the clock, he heard a bell ringing at the south part of the
town, which caused him to leave his shop to make enquiry.--
Soon after, he heard that the soldiers had rose upon the inha-
bitants ; that when he had got as far as Faneuil Hall, seeing
a number of gentlemen standing together, the deponent made
up to them, and asked them what the disturbance was ; they
answered him that two young men had been abused by the
soldiers-but that the soldiers had now returned to their bar-
racks--he then proceeded with a number of others up royal
exchange lane: at the head of the lane some of the persons
with him cry'd out, here is a soldier, and huzza'd; immediate-
ly the soldier who was centry near to the box before the custom
house, repaired to the custom house door; at which, with the
knocker the soldier gave three very hard strokes; upon which
some person within side opened the door and spoke to him remark-
ably short, and then shut it again. -- The soldier then directly
loaded his gun, knocking the breech twice hard upon the stone
steps: at the same time seven soldiers (as the deponent judges)
with a commanding officer, came and cry'd clear the way as
he came along : then forming them into a half circle, ordered
them to load: the deponent then made up as he could to the
officer, and said for God's sake don't fire upon the people, he
made him no answer : then turning to the inhabitants he the
deponent expressed himself in the following manner; for God's
sake don't trouble these men for they are upon duty and will
fire: turning about to the soldiers he saw them making up to
the inhabitants with their bayonets fixed (about ten feet off )
directing them to stand off, attempting to drive them away
with their bayonets: then he withdrew himself to the other
side of the way, where seeing a man attempt to throw a club,
he beg'd that he would not; adding that if he did the soldi-
ers would fire, and he did not: the deponent then standing
by Warden and Vernon's shop on the south side of King-street
with his back to the soldiers ; immediately after heard the
word present; at which word he stooped down. -- A little
space of time ensued, and then he heard the words, damn you,
fire ; the sound of which words seemed to proceed from the
left of all the soldiers, and very near to the centry box ; upon
this order he judged two guns were discharged, and immedi-
ately three more, and then two more; one of the two last
guns went about five or six inches over the deponent's back:
after which he stood up, and another gun was discharged
which wounded one Robert Patterson in the arm, and the
blood was sprinkled upon the deponent's hand and waistcoat:
after the firing the deponent saw four persons drop ; then