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[ 76 ] Extraordinary Session Held in Fort Orange

June 16,1657

President, Philip Pietersen
Abraham Staets
Jan Tomassen
Adriaen Gerritsen
magistrates

The honorable officer, plaintiff, against Henderick Anderiessen, defendant.
The plaintiff demands reparation for slander uttered by the defendant against the person of Jacob Schermerhoom, magistrate of this court.
The defendant produces his answer in defense and at the same time an affidavit by Jacob Janssen Stoll.
The court orders the defendant to give a copy of his answer and evidence to the plaintiff, who is to make replication thereto on the next court day.

The officer, plaintiff, against Steven Janssen, defendant.
The plaintiff says that the defendant, on the 19th of April last, in the house of Marten Bierkaker, drew his knife on Seger Comelissen and wounded him with it in two places, for which crime the plaintiff had him summoned before the court. Having after some defaults appeared before the court, the defendant, after acknowledging the crime, claimed that he had drawn his knife in self-defense, whereupon the defendant was ordered to produce his evidence on the next court day. The plaintiff, therefore demands that the defendant produce his evidence, if he has any.
The defendant submits some testimony in his defense.
The court orders the defendant to furnish the plaintiff with a copy of his testimony.

The officer, plaintiff, against Frans Barensen Pastoor, defendant.
The plaintiff says that on the 23d of April last, being in the company of Magistrate Jacob Schermerhoom, the Heer Gerrit Swart, schout of Rencelaerswijck, Jan Verbeeck and Pieter Hartgers, former magistrates, he and the aforesaid persons saw the defendant in an angry mood, with a bare knife in his hand, making for Jacobus Teunissen, who, in order to escape his clutches, was forced to jump a fence.
The defendant admits the deed, but excuses himself by saying that an affront offered to him in his yard by Jacob Teunissen caused him to pursue him with a knife in his hand.
The plaintiff replies that the flight of the said Jacob Teunissen, who had no knife in his hand, proves sufficiently that he had committed no assault and demands therefore that he be fined one hundred guilders according to the ordinance.^[1]
The court condemns the defendant to pay a fine of one hundred guilders cash according to the ordinance.

Notes

References

Translation: Gehring, C., trans./ed., New Netherland Documents Series: Vol. 16, part 2, Fort Orange Court Minutes, 1652-1660 (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press: 1990).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.