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THE TRIAL OF WILLIAM WEMMS AND SEVEN
OTHER BRITISH SOLDIERS FoR THE
MURDER OF CRISPUS ATTUCKS, SAMUEL
GRAY, SAMUEL MAVERICK, . JAMES
CALDWELL AND [PATRICK CARR,
BOSTON, MASSACHU-

SETTS, 1770.

THE NARRATIVE.

On the evening of March 5th, 1770, a party of British sol-
diers fired upon a crowd of citizens of Boston, causing the
death of five of them. This incident is known in American
history as the ‘‘Boston Masgaere,’? and grew out of the
strong feeling among the Colonists against having soldiers
quartered upon them.

There had been much friction between soldiers and civil-
ians in Boston; a short time before at a place called the
Rope Walk, there had been a fight between a number of sol-
dierg and citizens which ended in the defeat of the soldiera
and the dangerous wounding of one of their number. This
gave rise to great excitement, and a general expectation of 5
serious affray between the citizens and the soldiers.

Early in the evening of that day, it became apparent that
an unusual excitement prevailed in Boston. Clusters of citi-
gens were observed in earnest conference in various quarters
of the town, and parties of soldiers were also moving about.
About eight o’clock one of the bells was rung as if for fire,
and soon after large bands of men were seen in motion, hur-
tying forward with clubs in their hands, and uttering the
fiercest imprecations against the soldiers, An attack was
soon made by the mob in Dock square upon some soldiers,
The latter were shut up in the barracks by their officers, the
mob following them to the gate and provoking them by abus-
ive epithets. The rioters were addressed by ‘‘a tall large man

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