Copy.
Before John Stanley Esqr one of the Members of His Majesty's Council for the Island of St Christopher, His Majesty's Solicitor General for his Leeward Charibbee Islands and one of the Justices assigned to keep the Peace within the said Island of St Christopher.
Personally appeared Mathew Murray of the Said Island of St Christopher Gentleman, who being duly Sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth and Saith that on or about the first day of this instant December, he this Deponent went from this Island to St Eustatius in a Small two masted Boat belonging to, and commanded by, John Charles of this Island, on board of which there went also two other white men as Passenger, who were both Strangers to this Deponent, and whose names he does not know and this Deponent Saith that amongst other conversation during their Passage down to St Eustatius, one of the before mentioned Strangers informed this Deponent and the Company on board, that he was a North American and had been in Several Engagements -there with the Kings Troops, but that he had come from there and wanted to get into other Employ, upon which this Deponent observed to him that there was a Brighten in this Island bound with Rum and Provisions for New york, and that he might enter onboard of her and he would be in no danger as She was in the kings Service, to which the Stranger replied, that he did not ch use to return to North America, but that he wanted to go to England, which Story this Deponent afterwards found was only meant to amuse this Deponent and his Fellow Passengers, for this Deponent Saith, that upon their arrival in the Road of St Eustatius, and coming close along Side of a Sloop, then lying at anchor there, the People onboard of the Said Sloop came running forward and Spoke to the before mentioned Stranger, who there upon cried out aloud to this Deponent and his Fellow Passengers "now you may all know me I am Gunner of this Sloop, She is an American Privateer, and is called the Baltimore Hero,2 and is the one which took the Irish Brig off here the other Day" and afterwards he the last mentioned Person put his Chest and Things into a Canoe and proceeded him Self in the Said Canoe towards the Said Sloop.
Sworn before me this
9th day of Decr 1776.
(Sighn'd) John Stanley.
