The Trial and Execution, for Petit Treason, of Mark and Phillis, Slaves of Capt. John Codman: Who Murdered Their Master at Charlestown, Mass., in 1755; for Which the Man Was Hanged and Gibbeted, and the Woman Was Burned to Death. Including, Also, Some Account of Other Punishments by Burning in MassachusettsGoodell, Abner Cheney
History
The Trial and Execution, for Petit Treason, of Mark and Phillis, Slaves of Capt. John Codman: Who Murdered Their Master at Charlestown, Mass., in 1755; for Which the Man Was Hanged and Gibbeted, and the Woman Was Burned to Death. Including, Also, Some Account of Other Punishments by Burning in Massachusetts
The Jurors for the said Lord the King upon their Oath present That
Phillis a Negro woman of Charlestown in the County of Middlesex
Spinster Servant of John Codman late of Charlestown aforesaid
Gentleman not having the Fear of God before her Eyes but of her Malice
forethought contriving to deprive the said John Codman her said Master
of his Life and him feloniously and Traiterously to kill and murder,
She the said Phillis on the thirtieth Day of June last at Charlestown
aforesaid in the Dwelling house of the said John there did of her
Malice forethought willfully feloniously and Traiterously put a Deadly
Poison called Arsenick into a Vial of water and thereby did then and
there Poison the same Water----and that the said Phillis knowing the
Water aforesaid to be so poisoned did then and there feloniously
willfully traiterously and of her Malice forethought put one spoonfull
of the Same Water so poisoned into a Pint of the Said John's
Watergruel and thereby poison the Same Watergruel----And that the said
Phillis did then and there of her malice forethought feloniously
willfully and traiterously in manner as aforesaid poison the
Watergruel aforesaid, with a felonious and Traiterous Intent and
Design that the said John her said master then being should then and
there eat the Same Watergruel so poisoned and thereby be poisoned
killed & murdered----And that one Elizabeth Codman not knowing the
Watergruel aforesaid to be so poisoned then and there Innocently gave
the Same Watergruel so poisoned as aforesaid to the said John to eat--
And that the said John then and there being the said Phillis's Master
and being altogether ignorant of the Watergruel aforesaid's being
poisoned as as[2] aforesaid and Suspecting no Evil did then and there
eat the same Watergruel so poisoned as aforesaid----And that the said
Phillis then and there was feloniously and traiterously present with
the said Elizabeth & John knowing of and consenting unto the said
Elizabeth's giving him the said John the Watergruel aforesaid so
poisoned as aforesaid and his eating the same as aforesaid----And that
the said John by means of his eating the Watergruel aforesaid so
poisoned as aforesaid There Languished for the space of fifteen Hours
and then at Charlestown aforesaid Died of the Poison aforesaid given
him as aforesaid----And So the Jurors aforesaid upon their Oath say
that the said Phillis did at Charlestown aforesaid of her malice
forethought in manner and form aforesaid willfully feloniously and
traiterously poison kill & murder the said John Codman her said master
against the Peace of the said Lord the King his Crown & Dignity.
[Footnote 2: _Sic._]
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