The honorable Nicasius de Sille, fiscal, ex officio plaintiff, against Dirck Jansen Croon, defendant. The plaintiff demands that the 50 beavers and 38 otters the defendant packed in his chest and which he has had brought aboard without properly declaring them, or paying the recognition fee thereon, shall be confiscated, and the defendant shall be condemned to pay a fine of twice as much.
The defendant answers that the chest had been mistakenly brought aboard along with other goods, and that he had no intention to smuggle it because it did not belong to him but to others at Fort Orange; that he declared the chest and paid the recognition fee on it when he heard that it was brought aboard.
The fiscal, replying, says and proves that the chest was brought aboard with the defendant’s knowledge, and that he declared it when he heard that the chests would be inspected, and not earlier, being the third day after the chest was brought aboard, fearing that the smuggling would come to light.
The defendant, replying for the second time, requests that the 50 beavers and 38 otters be returned to him because they did not belong to him but to others.
The director general and councilors, [ having heard ] the fiscal’s demand and claim and the [ defendant’s ] account and confession [several lines lost] declare the said [ beavers and otters ] confiscated, as they hereby confiscate them, to be properly applied in accordance with the edicts, as an example for other such smugglers and offenders of the edicts of the honorable lords directors and the director general and councilors. Dated 11 September 1658.
Under the 17th of this month appears how the beavers will be applied, and he, namely Dirck Jansz Croon, at his request is allowed to pay 19 beavers instead of the 38 otters mentioned, as can be seen under the 13th of this month, so that all together he has to pay 69 beavers.
