ime
she mentioned the following Negroes as being present: Cuff, Brash,
Curacoa, Caesar, Patrick, Jack, Cato; but _her_ especial Caesar Varick
was not implicated! Romme administered an oath to all these Negroes,
and then made a proposition to them; viz., that they should destroy
the fort, burn the town, and bring the spoils to him. He engaged to
divide with them, and take them to a new country, where he would give
them their freedom. Mrs. Romme was present during this conversation;
and, after the Negroes had departed, she and the deponent (Peggy) were
sworn by Romme to eternal secrecy. Mrs. Romme denied swearing to the
conspiracy, but acknowledged that her husband had received stolen
goods, that he sold drams to Negroes who kept game-fowls there; but
that never more than three Negroes came at a time. She absconded in
great fright. It has been mentioned that Peggy Carey had lived at the
tavern of John Romme for a short time, and that articles belonging to
Mr. Hogg had been found under the kitchen floor of the house next to
Romme's.

The judges evidently reasoned that all Negroes would steal, or that
stealing was incident upon or implied by the condition of the slave.
Then Romme kept a "tippling-house," and defied the law by selling
"drams" to Negroes. Now, a man who keeps a "tippling-house" was liable
to encourage a conspiracy.

A full list of the names of the persons implicated by Peggy was handed
to the proper officers, and those wicked persons apprehended. They
were brought before the redoubtable Peggy for identification. She
accused them of being sworn conspirators. They all denied the charge.
Then they were turned over to Mary Burton; and she, evidently
displeased at Peggy's attempt to rival her in the favor of the
powerful judges, testified that she knew them not. But it was vain.
Peggy had the ear of the court, and the terror-stricken company was
locked up in the jail. Alarmed at their helpless situation, the
ignorant Negroes began "to accuse one another, as it would seem, by
way of injuring an enemy and guarding themselves."

Caesar and Prince, having been tried and convicted of felony, were
sentenced to be hanged. The record says,--

"Monday, 11th of May. Caesar and Prince were executed this
day at the gallows, according to sentence: they died very
stubbornly, without confessing _any thing about the
conspiracy_: and denied that _they knew any thing about it
to the last_. The body of