In July, 1781, a Sutler, attached to the French army, and two other Frenchmen, [marg: ‡ Another account says 3 men.] were at Andrew Lyons, near Portchester, where Mr. Bush now lives, eating dinner. They had come from White Plains with a team or waggon and horses to buy cider. Shube

Nehemiah Brown contd

(Neb?) Merritt with Neh. Merritt and Tim Saxton heard of it and came to attack them. These Refugees looked in at the window (windows and doors being open), and the Frenchmen ran. Tim. Saxton pursuing, rested his gun upon the bars of the fence and shot the sutter dead.

Shube Merritt, being active, sprang over the fence and stripped the Frenchman of a belt he wore about his waist which contained two or three hundred "French guineas". These the robbers divided -- Shube retaining the largest portion.

Another Frenchman was (previously?) overtaken, and surrendered himself (to Shube Merritt?) a prisoner.

[marg: x Neh? see origl. p. 48.49.] The third ran north, towards Samuel Brown's (the next house) for his life, pursued by Neb. Merritt with his loaded gun. The Frenchman, hard pressed by Neb. Merritt, took up a large stone and faced him. He pointed his gun. The Frenchman hurled the stone, and running round Samuel Brown's house, jumped

Neh. Brown cont'd.

in at the window and got under a table followed by Neb. who could not find him. Neb. then left the room in search of him, and Mrs. Brown concealed him first in a closet or pantry, but he was so incautious as to (look) stick his head out the moment Neb. left the room. Mrs. Brown then concealed him in the cellar. Neb. insisted Mr. Brown should tell him where the Frenchman was. Brown did not know that the Frenchman was in the house -- not having yet seen him, and denied him to Neb. declaring he was not in the house.