ence to the fires. She refused to be sworn. She was questioned
concerning the fires, but gave no answer. Then the proclamation of the
mayor, offering protection, pardon, freedom, and one hundred pounds,
was read. It had the desired effect. The girl opened her mouth, and
spake all the words that the jury desired. At first she agreed to tell
all she knew about the stolen goods, but would say nothing about the
fires. This declaration led the jury to infer that she could, but
would not say any thing about the fires. After a moral lecture upon
her duty in the matter in the light of eternal reward, and a
reiteration of the proffered reward that then awaited her wise
decision, her memory brightened, and she immediately began to tell
_all_ she knew. She said that a Negro named Prince, belonging to a Mr.
Auboyman, and Prince (Varick) brought the goods, stolen from Mr.
Hogg's house, to the house of her master, and that Hughson, his wife,
and Peggy (Carey) received them; further, that Caesar, Prince, and
Cuffee (Phillipse) had frequently met at Hughson's tavern, and
discoursed about burning the fort; that they had said they would go
down to the Fly (the east end of the city), and burn the entire place;
and that Hughson and his wife had assented to these insurrectionary
remarks, and promised to assist them. She added, by way of fulness and
emphasis, that when a handful of wretched slaves, seconded by a
miserable and ignorant white tavern-keeper, should have lain the city
in ashes, and murdered eight or nine thousand persons,--then Caesar
should be governor, Hughson king, and Cuffee supplied with abundant
riches! The loquacious Mary remembered that this intrepid trio had
said, that when they burned the city it would be in the night, so they
could murder the people as they came out of their homes. It should not
be forgotten that _all_ the fires broke out in the daytime!

It is rather remarkable and should be observed, that this wonderful
witness stated that her master, John Hughson, had threatened to poison
her if she told anybody that the stolen goods were in his house; that
all the Negroes swore they would burn her if she told; and that, when
they talked of burning the town during their meetings, there were no
white persons present save her master, mistress, and Peggy Carey.

The credulous Horsemanden tells us that "the evidence of a
conspiracy," not only to burn the city, but also "to destroy and
murder the people," was most "ast