The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-02-15
MEMOIR OF RHODE-IsLAND.
II ) I

The murder was committed at South
Kingstown some time in the winter, and
Carter was executed at Tower Hill in that
town on the 10Th of May. After execution
the body was hung up in chains on the gal
lows where it remained until by natural de-
cay it fell down piece by piece. The enor-
nifty of the crime, which was very unusual
in the Colonies at that day, drew together
great concourse of spectators to see the
execution; a great many of whom went
from Newport, and many more would have
gone but for the fear that an insurrec,ion of
the negroes might be the consequence of
the men generally leaving the town.
The most minute circumstances of his
detection, conviction and execution, were
the general topic of that day, and are still
preserved to considerable extent by tra-
dition.
Those two persons met on the road to
the westward, and were both bound to New
port. Jackson had with him quantity of
furs, 'and was collecting peltry-the two
became friendly and intimate, and Jackson,
being generous man, paid the expence of
both on the road. Garter finding his fellow
traveller rich in peltry and money, con.
ceiyed the horrid design Of numbering him
and appropriating his property to himself!
They had arrived in South Kingstown be-
fore he found place lonely enough for his
vlainy, and even then the night had not
sufficiently come on for his horrid purpose.
Carter feigned sickness on coming to the
next house, kept by an old lady named
Nash, there they staid during the day,
in which time Mrs. Nash put button on
the coat of Jackson, and combed and tied
his hair, when she observed white lock on
his head. Toward night the two set off for
the ferry, and half mile this side Of the
Friends meeting house, Jackson found out
that it was the intention of Carter to mur-
der him, when lie ran from him to Il house
situated little back from the road and Car
ter after him unfortunately the house was
uninhabited-an Jackson found none there
to protect him. The ficnd pursued him
and with large stone felled him to the
ground and Immediately completed his hor-
rid design. He carried the body and sunk
it in narrow river, near by, where 1t was
dscoveredb persons fishing foreels-~when
Garter was Immediately arrested and COM
mitted to prison on the 24,h day of Febru-
AIRY. At the trial, Carter denied any
knowledge Of the man, but the evidence of
Mrs Nash was conclusive az to that fact.
Before his execution he confessed the crime
and related the circumstances attending IT.
Currency.
In August the Assembly enacted that in
all judgments for money due, the value of
the paper currency should he estimated as
follows viz. One ounce of silver, troy
weight, should be equal to Gas old tenor, or
I6s new tenor, or 6s Cd in bills issued in
March 1850; and in future the debtor
should pay in any Of the aforementioned
bills at their current aud true value at the
time of such payment. BY this act the
currency was settled at 6s to the silver dol
lar, or 6s Cd per ounce troy weight. From
this time the paper currency was no longer
atender, except under the above restrictions,
but passed for whatever public opinion
deemed its value. This standard of 6s to
the dollar continued to be the legal standard
IN r. Island (as we befcyc) until the revo.
revolution, and i, still in practical use in this
state, especially among the dealers in dry
goods. This act, we presume, was nrade
~ compliance with an act uf Parliament,
declaring that the colonial bill of credit
should not, in future, be legal tender.
The year for all purposes TO commence
ou the s, day Of January.
The year 1862 commenced by act OF
Pariamen, on the first day Of January,
from which time the public records Of the
colony are 50 dated, before which they COM
mcuccd the year the 25th day oil March.
Qsecn .Sfreet: or what is now called the
parade. or middle paving in Washington
Square iu front Of the >tatc-house in New
port, extending dawn TO the Main street
vas paved 'h- year.
fhc town of Newport .rantcI 20 som'