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428

X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

was nine o'clock, and did not
think anything else, till some-
body cried fire.” “Did you atrike
before the firing?” “Yes.” “Did
you strike as hard as you could?”
“Yes, and hit the lock of his
gun, and if I had struck a little
lower, I should have left a mark
that I could have sworn to.”
“Was the sword in your hand
drawnt” “I drew it when the
soldier pushed at me, and struck
at him as I have mentioned.”
“How many soldiers were
there?” “I did not count them,
it appeared to me there were six
or eight.” “Did you see anything
extraordinary to induce them to
fire that gunt” “Nothing but a
short stick was thrown, which
seemed to go clear over all their
heads; I heard a clattering of
their guns, but what was the oc-
easion of it E do not know.”
“Might not their iron ramrods
oecnsion it?” “No, I suppose
they knocked one gun against
another in taking their places;
when the mulatto man was dead,
and we stooped to take him up,
the soldiers presented their arms
again, as if they had been go-
ing to fire; Captain Preston
came, pushed up their guns, and
said, ‘Stop firing, do not fire.”
“From where was that stick
thrown?” “From Royal Ex-
change lane, and it flew over
their heads, almost as high as the
sign.” “What did you take to be
the oceasion of the soldier's an-
gwer to yon?” *I do not know,
unless he was affronted at my
asking the question of him.”
“Did you see anybody strike the
soldiers before you struck with
the sword?” “No, I had not
time.”

Bartholomew Kneeland. Am a
merchant; on the fifth of March,

heard the bells ring after nine;
went to the front door; saw a
number of soldiers, about ten
or a dozen, coming towards the
town pump; they seemed to
make a noise, and one of them
got nearly opposite to me, and
hallooed, “Damn you, what do
you do theret” I made him no
answer; he came up to me, and
pointed hia naked bayonet at my
breast, and held it there some
time, and told me to get in; I
told him to go along; he went
towards the post office,

Mr. Quincy. “Do you know
what regiment he belonged tof”
“To the twenty-ninth.” “Did he
bid you get in when he asked
you what you did there?” “Yes;
in a little while I heard a volley
of small arms, which I took to
be in King street.”

Nathaniel Thayer. Am a seal-
er of wood; on the evening of
the fifth of March heard a very
grent noise, aud saw ebout
twenty people eoming through
Boylston’s alley; there was a
terrible swearing, and they had
clubs and swords, and one thing
and another; there came seven
soldiers from the main guard,
without any coats on; driving
along, swearing, oursing and
damning like wild creatures, say-
ing, “Where are they Cut them
to pieces, slay them all.” They
came up to my door; I shut my
door and went in; they went
round the hack lane to King
street; this was after nine, be-
fore any guna were fired.

Nathantel Appleton, Am a
merchant; on the evening of the
fifth of March, a little after rine,
I heard a considerable noise in
the street; went to the door; T
inqnired, and was told the adl-
diers and inhabitants were fight-

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