467 



their goods was ordered agreeably to the 

 laws of congress, under the president's writ: 

 but they embodied themselves, and gave 

 the officers battle. A party of soldiers was 

 afterwards sent ; and the offenders were 

 taken by force, as rebels to their govern* 

 ment. The consequence was, that the 

 ringleader or general of this banditti was 

 found guilty, and condemned to be hang- 

 ed. But, by some means, there were only 

 eleven jurymen present at the time whea 

 the verdict was given ; therefore he got 

 clear ; and it is publicly said that it was 

 the wish of Mr. Adams, the president, that 

 it should be done so, only to shew him and 

 the rest of them the power and lenity of 

 the government. I happened to be in com- 

 pany where the officer who took them was 

 at dinner, and this business being talked 

 over, it appeared that he was a lawyer, and 

 had pleaded in court for those offenders, 

 after being employed to apprehend them ! 



I have every reason to think that a con- 

 juror or fortune teller has more influence 



H H 2 



