Letter from Henry Wilmot to the New-York Convention

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NEW-YORK, August 14, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Enclosed you have the examination taken after the commitment of John Sloane and Thomas Clarke. They were first examined by General Putnam, on which I was sent for; and, with his approbation, they were committed to jail, which the Committee approved of, and now wait for your further directions, or to send them to the Convention, as the General thinks something further with them ought to be done immediately.

The Committee received from Rye an account that information had been given the Committee there, that Benjamin Clapp had purchased a box of tea at New-York, and that the vender would not take any other but hard money for the same; that, on Clapp' s examination before them, he declared he did not know the person from whom it was purchased; that John Hitchcock, a carman, had sent it to him. Hitchcock was sent for by this Committee, but he would give no answer to any proper question put to him, and only said, if he had done wrong, he must suffer for it. Without taking notice of the great contempt he showed to the Committee, they were unanimously of opinion, that he was a person whose going at large might be of dangerous consequences to this State, and therefore ordered him to jail. The Committee would be glad to receive some instructions from the Convention, as it clearly appears to them he has violated the resolves of the Congress, both with respect to the price and money he paid for it, and that he has done it to screen a person of much more consequence to the publick than a carman.

George King, a lad, apprentice to McLean, the shoemaker, was committed for breaking open and robbing the house that Benjamin Davies lived in of £5 10s˙ Abraham Jones, another apprentice, was concerned with him, but he has not yet been taken.

If this mode of application to the Convention, to obtain their answer as soon as possible, is most agreeable to the Representatives of this City and County, what other instructions the General Committee may from time to lime want, shall be applied for in this way, by, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servant,

HENRY WILMOT.

To the Representatives of New-York.