Jno. Danbrook
Saw Hartigan Montgomery &
Carroll there of the party.
abt. 1/4 past 9.
when he came down. Stood abt. 10 or 12 feet from
Montgy. Saw no Stick Strike him
a little one flew over there heads took to be a little piece of
Battan. Looking
at Montgy. when he fired, upon his
firing 2 Men fell did not hear the second Gun. one Attucks, one fell
near to
his left hand & another abt. 3 foot from him. He
stooped to see if the Mollatto
was dead. then turned round & saw the other Man fall, abt. a Minute between the
1st & 2 Gun. Knew neither of them, nothing past before the firing that he
saw: but the Boys making a [Noise?]
Attucks
leaning on his Stick.
Jed. Bass.
Coming up
R. Ex. Lane when he got into
K. S. he saw Mongy. who
pushed his Bayt. at a Man. he drew back
abt. 5 feet. & in a Minute he fired.
A walking Stick knocked up his Gun, he brôt it to a level & then fired. Is certain that
Montgy. did not fall before he
fired, must have seen him if it had been so. He fell
after he fired. The people abt. 7 or 8 feet from the
party. 6 Guns he thinks fired but did
not count 'em. The People began to run down the Lane
after the first Gun.
The People in
Dock Square said let's go home there
no fire the Soldiers have been fighting &c. Some had Sticks
& some none. Some one Way & some another. heard 3 Chears abt. 2 Minutes
before the firing began.
Thos. Wilkinson
Knows Montgy. lives next to him, had often
been to get
fire &c. Bells rang for 9 as usual. Afterwards Mr.
Cooper's put on his Surtout
& went out to see where the fire was. got as far as the
Town pump by Bagnal's.
The people cried out don't go there
you'l be kill'd. Saw the
Soldrs. with drawn
Cutlasses at
Boylstone's Alley, Sallying out brandishing their Swords,
Saw
none of the people contending with 'em.
abt. 30 or 40 coming thick with Buckets &c.
appeared to him as if the Soldiers were challenging the people. Went to the
Main-
-guard, Stood there to See hear if any Body had been
wounded. At that Time no body in
K.S. Old brick-bell began to ring. Dr.
Cooper's rung some time before. Stood there
5 Minutes or so Capt. Prest. came
& said damn you turn out. A party of 8 came
the Street. went as far as Waldo's Shop & went up to the Main-guard but
did not Stop, went round the North of the Town-house. The party formed in
a Circle at the C.H. Stood abt. 4 minutes heard the Word fire they did not
fire, then heard the Word repeated, upon wch. The Guns went off like the [?] strikg
of the Clock. fire began at the Right. 2 Yds. from 'em. Saw the the Flash of
Each Gun, 7 went off one flushed. he not scared, imagining it was only powder.
Think it was the 3d. or 4th. Man from the Right that flushed. Saw no Blows given
nor Snow-balls, Ice, nor Oyster Shells thrown, nor pressing in of the people had
he, he shd. have retir'd. Heard 2 or 3 Chears before the party went down, but
none afterwards. (NB. This he Says very emphatically!)
Josiah Simpson.
Knows White & Wemmes, Warren & Hartigan all there.
on that Eveng. at worked at
Mr. Hancock's Wharff, saw a Number of Gent.
at
Fanuiel Hall. They said 2 young Men had been abused by the
Soldiers
but they had retired to their Barracks. The Bells still ringing I went up
R. Ex. L. & out run those who were
with Me. Nobody in the Str. but the
Sentry; some said here's a Soldier abt. 5 or 6 people.. The Sentry at once
repaired to the
C.H. Steps, there
with the Brass knockers at the Door. Somebody opened the Door & Spoke
to
the Sentry, but he did not hear what was said. The Door was shut & the
S.
immediately loaded his Gun, knocking it hard on the Steps. The party came
down.
no Disturbance, or molestation of the S. between
the S. loadg. &
the party's coming
down, neither by Words nor Blows. The Officer when They got down said
Shoulder.
7 Soldiers. Capt. Prest. gave
several Words of Command. Handle, Army; Ease, Army.
Secure, Army; prime & Load &c is as certain of This as of his own
Existence. went
up to Capt. Prest. said for God's
Sake don't fire upon These people.
Prest. behind
the Soldiers when he Spoke to him thro'
Wemmes & another, upon
receivg. no Answer
he turning to the people said for God's Sake don't
trouble these Soldiers they are
upon Duty They said we won't be drove off by Them.
He then retreated
to Warden's Shop, see a Man going to thro' a Club, desired him not to, &
hit one of the Soldiers Guns, hearing it strike. Immediately heard the
Word present. Then heard 2 Guns fired, killed Nobody that he saw. then
3 which killed Attucks & Gray. then 2 one of which kill'd Caldwell, one Ball abt. 5 Inches
over his Head Back; abt. 3 Seconds between the 2 first & the 3. then another Gun
which wounded Patterson in the Arm. A white Cordwood Stick that was flung.
