Page:Devonshire Characters and Strange Events.djvu/809

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THE PRINCETOWN MASSACRE
685

John Tozer, turnkey, gave testimony of no importance.

Joseph Manning, sergeant of the 1st Somerset Regiment of Militia, was sent by Captain Shortland to fetch Major Joliffe, "who put himself at the head of the grenadiers, and before Major Joliffe had gone ten yards from the south guard gate the firing commenced. That it was impossible for Major Joliffe to give orders to fire, as he was not near the spot when the firing first began."

These are all the depositions taken before the coroner. Others taken before the commissioners were as follows:—

John Rust, one of the prisoners and one of the Committee that drew up the report already given. "About 6 o'clock in the evening I came from the place where I was taking supper, and persuaded the prisoners to leave the breach. At the time I went to the breach the horn had not sounded; it sounded but a few minutes before the firing. I heard the alarm bell ring before the firing took place. The firing continued at intervals about fifteen minutes. … I saw nothing of the firing in the Market Square."

John T. Trowbridge, another of the Prisoners' Committee, made no part of the report from his own knowledge.

John Boggs, another of the Committee, "made no part of the report from my own knowledge."

Amos Wheeler, sergeant of the north guard, "was ordered by Capt. Shortland to march to the Market Square; the officer of the guard was not then with it. … There were not many prisoners in the Market Square when our guard entered. The alarm bell had rung before we marched. When we entered, the prisoners were endeavouring to burst the gates below. …When they had succeeded in bursting them there was a great rush towards the soldiers. They threw stones at the