16G2.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 81 



a divorce from the council which does not appear sufficient in 

 the eyes of his tormentors, and he then proceeded '^to marrij hint 

 self." But his greatest offence, it would seem, consisted in break- 

 ing open a door at Upland, and opening the trunk of the man 

 who stole his wife. The following are the proceedings in the 

 case before the court at Altona, composed of Vice Director 

 Beekman, and Connuissaries Peter Kock, Matthys Hanson, and 

 Oloff Stille, as justices or commissaries. 



" Hon. Vice Director as Sheriff, plaintiff versus Rev. Laers 

 Carels, Defendant. The plaintiff concludes, as it is of notoriety, 

 and acknowledged by the Defendant, that on the 20th of Sep- 

 tember, 16(jl, he, Minister Laers committed the violence in 

 breaking the room open, and opening the trunk of the fugitive 

 Jacob Jough, when said Jough the night before absconded, and 

 made an inventory of his property, which he left behind, as is 

 evident by his own handwriting, to which the defendant was not 

 qualified, which ought to have been done by the Vice Director 

 and the court, and that he usurped and suspended their authority, 

 and villified it, wherefore he remains answerable and holden to 

 make compensation to the company of what was yet due the 

 company by said absconded Jough, of which the residue amounts 

 to 200 gl. in corn and 40 gl. in beaver, which is to be delivered 

 and besides this, an amende of 40 gl. for having vilified author- 

 ity. Defendant said, he came at that time to the house of 

 Andries Hendrieson Finn, and asked him if his wife was with J. 

 Jough in his room, when the wife of Andries Finn, answered, 

 that she did not know it, that her master might look at it, on 

 which he took an axe and broke the door, and made an inventory 

 of the goods. The commissioners having considered the case, 

 commanded that the Rev. Laers shall satisfy the demand, 200 gl. 

 and pay for his insolence."' 



The defendant was eventually sentenced to pay the above 200 

 gl. which had been advanced to Jough to buy corn on behalf of 

 the company ; to pay 40 beavers due from Jough to Beekman and 

 a Mr. Decker, besides an amende of 40 gl. 



The above is given as a specimen of judicial proceedings on 

 the river — perhaps ho better specimen could be found of judicial 

 robbery. Beekman not only had a direct interest in the matter, 

 but had expressed his apprehensions as to the result some time 

 before the trial. As bad as was the character of the defendant, 

 it is difficult to see how the Swedish commissaries could be indu- 

 ced to join in such an unjust transaction. 



On the day of the trial, Andries Hudde as secretary, announ- 

 ced to the Rev. Laers, the illegality of his marriage. 



The unfortunate priest feels, that by reason of the decision of 



> Haz. Ann. 331. 



6 



