Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-30


| among the leisure classes, they repre-
scented the aristocracy of toll, holding
time in contempt The feverish activ-
!ty of the present would have filed the
old editor with adherence; his brain
vas geared to a less terrifying speed.
! In the intervals of getting out the
weekly issue the world stood still for
him. Now the case is different. Time
and the high power presses wait on no
mans inclination. The public has
grown voracious of news. paper n
day old is already an antiquity; the
issue of the morning is stale and fiat
by noon The presses cannot run fast
enough to supply the demand. But
our forefathers were more patient. An
episode a week old, with which every
one was as familiar as the editor, adj
vantaged with type and dressed up
with little pungent comment, was as
good as new. Nor was the editor of
that period in any haste to supply his
commodity, Knowing that it would be
royalty received when he chose to mar
ket IT. g~
The writer CHANGED the other day
upon a very old copy of the Boston
Gazette and County Journal in the
possession of a friend. The paper was
interesting in itself, and fell, more
over. so pat to the occasion that it
clamored to be used. On the 9Th of
March, ITO, the town of Boston was
stirred by public outrage. In history
it is known as the Boston massacre,
with which everybody is familiar The
greatest degree of public resentment
was excited by the Staying of certain
Colonials by His Majestys redcoats
VIII" We're then quartered on the com
munity. Here was a piece of news
which the modern editor would rush
into type of the most startling dimen-
sions within q few moments of it's oc
currence. The joint editors of the Ga
Zettc had. however, just committed
their weekly edition to print; they
We're We'll enough content to wait an
other week before presenting the facts
to the public.
But to return to the Gazette and it's
account of the Boston massacre. The
editors of that day often felt called
upon to apologize for furnishing an
extended account of an important
event, but the reverse was true in this
case. as well appears from the follow
ing:
our readers viii doubtless expect n
circumstantial account of the tragic
attain on Monday night last, hut We
hope they will excuse our being 50
particular as we should have been had
we rot seen that the town was intend
ing an inquiry and full representation
thereof
lie,a ,rtt i.ic, in,
advance, the editors proceed:
ION the evening of Monday, being
the 9Th current, several soldiers of the
Twenty ninth Regiment We're seen pa
rading the streets with their drawn
cu,lasses and bayonsts, abusing and
wounding a number OF, the inhabitants.
"A few minutes after . o'clock TOUR
youths named Edward Archibald
William Merchant, Francis Archibald
and John Leach, Jr, came down Corn
hill together and separating at DIR.
LGring's corner, the Two former We're
passing the narrow alley leading to
Mu1ray's barrack, in which was a sol
dier brandishing IA broadsWord of un-
common size against the walls. out Of
which he struck fire plentifully. \
person of mean countenance aimed
with large cudgel bore him company.
Edward Archibald admOniShed Mr..
Merchant to take care of the sword, on
which the soldier turned round and
struck Archibald on the arm, then
pushed at Merchant and pierced
through his clothes inside the arm.
close to the armpit and grazed the
skin. Merchant then struck the soldier
with a short stick ha had and the
other person ran to the barrack and
brought with him two soldiers, ane
armed With pair of tongues. the 9TH
er Il shovel; he with the tongs pursued
Archibald back through the alley, col
Jared and laid him over the head with
the tongs The noise brought people
together. and John Hicks. Il young lad,
coming up. knocked the soldier down,
but let him up again and more lads
gathering, drove them back to the bar
rack. where the boys stood some time,
as it We're. to keep them in. In less
than a minute ten or twelve of them
came out with drawn cutlasses, clubs
and bayonets, and fell upon the I'M
armed boys and young folks, who
stood them a little while, but. finding
the inequality of their equipment, dis
perSed.
ION hearing the noise one Samuel
Atwood came up to see what was the
matter, and entering the alley form
Dock square, heard the latter part of
the combat, and when the boys had
dispersed he met the ten or twelve
soldiers, aforesaid, rushing down the
alley toward the square and asked
them if they intended to murder peo-
pie. They answered: Yes, by Cd,
| root ard branch With that one ri
| them struck Mr.. Atwood with a club
which was repeated by another ana
| being unarmed, he turned to go OK
and received wound on the left
shoulder which reached the bone anc
gave him much pain.
"Retreating few steps, Mr.. At
| wood met the two officers, and said
| Gentlemen. what is the matter" The!
answered: You'll see by and by. I'm
mediately afterward those heroes ap
peared in the square, asking wher
We're the boogers-Where were thu
| towards? But, Notwithstanding thei
| fierceness to naked (unarme0 mer
one of them advanced toward a youtl
who had split of a raw Stave in II