124 THE PAXTON MEN. [1763, Deo. 



party, about fifty in number, left Paxton on their 

 desperate errand. Elder had used all his influence 

 to divert them from their design ; and now, seeing 

 them depart, he mounted his horse, overtook them, 

 and addressed them with the most earnest remon- 

 strance. Finding his words unheeded, he drew up 

 his horse across the narrow road in front, and 

 charged them, on his authority as their pastor; to 

 return. Upon this, Matthew Smith rode forward, 

 and, pointing his rifle at the breast of Elder's horse, 

 threatened to fire unless he drew him aside, and 

 gave room to pass. The clergyman was forced to 

 comply, and the party proceeded.^ 



At about three o'clock in the afternoon, the riot- 

 ers, armed with rifle, knife, and tomahawk, rode at 

 a gallop into Lancaster ; turned their horses into 

 the yard of the public house, ran to the jail, burst 

 open the door, and rushed tumultuously in. The 

 fourteen Indians were in a small yard adjacent to 

 the building, surrounded by high stone walls. 

 Hearing the shouts of the mob, and startled by the 

 apparition of armed men in the doorway, two or 

 three of them snatched up billets of wood in self- 

 defence. Whatever may have been the purpose 

 of the Paxton men, this show of resistance ban- 

 ished every thought of forbearance ; and the 

 foremost, rushing forward, fired their rifles among 

 the crowd of Indians. In a moment more, the 

 yard was filled with ruffians, shouting, cursing, 

 and firing upon the cowering wretches ; holding 



1 This anecdote was told to the writer by the son of Mr. Elder, and is 

 also related by Mr. Conyngham. 