The people made a Noise, but no huzzing, did not hear the Cry of Bloody-backs &c.
Nat. Fosdick.
pushing behind him with Bayonets, damn your Blood Stand
out of the Way. after the first Gun was fired the Second man as he
thinks, push'd
his Bayonet at & wounded him in the Breast. Two different men before
This
pierced him in the Arm to the Bone. he rushed in upon 'em after the first Gun
in Order to know who they were. Did not
not know what the occassion of their
coming down. The right hand Grenadier fell after firing, occassioned by
his pushing at a person who went down
R. Ex. L.
Saml. Hemenway
Knows Kilroy well, was with him at
Mr. John
Apthorp's abt. a week before heard him say
he wd. never miss an
oppo.
when he had One to fire upon the Inhabitts. of
the Town, he had
wanted it ever since he came in to the Town. K. not in Liquor at that
Time. nor in Anger. I told him He was a
great Fool for his pains, He said
I don't Care, I won't
miss an oppo. for all that.
Joseph Helyer
There abt. 15 Mints.
before the party came down. Upon the Bells
run up from the
North End, was told it was not worth while to go,
'twas not worth
while to go, twas no fire, but the Soliders
assaulting the Inhabitts. a Number of
people by the pump in
Dock Square who seem'd afraid to go
up. However
he
about him. Seen often many more there on such a bright Night. The
People after the party came down seemed to collect into a Body
into R. Ex. L. as he past the last man, heard a Gun from the Right
abt. 20 Seconds after the first before the 2d. Gun fired. Abt. the same
Space between the last & last but One. A little Boy run across the Str.
crying fire, the last Man but One followed with his Gun as the
Boy ran. Nothing past to induce him to apprehend Danger, no
molestation, had the Soldiers pointed at him he shd. not have
tho't himself in Danger, as there was Nothing that he observed
to lead to it. thinks there were 6 Guns fired. Saw no Snow-Balls,
Ice or any Things thrown, if there had been anything of this sort extraordinary
he must have seen it it being bright Star-light. When the Soldiers
came down a sort of Shouting, this but a short Time before the first
Gun.
Nicholas Ferriter
Knows Kilroy &
Warren. Saw 'em
at the Rope
Walks the Friday before. They All had Cutlasses & Clubs.
Mr. Jno.
Gray ask'd him to go to his
Rope Walks & make a Cable. Saw a Soldier
come outside the Rope Walks. Who said damn your
Bloods I'll
have some Satisfaction. dar'd him out & I went out
& he struck me
& I trip'd up his Heels, a naked Cutlass was
discovered under his
Coat. then he went away, & brôt
abt. a Doz.
Warren among them.
They had a Battle & drove 'em off. Then in
abt. 3/4 of an Hour came
abt. 30 & had another Battle.
When the Bells rang went to know where the fire was, met
Sam. Gray
ask'd him where he was going, he said to the Fire.
They went into
K.S.
Shubael Hewes
Spent the Eveng. near the
Town Dock. The
Master [house?] come in & said there was a cry of Fire. Went out. at
the Market place a Number of people came from the
Northe-End.
Enquired where the Fire was. heard there was a Dispute near
Just. Q's
Saw a Number of young Lads attempt to get the Legs out of the Stalls
but said Nothing to them. May be 6 or 7 of them.
Dr.
Hyrons
a little after 8. hear a confused Noise not far off, went
out, was told Soldiers & peo. were quarrelling,
saw a Number of Soldiers pass
& repass with Swords. Saw a Number of peo.
cross the Street. Went in & in a
few Minutes after heard a person run thro' the
Alley with great Violence
towards the Barrack Gate crying Town-born turn out, Two or Three Times he
[sd?] This. Ensign Mall
cried Whose that Fellow? After the Repetition of Town
born turn out 7 or 8 Times, I heard the Footsteps of several more & in a
very
short Time a great many more. Soon a great Clashing of Sticks against The
Fence &c. a little Man, I don't know who, came
& addressed the Officer why
don't you keep your Men in. I have done All I can,
& shall do all I can.
upon wch. says the little Man,
are the people to be knock'd down &
murdered,
upon wch. the Officer, We have
done the Utmost we can. Then the little
Man, you know the Country has been used ill, you know the Town has
been used ill, We did not send for you, We won't
have you, We'll get
rid of you or drive you away, I don't know
which. The Officer still replied they
had done their utmost & beg'd The Man to use his
Influence to disperse
the people that no mischief might be done Whether he did so or not I
can't say, as I could not distinguish
Voices, He had a Surtout on. Immediately the Cry home, home. I
don't
recollect seeing any go at first, but the this
Cry was repeated, & The greatest
200 people went up the three Streets from Dock Square. When they were
gathered opposite Walley's, & had made 3 or 4 vain Attempts to get to M. B.
