214 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
were living at Port Roseway in 1778. On the 22nd of June their dwel- 
ling house was robbed by a party of men who landed from the Boston 
privateer Congress. The robbery was complete, the articles taken in- 
cluding all their valuables, silver, silver buckles, spoons, gold lace, 
diamond rings, superfine scarlet and blue cloths, books, papers, draw- 
ing box and writing stand with their contents. Both the Colonel and 
his brother were ‘insulted with blows” by the “armed ruffians,” who 
pretended to have authority from the State of Massachusetts for their 
conduct. McNutt deeply incensed at once set forth in pursuit of the 
robbers, who returned to Boston. On his passage thither in a small 
vessel he was taken by a British frigate, afterwards released and set on 
shore and obliged to proceed in a whale boat to Falmouth whence he 
completed his journey on foot. He encountered many obstacles whilst 
seeking redress, and finally requested leave to return to Nova Scotia 
to procure further evidence of his losses. In his letter to the Massa- 
chusetts Council he deplores the fact that many of the papers and other 
articles lost cannot be replaced with money. Permission to go to Nova 
Scotia was granted him, as will appear in the following paper a copy of 
which is in the Massachusetts Archives. MecNutt’s experience at 
Salem, where he was arrested a few weeks before “as a Doubtful Char- 
acter ” probably convinced him of the value of such a paper. 
“State of Massachusetts Bay. In Council Sep. 10, 1779. 
Whereas Alex’r. McNutt, an Inhabitant of the Province of Nova Scotia, hath 
represented to this Board that the Com’r. and Crew of a certain American Armed 
Ship did land in that part of said Province where the Petitioner dwells, and did rob 
and plunder his dwelling house of almost every valuable article in it, against the 
usage and customs of civilized Nations at War with each other, for which he hath 
been soliciting redress but hath failed to obtain it owing as he conceives, partly at 
least to a want of such evidence as may clearly evince the equity of his request of 
compensation from the persons committing the supposed injury: which failure of 
evidence he alleges is owing to the capture and consequent loss of some of his papers 
which can easily be supplied if liberty be granted to him to go to Nova Scotia and 
return again, under such restrictions as this Board shall think proper.—It istherefore 
ordered that the said Alex’r. McNutt be permitted to go from hence by Sea and 
Land as shall be most convenient for him, to Nova Scotia for the purpose afore- 
mentioned and to return from thence, provided he shall give his parole in writing 
that he will not do or say anything to the injury of any of the United States during 
the time he shall be engaged in the business afore-mentioned, and more especially 
that he will not communicate any intelligence touching the affairs of any of the said 
States to the Enemies thereof. An the people of this State are directed, and it is 
hereby recommended to the Inhabitants of the other United States, not to molest 
or impede the said Alex’r. McNutt in his going to or returning from the said Province 
of Nova Scotia, or any other persons that he shall authorize for that purpose afore- 
said, unless they shall find, or have good grounds to believe that the said Alex’r. 
McNutt shall have actually violated, or has designs to violate his said Parole. 
Attest JoHN Avery, D. Scy.” 
It is very improbable that McNutt ever received from the Captain 
of the privateer either the restoration of the articles taken or any com- 
pensation for the robbery. 
