Affidavit of Jonathan French, of Tryon County

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Tryon County, N˙ Y˙, Committee Chamber,
January 11, 1776.

Jonathan French, Jr˙, of Kingsborough, appeareth, and informeth this Board, under oath, that he heard of a certain woman, being the wife of an inhabitant near to Johnston-Hall, (which said woman wishes the country well, on condition of not being discovered of her intelligence,) that there was a fort to be built about said Hall; and the friends on the King' s side shall be notified of this plan laid by Sir John; and about three hundred Indians (of what nation she does not know) are lying in ambush, so nigh that they can be warned with a cannon shot. Within a fortnight' s time, (whereof a part of the time is already past,) the fort aforesaid shall be ready, and the Scotch people of Skenesborough shall partly defend the said fort and partly join the aforesaid Indians, and the King' s friends shall be invited to join.

When all be ready, there shall be communication made to the country, or, rather, to the Committee of this County; and, upon the moving of the Whigs and attacking Johnstown, the Indians shall surround them, and fall, in company with the Scotch people and the Government' s friends in the country, upon the said friends of liberty, and destroy not only those, but, also, all the rest of the inhabitants of the country, being on the country' s side, entirely; as, besides, they live in hopes that some of the Six-Nations will join and assist them in their schemes.

Further the deponent informs, for certainty, that one Daniel Russell, of Kingsborough, is sent abroad, with a flag and the best pair of horses of Sir John Johnston, to inlist people on their (the King' s) side, but nobody, at large, knows where he is gone.

Also, there are, already, some stockades rid, to his knowledge, for the above-mentioned fort, and the Scotch people shall be employed to cut all the said stockades wanting. And further saith not.

A true copy. JOHN EISENLORD, Clerk.