Gave 2 or 3 Chears for Main Guard. Abt. the Middle of R. Ex. L. he heard
the Guns go off. Bells rung before he went up R. Ex. L. Young peo. cried fire.
Some of the Company said, it was very uncommon to come to a fire with Sticks & Bludgeons.
Will. Hunter.
at the same place; saw a Number comg. up from the
North End
with a sort of large Sticks. attempted 2 or 3 times to get up
Dr. Cooper's Lane. a tall Gent.
with a Red Cloak on in the middle of 'em. He spoke
& they were all still. then
3 Chears for Main-Guard. They went up
R. Ex. L. I went home.
Davd. Michaelson.
Heard a Noise towards the
Post-Office was told it
was a Squabble between Soldrs. &
Inhts. The party engaged happened to be
routed took down towards
Royal Ex. Lane where I stood. I then
ran into
Hunter's Balcony. From thence saw a pretty large Number of
people,
drawn together as I imagined by the Noise. The greater part had Weapons.
Some Buckets. Some cried fire. Assembled in various little Lots,
with various Leaders. Cried
out let's Attack the Main-guard, huzza'd
& executed that proposal. The Bells rang.
The largest party went round
Cornhill. I went thro'
Ex. Lane, & abt. the
midle heard the Guns, & I went home. The greatest
Number of people
in the Square 200. Saw the Gent. in a Red
Cloak.
John Short.
after the 9 o'Clock Bell rang, the Bells rung for fire went
out. heard in
Dock-Square a Soldier had hurt an Oyster-man.
Benja. Davis.
(as before).
Capt. Goldfinch.
Saw a mob collected before
The Alley, some people
called him by Name, & desired to get Soldrs.
in or there wd. be Murder
between them & the peo. With some difficulty I
got thro' the Alley. The
Soldrs. defending themselves at the
[pass?] . As soon as the Soldiers knew him
they removed to the Bottom of ye Alley. Saw
Offrs. at the Steps. I told
'em I apprehended there wd. be a Riot & ordered them to keep the
Soldrs.
in. The mob followed me thro' the Alley insulted
the Soldrs. by Language
so much that I wondered they could bear it without redressing theirself
were kept in by the Vigilance & activity of the
Offrs. a little Man spoke
to the peo. & advised 'em to go home. Some of the peo. then moved off
thro' the Alley but did not hear
'em say where they were going. heard
the Guns. & the Drum beat to Army. The peo.
went off slowly abt.
1/4 of an Hour or 20 Minutes, before the Guns fired.
Benj. Davis jr.
Saw the Sentry across the Gutter talkg. with the
Boy.
at his Father's Gate in
Green's Lane. Gray came by
& asked him Where
the Fire was? I told the him no Fire, the Soldiers were fighting in
K. S.
Damn 'em says he, I'm glad of
it, I'll knock some of 'em
in the
Head. Had a Stick, but I could not see what sort of One. I said to
him take Care you don't get kill'd yourself. Don't you fear,
damn
'em.
James Thompson.
Coming thro saw the Sentry, but nobody besides
in
K. S. went towards
Greens Lane there met 15. armed with Sticks rather
too large to walk with. heard them say, We are rather too soon. Went
on board a Vessell at
Griffin's Wharf. Told the Sailors he was afraid
observed some more of the Town's peo. come up from towards the Market.
There was upon This a great Squabble & Noise between the peo. & Officers
no Blows. a little Boy with his Hand upon his Head cried I am kill'd, I am kill'd!
Upon which an Officer damn'd him for a Rascal & asked him what
Business he had out of Doors. The Boy not more then 6 or 7 years old.
Not long after observed a Soldr. come out of his Mess-House, down upon
or before his knee before Boylst. Alley, presented his muskets & said now
God damn your Blood I'll make a Lane thro' you all. While he was
presenting Minchin or Dixon laid hold of him & turn'd him in to the
Barracks telling him to come out again at his peril. Not long
before the same Soldr. or another came out again with his Gun he repeated much
the same Words as the other, was presenting & one of the Officers knock'd
him down, & after This thinks the Gates were shut. Abt. This Time heard
Dr. Cooper's Bell ring, had heard the 9 o'Clock Bell before as he thought.
One Officer said go & stop that Bell. Abt. This Time recollects seeing
Capt. Goldfinch of the 14th. on the Steps. There came up a little Man
but in a quite different Manner from the Other, desired 'em to keep
their Men in; They said it shd. be done, & beg'd he wd. get the peo.
away. The little man said, you hear what the Officrs. say, you had
better go home, upon wch. the Cry was Home, home, home again; on
which a great many of them went up the Alley, & said let's go to
the Main-G. a Second Time. not many Minutes after This before he
heard the Report of a Musket & in few Seconds a 2d. Muskets, & then a Third.
I heard Capt. G. say then, I thot it wd. come to This, it's Time for me to
go. a Soldr. came, & told the Officrs. as I thot, that They had fir'd upon the
Main-guard.