Thomas Hastings was brought before the grand jury at Suffolk County in November 1783. He was charged with two counts of selling corrupt pork at the public market in Boston; the first alleged sale occurred on January 10, 1782; the second on September 12. Hastings was brought before the court in August 1783, pleaded not guilty, and was taken to trial in February 1784. The jury found Hastings guilty of the first count (the January sale) but not guilty of the second count (the September sale). He was ordered to pay a fine and court costs.

November 1782 Suffolk Novr. Supr. Jud. Ct. 1782 Cor. G. Jury1

Commonwealth vs. Thomas Hastings

Thomas Trot Thos. Hastings persuaded me to swear before Esqr. Hastings to swear Paysons Wife got into the Well herself Phineas Child Hastings swore that Trot was on the Island & set him to Town Decr. 1, 1779 a few days after he sd. he did not know it—he bought a note of me & I renewed it & after he sued me Asa Payson Decr. 1779. Hastings brag’d that he had Trot a fortnight to tell him his Story yet the fool told a poor one & he wd. sue him for the Coat & Breeches— 6 ws. ago I was in Town, he told of Hog he bt. of John Pond & Pond was a devilish mean fellow for telling of it, he sd. the Hog was measly—he sd. he sold the two Legs Seth Pond 3d. Sept. last John Ponds Hog fell down dead, Uncle Stuck him he did not bleed, he was going to get the Soap Greaze Hastings came back & offered to buy him, Uncle told him the whole of the Story & sd. he wd. sell him, if Hastings would not sell him again. Hastings promised he wd. not, but bought him to Soap Greaze he was a spring pigg after he sd. he sold half of it. he was to give 6½ D. he sd. he bt. a Sow last Winter of James Richards of Newton for 4.2.0 cut off her Ears & tail she froze to death & he carried her to market & did well by her he sd. the next time he hired Hasting we wd. hire him to stay away. 238 Aaron Healey sick Septr. same day he bt. the Hog he sd. he bt. it Pond gave 6½ D. wch. weigh over 10 score: he sd. he salted it down. then he borowed my Panniers to carry it to Market he sd. he carrid down Leg hands Some of the Pork to make 4½ D., he sold it 6d. pr. lb. he sd. wt. Pond sd. it was choaked with an Apple he said he sold it to the French James Richards I sold Mr. Hasting a Hog for 4½ D. last Decr. the Sow had been poorly a good while. She wd. weigh 6 Score, he bt. her Sick he sd. he could cure her—he sd. he cut her Ears & Tail & next morning she was dead—he sd. he salted her down. William Smith of Providence Ths. Hastings came to me Monday after Thanksgiving last to dress a Sow, he sd. he bt. it the night before had cut of Ears & tayl & it bled to death. it did not look as if it bled at all he sd. he stuck it after it was dead wn. we opened it the Liver was defective Stunck like carrion—he sd. he did not intend to Eat it himself he wd. carry it to market he sd. it wd. do well eno’ for Boston People. he sd. he sold it for 4d. pr. lb. in Boston poor as it was—after it came to be warm it bled near a quart; day before yesterday he told me if I wd. not come here he wd. give me as many Dolls. as I could lay singly on my hand Ephraim Wilson Hasting’s swore Trot was on the Island; riding by Trot he sd. he did not know he was on the Island—he sd. I never will hire him to swear for him again. Nathl. Talbut Hastings swore Trot was on the Island John Pond. 3d. Septr. last. I had a Hog dyed, I stuck him he wd. not bleed sold him to Hastings told him how he died very meazly, heart large he gave me 6½. 12 Septr. he said he had Carried the Hog to Market & had got abt. ¼ his money: told the Story of the Sow Hastings said he had kept many days to leave him the Stores & the Damn’d Fool could not tell as far as he had learned Caleb Child he swore before the Justice that Trot was on Cow Island

MS .

1.

The Grand Jury met in Boston from Nov. 19 to 25. This case was heard before the Supreme Judicial Court in Feb. 1784, see below.