489 Sheet – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

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Reading Time: 4 minutes [571 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

WILLIAM WEMMS AND SEVEN OTHERS

It appeared to me there were seven in all. When the last gun was discharged, I realized I was myself wounded and went into the house.

December 1

Joseph Hinckley

On the evening of the 6th, I heard the bells ring and went out to see where the fire was. I heard the drum beat and went down to the Conduit. I saw thirty or forty people with sticks in their hands. They hallooed, "King Street forever," and huzzaed. The sentinel was walking backwards and forwards with his firelock on his shoulder. Some of the people said, "Kill him." I saw Gray, who was killed; he said to me, "Don’t run, my lad, they dare not fire."

Charles Willis

I saw nothing worth relating; I was not in King Street. I saw a number of people but was not near enough to see much.

Matthew Murray

That evening, I was at home and heard the bells ring. I went into the street and was told it was not a fire, but the soldiers fighting with the inhabitants. I went into the house and could find no stick, but cut the handle of my mother’s broom off. With this, I came to King Street, but there were no soldiers. Some people were coming from Royal Exchange Lane, some from the Town House. Some said, "Damn it, they are only making fools of us, it is best to go home." I went to the head of Royal Exchange Lane and saw a cluster of people there. I saw a boy who said that the sentry had knocked him down with the butt end of his gun. I saw the sentry on the steps, and after he loaded, the people said, "Fire! Damn you, fire?" After the party came down, I stood close to them. They were swinging their bayonets, telling the people to make way. The grenadier on the right was struck somewhere on his right side, but I do not know with what. Directly after, he fired.

Thomas Symmonds

Between 8 and 9 o'clock on the 5th of March, near Murray’s barracks, the people were running backwards and forwards. There was a great mob and riot by the barrack gate. I heard the people, as they went along, declare that if the soldiers did not come out and fight them, they would set fire to the four corners of the barracks and burn every damned soul of them. I saw a good number of townspeople with cutlasses, clubs, and swords. There was knocking down, riot, and disturbance, and this declaration of theirs was after that and before the bells rang.

William Parker

On the evening of the 5th of March, I saw seven or eight people, the chief of whom were boys. Three or four of them were inside the rails, pulling the butcher’s stalls to pieces. A soldier passed by, and they said, "Here is a damned soldier." Some said, "They are all alike, this is as bad as any of them." I believe they would have beaten him if I had not rescued him. He was passing quietly along.

John Gridley

On the evening of the 5th of March, between the hours of 9 and 10, we were alarmed with the bells and a cry of fire. I stopped just before the sentinel placed at the customhouse. There were a large number of boys and some men amongst them, about ten young men.

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