City of New York, ss

JOHN MURRAY, of the city of New York, merchant, being duly sworn, saith, that the above is a full, just, and true inventory of all the goods which were lately taken out of the ship Beulah, at Sandy-Hook by the Deponent, and were by him landed at Elizabeth-Town in New-Jersey.² That the deponent did, yesterday [March 14], voluntarily make an acknowledgment to the committee of Elizabeth Town, aforesaid, that he had so taken and landed the said goods; and did this day deliver the whole of the said goods, to the said Committee, who took the same into their custody and possession; where he believes the same now are. That the boat in which the said goods were taken out of the said ship, belonged to Isaac Woodruff, which this deponent hired, for the purpose, of Samuel Lee, who was master of the said boat. That Mr. Woodruff did not know (as this deponent believes) for what purpose the said boat was hired, nor did the deponent inform the said Mr. Lee, on what business he wanted the said boat; nor did he appear to know, at the time the boat was hired, that he was employed on any business contrary to the [Continental] association. That the agreement with the said Lee, was only to go with the boat where he was directed, and to do what he was bid. That Mr. Ichabod Barnet, of Elizabeth Town, and Samuel Reade, of this city, went with the said Samuel Lee, in the said boat, down to the said ship, at the time aforesaid. That Mr. Barnet was acquainted with the design of the boat's going down to the said ship, but the deponent does not know that Mr. Read was previously acquainted with such design, tho' at the vessel he assisted in taking the said goods out by the direction of this deponent, in whose store he is an assistant. That John Graham, clerk to this deponent, and his partner, were on board the ship with the deponent, at the time when the Goods were taken out but did not see the goods taken out, being (as this deponent believes) asleep at that time in the cabin; and that his business on board was to copy invoices and letters; neither does this deponent know or believe that the said Graham ever heard any conversation between this deponent and any other person, respecting the taking out the said goods. That when the goods were on board the boat, the deponent, and all the other persons above mentioned, proceeded with her to Elizabeth Town, but stopped at Staten Island, where they all went on shore, and Graham and Reade took passage from thence in the Staten-Island ferry boat for New York; & the deponent, with Lee and Mr. Barnet proceeded from Staten Island to Elizabeth Town in the said boat, where all the said goods were landed by them, and put into Mr. Ichabod Barnet's store; that the said Ichabod Barnet had no Interest in the said goods, but what he did in the said business, was merely at the request of this deponent, and his said partner; and the deponent believes with an intention entirely to oblige them ー That while the ship lay at the watering place, the Captain and this deponent, took into Kipp's small sailing boat, sundry small articles, the principal of which, the deponent believes, were presents, but does not know the particulars. That the deponent at the same time took into the said little boat, 2 small cheeses, about 200 lemons and oranges, and a dozen and 9 bottles beer, and about 2 bushels of potatoes for the use of the deponent and his brother: All which were brought up in the said boat, by this deponent and Capt. [William M.] Bussell; and the cheeses, and the other aforementioned articles, except the beer, were presents from the Captain. That in the whole of this transaction, so far as respects the delivery of the goods from on board the ship at the Hook, Capt. Bussell acted by the order and direction of this deponent and his partner, having no interest in the goods so delivered. And this deponent further saith, that he neither knows nor believes that any goods were taken out of the said ship after her arrival here, nor since her sailing from Sandy Hook except the baggage belonging to some passengers and except the goods herein before enumerated and mentioned; nor that any other persons than those above mentioned, had any agency or concern in taking out or landing the said goods, except the ship's crew, and except also one Marsh, who, at Elizabeth Town, accidentally passing by, was employed to assist in landing the same; but the deponent believes he did not know where the goods came from. And further saith not.

Sworn the 15th day of March, 1775, before me,
Andrew Gautier