Saturday, April 14, 2012 — The following item ran in our “Admiral Fowle’s Piscataqua River Tidal Guide (Not for Navigational Purposes)” for this date:
“1772 — In South Weare, NH the County Sheriff tries to collect fines from sawmill owners for stealing the King’s trees. They beat him up.”
The image at right, from our issue of Friday, April 24, 1772, shows our original reportage of that event. [Thanks to the Portsmouth Athenæum for access to the originals.]
Here’s a transcript:
“Portsmouth, April 24, 1772 — We hear from Hale’s-Town, That one Day the beginning of last Week, Benjamin Whiting, Esq; High-Sheriff of the County of Hillsborough, having taken a Person (whose Name we have not heard) with a Writ, for cutting the King’s Timber, &c, was requested by the Person for leave to go at large, till the next morning, when he said he could bring Bail. This the Sheriff granted, and that night lodg’d in a Public Houe, in said Hale’s-Town, with an assistant or Deputy he had with him: But for his Clemency, and good Nature, mark the Event — Early the next Morning, the said Person came to the Chamber Door, and told Mr. Whiting he had got Bail; to which the Sheriff answered it was very well, but added, he need hot have hurried quite so much, but have stopped till it was lighter, &c. However, that he would get up and wait on him. While he was dressing, thirty or forty Persons, in Disguise, with black Faces, &c. rushed into the Room with Clubs, &c. upon which Mr. Whiting retreated back to the Wall, and having got at his Pistols, declared he would Shoot the first man that approached him, and its thought would have thus defended himself, but some of these fellows having got up in the Garret, took up the Floor, and soon overpowered the Sheriff, and his Assistant, whom they abused and beat in a most Shameful Manner, then went to the Barn and cut the Ears, Tails and Mains off of both their Horses, and ordered the Sheriff and his Man to mount, and go off; which they prudently complied with, and immediately proceeded to Col. Goffe, & Col. Lutwych’s, who gave Orders for a sufficient Number of Men to arm, and proceed with the Sheriff, if possible to take and bring the Rioters to Justice — which ’tis hoped, will soon be accomplished.”