That thereupon the Sheriffs Party to the number of four or five fired upon the Rioters and killed one besides wounding several others when the Sheriff Commanded his Party not fire any more but to push foward with their Staves which they did and finally took possession of the Court House after much Resistance and several of the Rioters Prisoners that thereupon the Rioters sent Parties all armed to New Hampshire and the Neighbouring Counties for more force. That the next morning the Prisoners so taken were

NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS. 907

discharged certain accounts having been received that the Rioters . were returning with Reinforcements and the deponent Oliver Church farther saith that on Wednesday the fifteenth Instants being at Brattleborough he saw about sixty Rioters going towards Westminster armed and headed by one Cochran who said he was the Captain of the Green Mountain Boys and declared he would have Revenge for the man that was killed and those that were wounded and his Company declared in general that they would have blood for blood particularly saying that they would have the Blood of the said Sheriff Samuel Gale Clerk of the said County and one Lieutenant Osgood: And the said Joseph Hancock for himself further deposeth and saith that he was warned by the said Oliver Church to go to Westminister to the assistance of the Sheriff and Magistrates That he went from Brattleborough early on Tuesday morning the fourteenth instant with about fourteen others and mét several Flying parties of the Mob who said there would be another Rally and they expected a second Engagement That when they arrived at Westminister which was about noon of that Day they found the Court had met and adjourned to the afternoon and that every thing was in great confusion from an expectation of the Return of the Rioters That in the afternoon of that day the Rioters began to come up in several parties whereupon as the Deponent has heard and believes the Judges adjourned the Courts to the next Town no Business having beendone That on the evening of the same day the Deponent was in the said Court House with the said Sheriff the mob having by this time collected a Strong Body to the amount of about Three hundred, That two of them came into the Court House to the said Sheriff one of whom threatned and insulted the Sheriff and declared that the Judges should be brought out before the Mob and make acknowledgements to their satisfaction That they would pull down the Court House That the Sheriff and all that had a hand in perpetrating the horrid Massacre as he expressed himself should be taken into custody and put in irons.