Adams Papers

Adams’ Minutes of the Trial: Essex Superior Court, Salem, November 1769

Adams’ Minutes of the Trial1

Essex Superior Court, Salem, November 1769

Crowningshield vs. Lee. Salem S. Ct. Novr. Term.

Receipt for the Money, “and Costs of C[our]t.”2

1762. Aug. 9. Sailing orders. To proceed to Martineco or any other Island—“and sell, at said Island, or any other Island in the West Indies.”

1762. Novr. 4. Grand terre. Nick Gordon, the Masters Protest, that they saild 4. Septr. from Marblehead bound to Martineco. 17th. Octr. taken.

1769. July 10. Gordons Testimony. “By particular verbal Directions, from Lee, a few Hours before sailing, I proceeded for Guadaloupe, and because Lee told me, that R. Hooper had orderd Captn. Power to Martineco, &c. After trying to get to Guadaloupe and could not, I thought it best to try for Martineco. My Written orders to proceed to Martineco or any other Island.”3

Rob. Hooper Esqrs. Test[imony].

The Mate’s.4

1In JA’s hand on verso of his notes for No. 10, Doc. I. Adams Papers, Microfilms, Reel No. 185.

2That is, Lee’s receipt to Crowningshield for “fifty pounds he underwrote ... and costs of court.” This document, as well as the sailing orders and protest, extracts of which follow, are in SF 131988.

3This is a substantially accurate extract of Gordon’s deposition in Bancroft v. Lee. See No. 10, note 15. Closing quotation marks have been supplied. As to Hooper, see No. 10, note 8. The files of the Crowningshield case contain his voucher for his expenses as a witness, as well as his order for insurance upon the schooner Dove, Thomas Power master, “to Martineco and from thence to any and all the Leeward Islands to Windward of Sambreo.” SF 131857.

4See the deposition of the mate, George Gordon, sworn in court, Nov. 1769, substantially concurring with the master’s testimony. SF 131988.

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