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It was further hinted by thofe about him, that 

 fomething of pique or prejudice, on account 

 of the poor man expreffing himfelf pleafed 

 with his employment at the Britifh hofpital, 

 might poffibly have operated in deafening the 

 ear of juftice againft him. 



Thefe circumftances gave additional in- 

 tereft to his cafe, and we felt ourfelves called 

 upon, no lefs by humanity, than inclination, 

 to afcertain the truth of it ; and if the poor man 

 had been unjuftly punifhed, to endeavor to 

 bring the authors of it to fhame. 



A Dutchman who happened to be prefent 

 at the time we were making inquiries, in the 

 carpenter's fhop to which the negro belonged, 

 told us, with an air of confidence, that he had 

 been punifhed for ftriking him, and cutting 

 his elbow with a large chijfel ; {hewing us the 

 very chiffel with which the wound had been 

 made, and the precife fpot whereon it had 

 happened, at the fame time exhibiting his arm 

 fupported in a fling. All this being focircum- 

 ftantially ftated, four of us, Major Say, the fur- 

 geon of the 99th., another officer and myfelf, 

 begged to fee this frightful wound which had 



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