The New York Conspiracy: A History of the Negro Plot. Daniel Horsmanden

that it is Mr. Walter's Quaco.

      These words, and the airs and graces given them by Quaco when he uttered them, were made known to a neighbouring alderman, who informed the rest of the justices thereof at their meeting the next day.

      Monday, April 6.

      About ten o'clock in the morning, there was an alarm of a fire at the house of serjeant Burns, opposite fort Garden. This, it was said, was only a chimney; which, upon inquiry, the man declared, had been swept the Friday before; but from the great smother in the house, and some other circumstances, there were grounds to suspect a villainous design in it.

      Towards noon a fire broke out in the roof of Mrs. Hilton's house, at the corner of the buildings next the Fly-Market, adjoining on the East side of captain Sarly's house: it first broke out on that side next Sarly's, but being timely discovered, was soon prevented doing much mischief, more than burning part of the shingles of the roof. Upon view, it was plain that the fire must have been purposely laid on the wall-plate adjoining to the shingle roof; for a hole had been burnt deep in it, next that part of the roof where the fire had taken hold of the shingles; and it was suspected that the fire had been wrapped up in a bundle of tow, for some was found near the place: thus the fact was plain, but who did it, was a question remained to be determined: But there was a cry among the people, the Spanish negroes; the Spanish negroes; take up the Spanish negroes. The occasion of this was the two fires (Thomas's and Hilton's) happening so closely together, only one day intervening, on each side of captain Sarly's house; and it being known that Sarly had purchased a Spanish negro, some time before brought into this port, among several others, in a prize taken by captain Lush; all which negroes were condemned as slaves, in the court of Admiralty, and sold accordingly at vendue; and that they afterwards pretending to have been free men in their own country, began to grumble at their hard usage, of being sold as slaves. This probably gave rise to the suspicion, that this negro, out of revenge, had been the instrument of these two fires; and he behaving himself insolently upon some people's asking him questions concerning them, which signified their distrust: it was told to a magistrate who was near, and he ordered him to gaol, and also gave direction to the constables to commit all the rest of that cargo, in order for their safe custody and examination.

      In the afternoon the magistrates met at the City-Hall, with intent to examine them; and while the justices were proceeding to examination, about four o'clock there was another alarm of fire. Upon inquiry, and looking out of the hall windows, it was seen from thence, and found to be at col. Philipse's storehouse. Upon the view of it, there was a small streak of fire running up the shingles, like wildfire, from near the bottom to the top of the roof, on the side directly against the wind as it then blew. It not being far from the engines, they were instantly brought to the place; and the fire, to one's great surprise, almost as soon extinguished. This was the middlemost of three large storehouses next each other in a row, old timber buildings, and the shingles burnt like tinder. These storehouses were not inhabited, nor had they a chimney in them, but were at a great distance from any. The fire upon examination, must have begun within side; for between the side of those storehouses and the houses nearest them, opposite to the wind, there was a large space of garden ground, so that no spark from these chimneys could have occasioned this mischief, had the wind blown the contrary way; but to discover by whom the fire was put, was the difficulty.

      While the people were extinguishing the fire at this storehouse, and had almost mastered it, there was another cry of fire, which diverted the people attending the storehouse, to the new alarm, very few remaining behind; but a man who had been on the top of the house, assisting in extinguishing the fire, saw a negro leap out at the end window of one of them, from thence making over several garden fences in great haste; which occasioned him to cry out, a negro; a negro; and that was soon improved into an alarm, that the negroes were rising: The negro made very good speed home to his master's; he was generally known, and the swiftness of his flight occasioned his being remarked, though scarce any knew the reason, but a few which remained at the storehouse, why the word was given, a negro, a negro; it was immediately changed into Cuff Philipse, Cuff Philipse: The people ran to Mr. Philipse's house in quest of him; he was got in at the back door; and being found, was dragged out of the house, and carried to jail, borne upon the people's shoulders. He was a fellow of general ill character; his master being a single man, and little at home, Cuff had a great deal of idle time, which, it seems, he employed to very ill purposes, and had acquired a general bad fame.

      Many people had such terrible apprehensions upon this occasion, and indeed there was cause sufficient, that several negroes (and many had been assisting at the fire at the storehouse, and many perhaps that only seemed to be so) who were met in the streets, after the alarm of their rising, were hurried away to jail; and when they were there, they were continued some time in confinement, before the magistrates could spare time to examine into their several cases, how and for what they came there, many others first coming under consideration before them, against whom there seemed to be more direct cause of suspicion; but in a few days, those against whom nothing in particular was alleged, were discharged.

      It was said, there was like to have been another fire this day, though it has by some been supposed to have been an accident. The cellar of a baker near Coenties market, was all of a smother, and the chips in a blaze, but was soon suppressed. This also occasioned some alarm.

      Quack (Walter's) was sent for and committed; he remained in confinement some days without examination, from the hurry magistrates were in; but at length, Mrs. Earle and Mrs. George being sent for by the justices, they declared concerning him to the effect before mentioned: and Quack being brought before them, and examined, by his excuse admitted he had spoken the words he was charged with; but it being soon after we had the news of admiral Vernon's taking Porto Bello, he had contrived a cunning excuse, or some abler heads for him, to account for the occasion of them, and brought two of his own complexion to give their words for it also, that they were talking of admiral Vernon's taking Porto Bello; and that he thereupon signified to his companions, that he thought that was but a small feat to what this brave officer would do by-and-by, to annoy the Spaniards, or words tantamount; so that it happened Quack was enlarged from his confinement for some time.

      Others considering that it was but eighteen days after the fort was laid in ashes, that these words were uttered; and that several other fires had intervened, as before related, and but the next day after Quick's stable and Ben Thomas's house were on fire; and the attempt upon Mr. Murray's haystack discovered that very morning; they were apt to put a different construction upon Quack's words and behaviour; that he thereby meant, “that the fires which we had seen already, were nothing to what we should have by-and-by, for that then we should have all the city in flames, and he would rejoice at it;” for it was said he lifted up his hands, and spread them with a circular sweep over his head, after he had pronounced the words [by-and-by] and then concluded with a loud laugh. Whether these figures are thus more properly applied, the reader will hereafter be better able to judge; but the construction of them at that time confirmed many in the notion of a conspiracy; though they could not suspect one of so black a dye, as there were afterwards flagrant proofs of, and will appear by and by.

      His honour the lieutenant governor was pleased to order a military watch to be kept this evening, and the same was continued all the summer after.

      Wednesday, April 8.

      John Hughson and Sarah his wife were committed to jail by the mayor and three aldermen, being charged as accessaries to divers felonies and misdemeanors.

      Saturday, April 11.

      At a common council, held this day at the city of New-York, present, John Cruger, esq. mayor—the recorder—Gerardus Stuyvesant, William Romme, Simon Johnston, John Moore, Christopher Bancker, John Pintard, John Marshall, esquires, aldermen—Henry Bogert, Isaac Stoutenbergh, Philip Minthorne, George Brinkerhoff, Robert Benson, and Samuel Lawrence, assistants.—The recorder taking notice of the several fires which had lately happened in this city, and the manner of them, which had put the inhabitants into the utmost consternation; that every one that reflected on the circumstances attending them, the frequency of them, and the causes being yet undiscovered; must necessarily conclude, that they were occasioned and set on foot by some villainous confederacy of latent enemies amongst us; but with what intent