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. The arrests of Tories had in some instances been resisted by companies of their armed partisans, and in general a spirit of resentment had been manifested which gave considerable uneasiness to the committee. In a letter dated White Plains, the 1st of November, and signed by Jonathan G. Tompkins and others, concerning the rumored plot to abduct Judge Thomas, the president of the provincial congress was besought to take the necessary steps for causing a number of specified persons to appear before that body and testify. " We would not have troubled

FROM

JANUARY,

1775,

JULY

9, 1776

the congress," it was added, " about apprehending the above-named persons, but that we look upon ourselves, at present, as too weak to do it without great danger." Remembering that the committee had full power to summon the militia officers to their aid, this is a rather curious confession. It was particularly feared that British vessels of war would appear on the Westchester shore of the Sound and land marines to carry out concerted local Tory plans. Strong feelinghad been excited in this county by an order of the committee of safety for the general impressment of arms -- that is, the seizure of all fire-pieces belonging to private persons -- on the ground that they were needed for the equipment of the troops.