CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.
541
Winthorp Hoyt of Bennington who professed himself to he Drum Major Abel Benedict of Arlingtonand John Sawyer and a person whose Name this Deponent could not learn were the four persons whoso whipped this Deponent. That this Deponent was very much wounded and bled considerablyby the said abuse; And the Deponent being very faint was put into the care of one Doctor Washburnwho conducted him into a House. That the Deponent declared to the Rioters, that it was a greatHardship, that he was not suffered to take care of his Interest & Child who was left without Fatheror Mother ; the deponent’s wife being absent on a distant visit to her parents. That the Riotersnotwithstanding insisted that the sentence should be put in Execution and the Deponent leave theCountry accordingly. And the Deponent further saith that after he had been so abused the saidEthan Allen delivered him a paper in writing signed by him and Seth Warner in the words andfigures following to wit,
“ Sunderland January the 30th Day A D 1775. This may certify tire Inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants that“ Benjamin Hough hath this Day rec’d a full punishment for his crimes committed heretofore against this Country and our“ Inhabitants, are ordered to give him the sd Huff free and unmolested Pasport toward the City of New York or to the Westward' ‘ of our Grants he behaving as becometh Given under our Hands the Day and Date aforesaid.”
“ Seth Warner”
And he this Deponent having recovered his strength the next Day proceeded on Foot on hisJourney towards the City of New York . That while this Deponent was in custody of the saidRioters he heard the said Ethan Allen say, that he expected they should be obliged to drive off allthe Durhamites (meaning the Inhabitants of the Town of Durham in the County of Charlotte-.)That this Deponent frequently heard the said Rioters Declare that they would have little Walker(meaning Daniel Walker) and Thomas Bracton (the Constable that served under this Deponent) ifthey could be found above Ground and that they further threatened that they would for the futurebe more severe with the damned Yorkers (meaning persons who would not join with them in theirriotous proceedings) and would whip them within an Inch of their Lives. That for the future theywould not be at the trouble and expence of giving them a Trial; but that the persons who metwith should punish them immediately. That this Deponent while he was so confined heard thesaid Rioters further declare, that they were sorry that they had not inflicted upon Doctor Adams(who lived in Arlington and against whom they had taken offence) five hundred lashes instead ofhoisting him up & exposing him upon Landlord Fay’s Sign post, where was fixed a dead Catamount.That this Deponent also heard the said Ethan Allen declare in the said Mob that he expected shortlyto have a fight with the damned Yorkers, for that they would hear how the Mob had abused tlieirMagistrates, but that he believed them to be damned Cowards or that they would have come outagainst them long before. That this Deponent on his way to New' York called at the house of BlissWilloughby and Ebenezer Cole Esq 1 ' two of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County ofAlbany residing near Bennington . That he found them armed in great Distress and Danger andhaving people in their Houses ready to take arms in their Defence in Case they should be attackedby the Rioters, which as they assured this Deponent they hourly expected. That this Deponent onhis way to New York also called at Pownal Town part of which lies w’ithin the Manor of Renselaer-wyck as this Deponent has been informed by the Inhabitants of the said Town [who were] in greatCommotion and uneasiness on account of the said Rioters. That he understood from some of thesaid Inhabitants, that they had agreed to take leases for their possession under the proprietor of thesaid Manor, but that they dared not for fear of the said Rioters who had threatned them severely andone of the said Inhabitants in particular told this Deponent that he had taken a Lease for his Farmof the said proprietor but should on that account be obliged (o give it up. That when tliis Depo-