Dr. Cooper's meeting-house,
I went thro' the alley, I there
saw a number of soldiers about the barracks, some with mus-
quets, others without, I saw a number of officers at the door of
the mess-house, almost fronting the alley, and some of the,
in-
habitants intreating the officers to
command the soldiers to be
peaceable and retire to their barracks. One of the officers, viz.
Lieut. Minchin, reply'd, that the
soldiers had been abused lately
by the inhabitants, and that if the inhabitants would disperse,
the soldiers should follow the example. Capt. Goldfinch
was
among the rest of the officers in or about the steps of the
mess-
house door, but did not command the soldiers. I then left
them and went to kingstreet. I then saw a party of
soldiers
loading their musquets about the
custom-house door, after which
they all shouldered. I heard some of the inhabitants cry out,
heave no snow balls; others cry'd they dare not fire. Captain
Preston was then standing by the soldiers, when a snow ball
struck a grenadier, who immediately fired, Capt. Preston stand-
ing close by him. The Captain then spoke distinctly, Fire, Fire
!
I was then within four feet of Capt. Preston and know him
well,
the soldiers fired as fast as they could one after another. I saw the
Molatto fall, and Mr. Samuel Gray
went to look at him, one
of the soldiers, at the distance of about four or five yards, pointed
his piece directly for the said Gray's head and fired.
Mr. Gray, after
struggling, turned himself right round upon his heel and fell
dead. Capt. Preston some time after ordered them to march
to the guard-house. I then took up a round hat and followed
the people that carry'd him down to a house near
the post-
office. And further saith not.
CHARLES HOBBY.
Suffolk, ss.
Boston,
March 20, 1770. Charles Hobby
above-
named, after due examination, made oath to the Truth
of the aforesaid Affidavit, taken to perpetuate the re-
membrance of the Thing.
Before, JOHN RUDDOCK, Just. Peace
& of the Quorum.
BELCHER NOYES, Justice o' Peace.
(No. 45)
I WILLIAM Tant, of lawful age, testify and say, that on
Monday 5th instant, being then in a house on the
Long
Wharff, hearing a bell ring, imagined it was
for fire : where-
upon I run up
King-street, and inquiring the cause, was in-
formed, that there had been a number of the inhabitants of
the town insulted by the soldiers in different places: As I got
a-breast of
Quaker-lane, I met a number of persons, to the