So far as their individual cases have been traced, documentary evidence has been found showing that at least twenty of the number were duly convicted and cast into prison. A specially interesting case was that of Godfrey Hains, of live, denoun ced by one Eunice Purdy, supposed to have been a revengeful sweetheart, in an affidavit over her mark. Eunice, being sworn " upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God," alleged that Hains had used extremely incendiary language in her hearing against congresses and committees, and moreover had expressed the heinous wish that menof-war would come along the Sound. Hains was arrested, and, after being examined by the committee at White Plains, was about to be discharged with the mild sentence that he be disarmed; whereupon he defiantly admitted that he possessed arms, but would not reveal their hiding-place.
The committee dispatched him to New York, with a letter describing him as a particularly dangerous man. He was confined in the City Hall Prison, and after a time was arraigned before the provincial congress and recommitted to jail. Taking advantage of a. favorable opportunity he escaped, and then, with several associates, he loaded a vessel with provisions and sailed for Boston, intending to deliver his supplies to General Howe. The ship was wrecked, its cargo was seized by the Revolutionary government, and Hains was again imprisoned, this time in the Ulster County jail, where a strong guard was placed over him, and where, presumably, he languished long enough for his Tory ardor to become cooled. Hains was supposed to have been concerned in a plot to seize the distinguished Judge John Thomas, and other prominent Westchester patriots, and carry them captives to the British general at Boston.
Throughout the fall of 1775 there were whisperings of serious Tory conspiracies in Westchester County, which were likely to result at any time in retaliatory measures of a formidable nature.