By PELEG W. CHANDLER, MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY AND OF THE VOLUME II. BOSTON: CHARLES C. LITTLE AND JAMES BROWN. LONDON: A. MAXWELL, 32 BELL YARD, LINCOLN'S INN. MDCCCXLIV. DIVINITY SCHOOL LIBRARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1844, By PELEG W. CHANDLER, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. BOSTON: PRINTED BY FREEMAN AND BOLLES, WASHINGTON STREET. ADVERTISEMENT. THE first volume of this work was published more than two years ago, and was stated to be an experiment, which, if successful, would demonstrate that the most important and interesting criminal trials, that have taken place in this country, might be rendered acceptable to the general reader, in the form of abridged narrations divested of the technicalities of legal proceedings. The favor with which the plan and objects of the work were received was highly encouraging, and the success of the first volume was at least equal to its merits. The present volume has been delayed by various causes, one of which was the difficulty of authenticating some of the facts, and it is believed, that the value of the work has been increased by the time consumed in the necessary investigations for this purpose. These volumes extend over a period of more than one hundred and fifty years, and contain accounts of the most interesting trials that have taken place, from the first establishment of judicial tribunals in this country, until after the adoption of the constitution of the United States. If they serve to illustrate the morals and manners, or the religious and political history of this period, and thus commend themselves to the American reader, the object of the author will be fully accomplished. BOSTON, MAY, 1844. |