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William Goodrich being Sworn upon the Holy Evangeliest before His Excellency Lord Dunmore Governor of the Colony of Virginia &c this 31st Day of October in the year of our Lord 1775 and in the 16th year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the third &c ー

This deponent saith, that on the 14th of June 1775 or thereabouts, he was Spoke to by Mr Thomas Newton of Norfolk who informed him that the Treasurer wished to Speak to him on some business, that he this deponent, and the aforesaid Thomas Newton, went together to Williamsburg in a day, or two thereafter, where they both Spoke with Robert Carter Nicholas the Treasurer of the Colony of Virginia, who informed him that Gun Powder must be had for the use of the Colony at any price, he Nicholas, asked this deponent whether he would not undertake to procure Gun Powder from the French or Dutch Islands, or any other of the Western Islands, to which this deponent agreed, but referred the price for such Services to the General Assembly, and that he then asked the aforesaid Nicholas and Newton, whether his bringing Powder might not endanger his Life, to which they both replyed in the Negative, but said it might be the means of forfeiting his Vessel, that he this deponent received for the aforesaid purpose the sum of £5000 in bills of Exchange drawn by the aforesaid Nicholas on Messrs Norton and Sons in London, payable to the said Thomas Newton, who endorsed the same to this deponent, who in consequence thereof sailed for the Island of Antigua, on the 15th of July or thereabouts, as near as he can recollect, where he could not procure a:ny Gun Powder, but Sold bills to the Amount of £500 for Cash to different People there, and from thence proceeded on his Voyage to St Eustatia where he sold bills to the amount of £2000 more, and then deposited the Sum of £500 or thereabouts with a certain Mr Isaac Vandam, Merchant there, who undertook to pay for Powder, as he should receive it from Mr Bartrand of St Pierre's, Martinico, the aftersaid Mr Bartrand was to purchase the Powder, and send it from thence to the aforesaid Mr Vandam at St Eustatia, who was to Store, and take care of it till such time as Vessels should arrive from Virginia to convey it thither. This deponent further saith that he proceeded from St Eustatia to Martinico but there he could not procure any Powder, and being narrowly watched as he supposed by some English Officers who came from English Harbor he returned immediately to St Eustatia, where the aforesaid Mr Bartrand sent him 1800wt of Gun Powder in a french bottom, while he was laying there a small English Guinea Ship arrived from Antigua who sold him 1600w of Gun Powder, where he also purchased 750w more out of a French Schooner from Martinico. This deponent saitih that he sailed from St Eustatia the 1st of October last, and from thence proceeded to Ockriock River in the Province of North Carolina, where he arrived on the 9th of October, so Soon as he got on Shore, he made what dispatch he could to Williamsburg, and informed the aforesaid Nicholas, Treasurer, that he had brought in between 4 & 5000w of Gun Powder, who seemed very well Satisfied. And this deponent further saith that, on his return from Williamsburg, he met the greatest part, if not the whole of the Gun Powder in two Waggons, escorted by a Number of Armed Men who, were conveying it up the Country. And further this deponent sayeth not.

(Signed)

Sworn to before me 31st October 1775 (Signed)  Dunmore