Document: Indictment of Sander Toursen and his wife for selling brandy to Indians of Mochgeyckkonck

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To the honorable director general and councilors of New Netherland.

On 9 March, last past, two Indians from Mochgeyck-konck were apprehended who were extremely drunk and running around on the public streets here and in the fort with a great deal of noise. After a day in confinement the Indians voluntarily declared that they had obtained the strong drink from Sander Toursen and his wife, adding that as a token of the truth there lay some black sewant at the end of a certain chest standing near the bedstead that belonged to them, which they had given to Sander in order to buy more brandy with it at a convenient time. In addition there is the declaration of Jan Gerritse van Imme who says that he saw the housewife of Sander Toursen running in and out of the tavern with a gourd,[1] carrying it behind the garden, which runs down to the strand, to Indians who were running very drunk along the strand; and whereas we have dutifully employed every means to increase security, and Sander Toursen and his wife nevertheless remain obstinate in their disavowal, the fiscal requests that for the maintenance of justice and as an example to other brandy sellers these two persons be publicly placed in the pillory, and furthermore be banished from the country so that the brandy sellers to the Indians, upon seeing the punishment, may be cautioned thereby and misfortune be prevented. Dated 2 April 1656. (Was signed:) Cornelis van Tienhoven.