Thomas Romberg

DEPOSITION THOMAS ROMBERG, 1765

Cumberland County, ss.

Personally Appear’d before me One of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for Said County, Thomas Romberg, Who, Upon his Solemn Oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, Deposeth, that On or About the 29th May Last, Next Day After Lieut. Charles Grant was taken Prisoner, I went the Same Road to Enquire what became of him, Going to Mr. Nath. McDowell, I found an Advertisement, and in Cumming home I let Mr. Grant know if it; he Ask’d me for a Copy, of which I Give him one, the Origenal was so much Blotted with the Durt, after I took a Copy off it, I did not take Much Notice of it, which is Destroy’d.

After Some time there was a Court of Inquiry held at this post by a number of Justices of the Peace, they Call’d for me & Justice Campbell & Piero; Ask’d me in what Manner I Came by that Advertisement, & if I could Give my Oath hwo and in what manner I Came by it; I told them That I Could, Which was in the Manner following, of which I made Oath, Vizt.

That I found the said Advertisement upon the Publick Road Leading to Mr. Nath. McDowell’s, that I was not the Author of the Same, not I did not know who the Author was.

Some time after Justice Smith Came from Philadelphia, he was here & the Sheriff, the Sheriff Call’d me into Mr. Christy’s house, & told me that he Wanted to Speak to me, Coming in he Shew’d me a Writ he had for me, when I saw it I went up to Justice Smith & told him that the Sheriff had a Writ fro Me, that I would be glad if I Could Settle it here without taking me down to Jail to Carlisle, upon Which he Made Answer, that it Could be Settled if I would Give the Author off that  Advertisement, Upon Which I made Answer that I did not know more About it than what I have Sworn to.  Well then, says he, the Law will Condemn You that You are the Author of the Same.  After some Conference he told me that he pity’d me, as I was Ignorant of the Law.  Well, says I, all that they or You can do to me would be to hang me or Send me out the Country.  No, Says he, but it will Cost You Some Money.  At the Same time Messrs. Christy & McCormick had some talk together, on which Justice Smith Said, Gentlemen, None of your Whispering upon this Affair.

THOMS. ROMBERG.

Sworn & Subscribed, this 12th Day of Septr, 1765 at Fort Louden, Before

JAS. MAXWELL.

PENNSYLVANIA ARCHIVES VOLUME IV pages 238-239