Adams Papers

Adams’ Minutes of the Argument: Essex Superior Court, Salem, November 1772

Adams’ Minutes of the Argument1

Essex Superior Court, Salem, November 1772

Lee. vs. Bancroft.

Lowell. 25 days a Chance.

Judge Hutchinson. The Underwriters charged Lee with concealing some Circumstances—the Arrival of a Vessell—but I cant recollect all the Particulars. The Arbitrators agreed. An Account of a Vessell and I think it was Howard, and Col. Lee told ’em it was possible she might be gone to some other Island. The main dispute whether she was gone to Martinico or some other Island. Heard something about Pedrick but cant say whether his Deposition was before us.

Mr. Rowe.2 Cabot and Crowningshield.3 No Evidence from Pedrick. They thought L[ee] had not said what was necessary, that he had concealed something which he should have communicated. The Underwriter[s] thought she was bound first to Martinico, and they complaind that she went to some other Island.

Mr. Bourn. The Objection was that Lee had concealed Howards Arrival. Howard I know very well. The other Matter was spoke off, his being bound to one Island and going to another. I am not positive it was considerd.

1. In JA’s hand. Adams Papers, Microfilms, Reel No. 185.

2. John Rowe notes in his diary under date of 2 Nov. 1772, that “I attended Mr. John Adams this morning about Colo. Lee’s affair.” Rowe, Letters and Diary description begins Letters and Diary of John Rowe, Boston Merchant, 1759–1762, 1764–1779, ed. Anne Rowe Cunningham, Boston, 1903. description ends 235.

3. John Crowningshield, one of the underwriters. See No. 11.

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    Adams Papers
    Title
    Adams’ Minutes of the Argument: Essex Superior Court, Salem, November 1772
    Author
    Adams, John
    Date
    November 1772

    Reference

    Cite as
    “Adams’ Minutes of the Argument: Essex Superior Court, Salem, November 1772,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/05-01-02-0005-0003-0005. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Legal Papers of John Adams, vol. 1, Cases 1–30, ed. L. Kinvin Wroth and Hiller B. Zobel. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1965, pp. 195–196.]