Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-04-09
TRIAL OF THE QUAKERs.

| TRIAL OF THE QUAKERS.
SALEM, March 29.-On Tuesday morning
the indictment against John Alley, jr, Jonathan
BuHum, Preserved Sprague and BENJAMIN
Shaw, came on for trial before his Honor
Judge How, of the Court of Common Pleas,
at Ipswich. The defendants were Indicted in
several counts fora rist; for disturbance of
public worship, at common law for rude and
indecent behaviour in public meeting and
Tor conspiracy to disturb the meeting all
committed at Lynn on the nth and 18th of
Feb. last, and at meetings of the Society of
Friends helden ON those days.
when the prisoners were arraigned, Buffum,
Shaw, and Sprague, pleaded Not GUILTY !;
when the Clerk put that question to Alley, he
replied with energy, Pm Guilty, and Pm
Not Guilty." The Clerk again asked him
the question, and Alley made the same reply,
adding that he could not make any other
plea, and that it took two to make one His
plea of Not Guilty was then recorded. Be-
fore the trial commenced, the County Attor-
ney entered Mol Pros. as to Alley, who was
deemed 10 be insane, from his appearance, as
well as from the concurrent assurances of his
physician, friends and neighboss. The other
three were then put upon their trial
| Neither Our limits nor the late hour at which
the trial was finished will enable us to give
any thing more than very hasty sketch of
this interesting and important trial.
The case was opened for the Common
wealth, and the grounds of the prosecution
stated with great clearness and ability, by
Benz. Merrill, Esq. who assisted the County
Attorney, j. Pickering, Esq. in conducting
the trial.
| In the course of the examination itappear-
ed that the defendants have for some time
been In the habit of sitting on the high-seats.'
or as they are now called, the &" Minister'S
Gallery" at the Friends meetings. This is
considered disorderly conduct among the
Friends those seats being appropriated, as
the whole current of testimony on both sides
showed, to ministers, elders, ,oxerseers, and
aged and venerable persons, who are invited
to SIT there-other persons sit there only on
particular occasions, when the house is crowd
ed, sc. The defendants have also been in the
habit of speaking in the meetings, much TO the
dissatisfaction ofthe audience, and il was very
manifest that their words were not always
ftly spoken" This practice also was prov
"a to be contrary To the rules and orders of
the Socieiy--but the offence charged against
the defendants consisted mainly in taking the
Ministers seats, and occupying them wrong
fully. On the 18th of February, at a meeting
for business, this disorder was repeated, which
const'i ates one of the offences charged in the
|
for the purpose of de,ising measures to pre-
vent the like disturbance in future. On the
morning of the 18th, Sabbath day, the defen-
danfs were scverally warned and cautioned
not TO take the Ministers seats, and the over
seers who waited on them, endeayared to con-
vince them ofthe improperly of such conduct.
The warning was in writing, and contained
the reasons o, the course they were pursuing
among which were some profane and oppro-
brious iangnage, which one of the defendants
had uttered IN meeting, and who declared to
the overseer who warned him, swell be as
strong rs you" At the usual time of meeting
Oh the morning Of the 18th, it appeared that
John Alley came in with sword grded by his
side, attended by iona. Bulfum, and made his
way towards the high seats-he was stopped
i by one OF the oyerseers and after considerable
struggling and disturbance the sword was ia
ken from him'by cutting the belt. The cry of
I " let him alone," was set up and repeated by
his adherents, and the high seats were in fact
occupied by the defendants and one Daniel b.
Alley, who is not indicted-th the defendants o.
cupied those seats during the forenoon SER
vice, and no other disturbance was stated to
nave taken place. In the afternoon the defen-
dants took the same seats; Bufium declaring
to The oycrseer, who again requested him 10
+ sitOD the floor SEATS that he would take {;
seat where he pleased" AFTER they were all
I seated, Isaac Bassef, one of the overseers adj
dressed them, stating that they had had time
to reflect on what they were about, and desir-
ed them TO come down from those seats-no
one replied, except Buffum, who bid the over.
{ seer sit down, as he was disturbing the meet.
ing.-F'ricnd Basset then addressed the meet
{ Irg, saying that the overseers had found it ne.
cessary to make stand against the proceed
e Dgs of the defendants, and requested all pre-
seut TO remain silent and keep their places, ex
ccpt such as should be called upon. He ther
requested three Friends, by name, to takS
BENZ Shaw and remove him from the meeting
as quietly as possible, aud keep him safely till
1 furhermeasuresc could be takenrespecting hin
= - then requested three others to take Johr
! Alley and carry him out in like manner. Wher
the Friends took hold of Alley, Buffum inter
posed, add took hold Of his arm, saying " lie
: this man aone."-As soon as they wer,
= brought do1n 60 the floor, there was a grea
!. crowd from the seats pressing into the aisle
! and interpreting between the persons who wer
4 taking odt the defendants and the dnor-soIn
y crying 4" this is too bad" and some, amon
! whom was Preserved Sprague, laying hold o
r. the clothes of The carriers, and fOrciby hold
y ing them back, aud cDdcavorng 10 preve en-
! them from carrying the men out. They wer
however all taken Olii Of the meeting aud de
tanned at tie ncighb0Iing houses after whic
The meeting was resumed and continued quip
s, Much evidence was also introduced on tn
= part of the prosecution, showing that the un
e form practice among the Friends, not only i
" this state hut in several others, IS TO appropTiat
r. the high seats as they have been ut Lynn
{, Tie defence which was set ~, hy l.. Sal
!. tonstall and -. Cummins, Esqrs. consisted
evidence of insanity so far rs respects Ben