grey stockings, new shoes, with a pair of campaign soals; he is an arch fellow, this country born, and has a scar in his forehead, near his eyebrow; about 7 years ago he ran aivay, and got to New-York, where he continued two years, and went by the name of Levi; as he is knoten in New-York, perhaps he may go to Pennsylvania. Who- ever secures the said Negro, so that he may be had again, shall receive the above reward, and all reasonable charges, paid by
AUGUSTINE REID
To be SOLD or LEASED for a term of years, on the most reasonable conditions,
A Number of building LOTS, situate in Kingsbury, near and between Trenton and the Ferry, on the east and west Sides of Broad, and on the north side of Delaware- streets, leading to the river, being the great post road, and where the streets for a town are already laid out, consid- erably improved, and in a good neighbourhood. They are most delightfully situated, the soil exceeding good for gardening, and excellent water may be had at a moderate depth. If any purchaser should be inclined to have more land than what is laid out in lots, it may be had on reasonable terms. Apply to DR. BRYANT, at
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Kingsbury. February 19, 1774 .- The Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 2359, March 9, 1774.
To BE SOLD,
A TRACT of LAND, containing 600 acres, lying about 5 miles from the city of New-Brunswick, about seven from the city of Perth Amboy, in New-Jersey, ex- tending about a mile on the navigable part of South- River; there is a dwelling-house thereon, about 50 acres of upland cleared, and about 100 acres of rich bottomed fresh meadow, off which a very large quantity of hay may be annually got: Also about 40 acres of salt meadow, at a miles distance from the said tract. And as there is an extensive outlet, a very large stock may immediately be kept thereon, and a great quantity more of meadow may be made, and the easy importation of timber, cordwood, hay and Produce of all kinds, to New- York, as well as the other near markets, will be very advantageous to the purchaser; and what gives this tract a preference to most, where so large a quantity of meadow is contained is, that this place is accounted very healthy, and has the best shad fishery on the river. If a purchaser for the whole should not offer before spring, it will then be divided (as several have made application for parts) into such parts as may best suit the purchasers. The place may be seen by applying to WILLIAM LAKE, near the premises, and the subscriber intends giving attendance there, from the 21st of March to the 29th, and has some other tracts of land to dispose of in that neighbourhood. Also land at Princeton, convenient to be laid in small lots for building on. Also a con- venient stone house and lot, near Stony-brook mills, a good stand for a store, and long occupied in that way. Also a house and lot in Bordentown. Any persons in-
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clinable to purchase any of the above mentioned premises, are desired to apply to the subscriber, in Bordentown. who will treat with them on reasonable terms.
February 7, 1774. THOMAS WATSON. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 2359, March 9. 1774. Supplement.
Extract of a Letter, &c.
"The managers of the DELAWARE LOTTERY for the COLLEGE of NEW-JERSEY, &c. have lately had a meet- ing, when it was resolved to begin the drawing of said Lottery at New-Castle, on Monday the 23d of May next . -They would have drawn it sooner, but their other busi- ness obliged them to put it off to that day. Impartial persons, it is not doubted, will be sensible, that consid- ering the Largeness of the Lottery, it has been brought to a settlement very soon; for though it was first pub- lished about eighteen months ago, yet, from the situa tion of some persons on whom great dependance was to be placed, the selling of Tickets was necessarily defered till about the month of May last .- It was also no small difficulty to get precise and certain accounts of the sales in distant places, and as some of these are still wanting, it is earnestly requested that all persons intrusted with Tickets, will, on or before the Ioth day of May next, re- turn those that are unsold, and that the friends of the institution will do their utmost in the mean time, to dis- pose of those that remain.
"P. S. Tickets not returned at the time above-men- tioned will be considered as sold."-The Pennsylvania Journal, No. 1631, March 9, 1774.
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YOUNGS WEED
HEREBY acquaints the proprietors of unpaid Tickets in his Lottery, lately drawn at Hackinsack that he is now settling with all those persons who had tickets in the said lottery for sale; and, after leaving in each of their hands sufficient to pay the tickets they respectively sold, and receiving the overplus, purposes in about a fortnight from this time to be at all those places, where he himself sold tickets, that the owners of them may receive their money without trouble or difficulty.
YOUNGS WEED. New York, 3d March, 1774.
-The New York Journal; or, the General Adver- tiser, No. 1627, March 10, 1774.
Greenwich-Forge, on Muscinnicong-Creek.
Sussex County, West New-Jersey,
RUN away, last night, from the subscriber, two Irish servant men, one of them named James M'Cann, had on when he went away, a light coloured wilton coat, a beaver hat, better than half worn; a new Russia duck shirt, a pair of blue broad cloth breeches without lining, a pair of mixed blue stockings, took with him an ax, wears his own light coloured short hair, he is a down looking fellow, about five feet seven inches high, of a fair complexion, a little pitted with the small pox, and is very much given to laughter, and talking loud when in . company, and loves strong liquor, is very much given to quarrelling when drunk, and is a weaver by trade; the other named John Rittlidge, had on when he went away, two green cloth jackets, the upper one a sort of nap, made in the sailor fashion, also a spotted swanskin
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