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
_Answr._ No, I put in but a little of it, only so much as lay on
the Point of a narrow Piece of flat Iron, with which I put it in,
which Iron Mark made & gave it to me to give to Phebe, Mark gave me
the sd Iron the Saturday before the Sabbath aforesd. I ask'd him
what it was for, he would not tell me; he said Robbin gave him one,
and he had lost it; and that he himself went into the shop and made
this. I gave the sd Iron to Phoebe that same afternoon, in the
Kitchen; and the next morning she gave it to me in the Garret, and
Quaco was there with her; she whisper'd to me and told me to take the
Paper of Powder which was in the hollow over the Window, and the flat
Iron which was with it and put some of it into the Vial with the Iron
which I did; and she bid me put some water into it, but I did not; but
she afterwards put some in herself, as she told me, and she put it
into the Closet in the Kitchen in a Corner behind a black Jug; and the
same Vial was kept there untill my master dyed.
_Quest._ Had your Master any of that Water which was put into the said
Vial given to him?
_Answr._ Yes he had.
_Quest._ How was it given to him?
_Answr._ It was poured into his barly Drink and into his Infusion,
and into his Chocalate, and into his Watergruel.
_Quest._ Who poured the Water out of the sd Vial into the
Chocalate?
_Answr._ Phoebe did, and Master afterwards eat it.
_Quest._ Who pour'd it into his barly Drink?
_Answr._ I did it myself; I pour'd a drop out of the Vial into the
barly Drink, & I felt ugly, and pour'd the Water out of the mug again
off from the Barly, and put clean Water into the mug again & cover'd
it over that it might boil quick.
_Quest._ Who pour'd the Water out of the Vial into the Infusion?
_Answr._ Phoebe did.
_Quest._ How do you know it?
_Answr._ I came into the Kitchen and saw her do it.
_Quest._ Did your master drink the Infusion after that water was so
pour'd in?
_Answr._ He drank one Tea Cup full of it.
_Quest._ How do you know that Phoebe poured any of the poisoned
Water out of the Vial into your Master's Chocalate?
_Answr._ She told me she had done it.
_Quest._ When did she tell you so?
_Answr._ That Same Day.
_Quest._ Was it before or after your Master eat that Chocalate that
the poison'd Water was pour'd into, that She told you so?
_Answr._ Before he eat it.
_Quest._ Did you see him eat that Chocalate?
_Answr._ Yes, I did, he eat it in the Kitchen on a little round
Table.
_Quest._ Who put the Second Powder into the Vial?
_Answr._ Phoebe put it in; I left Part of the Powder she gave me
in the Paper, and she afterwards put that into the Vial as she told
me. as I was in the cellar drawing some Cyder, I heard Phoebe tell
Mark that the Powder was all out, and all used up;
_Quest._ When was it that you heard Phoebe tell Mark so?
_Answr._ The Wednesday before my master dyed.
_Quest._ Do you know of any more Powder being got to give to your
master?
_Answer._ Yes, but master never took any of it.
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