159 



L. M., and a military watch of forty men was at once 

 established at Marblehead, the Confusion being such that 

 Lives and Property were not thought safe without it. 



The General Court was next appealed to, in the peti- 

 tion already quoted. This closed b}^ showing how Keverend 

 Ministers had been abused for bearing religious testimony 

 against the outrages, being threatened with having their 

 houses pulled about their ears ; that the Salem Hospital 

 was threatened, and the workhouses, that they should be 

 burnt and the keepers with them ; that vessels were 

 threatened with scuttling ; and that " should Government 

 remain longer unrestored, assassinations, which have al- 

 read}^ been threatened, will, we fear, be the unhappy 

 consequence." " Your Petitioners beg leave to shew that, 

 amidst all these Tumults, not a magistrate has there been 

 to command the peace." 



In answer to this humble petition for "such speedy 

 relief from these grievous circumstances as in their great 

 wisdom may seem meet," the Provincial Assembly ap- 

 pointed an investigating committee of both Houses, which 

 was instructed to repair to Marblehead and " inquire into 

 the izrounds of the uneasiness subsistins: there." This 

 Committee reported, Feb. 18, supposing the danger over. 



Feb. 25, Deputy Sheriff Brow^n, of Salem, went in the 

 forenoon to Marblehead and arrested two persons on 

 board a fishing vessel, in an action for £3,000 brought by 

 the "gentlemen who were Proprietors of the late Essex 

 Hospital, on suspicion that the said two Persons Ave re 

 concerned in burning that building. The prisoners were 

 committed to his Majesty's Gaol-^ al)out 2 o'clock p. M. 



24 This Giiol wiis at the corner of Prison Lane, now St. Peter's street, and 

 County now Federal street, and had an open yard on the easterly side of it, ex- 

 tending to Prison Lane. The present residence of Abner C. Goodell, Esq., 

 is in part the same structure and contains some of the identical timbers. 



