being asked the reason, he mentions that it lies at the door of the lieutenant governor, who shuffles with the colonel, in hope that some occurrence will exist, which may exempt him from being charged with occasioning the removal of the troops by the interposition of his advice. Meanwhile captain Preston and his party are committed to jail. One of the wounded men dies. It is determined to bury the four persons[105] in one vault, and in a peculiarly respectful manner. [March 8.] The generality of the shops in town are shut. All the bells of Boston, Charlestown, and Roxbury, are ordered to toll in the most doleful tone. The corpses form a junction in King-street, where they fell when the soldiers fired. Hence they proceed in orderly succession through the main street, followed by an immense concourse of people, so numerous as to be obliged to go in ranks of six a-breast, and the whole closed by a long train of carriages belonging to the principal gentry of the town. Thus are they distinguished and honorably attended to the place of interment, with unparalleled pomp, not on account of personal merit, but to express the vehement indignation of the inhabitants against the slaughter of their brethren, by the British soldiery quartered among them, in violation, as they imagine, of their civil liberties. [October 24.] Captain Preston’s trial begins. Messrs. John Adams and Josiah Quincy are his council. They are warm in the cause of liberty, and offend several of their own party by undertaking the defence of the prisoner; but faithfully employ their distinguished abilities in his behalf. The trial does not finish till the thirtieth. While carrying on, Mr. Quincy pushes the examination and cross-examination of the witnesses to such an extent, that Mr. Adams, in order to check it, is obliged to tell him, that if he will not desist, he shall decline having any thing further to do in the cause. The captain and his friends are alarmed, and consult about engaging another counsellor; but Mr. Adams has no intention of abandoning his client. He is sensible that there is sufficient evidence to obtain a favorable verdict from an impartial jury; and only feels for the honor of the town, which he apprehends will suffer yet more, if the witnesses are examined too closely and particularly, and by that mean more truth be drawn from them than what has an immediate connection with the soldiers firing, by or without the orders of the captain. When the trial is ending, judge Lynde, toward the close of his speech, says, “Happy am I to find, after such strict examination, the conduct of the prisoner appears in so fair a light; yet I feel myself deeply affected, that this affair turns out so much to the disgrace of every person concerned against him, and so much to the shame of the town in general.” The jury returned their verdict—Not guilty.