From The Peopling of New York City
Comfort Gerardus was a Dutchman who acquired 50 pounds of wealth. Holding no party affiliation, he worked hard as a cooper. For those of you who never heard of that particular profession, as I myself hadn't before I became a historical detective, a cooper is simply a maker or repairer of casks and barrels. He and his slaves lived in the West Ward of New York.
When white conspirator John Hughston stood on trial, he called upon Comfort as a witness. Comfort failed to live up to his name, however, as he provided a feeble defense. Soon enough, the enitre Hughston family, wife, daughter, and all, were sentenced to hanging for masterminding the slave conspiracy and inviting slaves to gather and conspire their white owner's murders.
As a cooper, Gerardus was often away on business. His slaves Cook and Jack took full advantage of their master's absence, and held conspiratorial meetings in the Gerardus house. Later on, both Cook and Jack were jailed and sentenced to death. Cook was burned on June 9th, 1741, but the clever (or traitorous) Jack ratted out 30 slaves who supposedly had some part on the conspiracy. The information bought him only a month or so to live. Before the execution postponement ended, Jack named even more slaves. By doing so, he saved his life, while condemning countless other slaves to their deaths.
