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Full Title
Trial of Thomas O. Selfridge Attorney at Law before the Hon. Isaac Parker, Esquire for killing Charles Austin, on the public exchange in Boston, August 4th, 1806.
Contributor
Massachusetts. Supreme Judicial Court. Caines, George, 1771-1825. Lloyd, Thomas, 1756-1827.
Date Added
11 January 2014
Publish Date
1808
Publisher
Boston: Russell and Cutler, Belcher and Armstrong, and Oliver and Munroe.
Topic
Austin, Charles, d. 1806. Trials (Murder) > Massachusetts.
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OCR
ae a A EE
TRIAL OF T. 0. SELFRIDGE, ESQ. 69
Sol. Gen. Should you know one of those pistols, if it was shewn
to-you? .
_. “, [think should. They were steel barrels—what are génerally
called screw-barrel pistols. , . .
Sol. Gens (Shewing the pistol which Myr. Selfridge had carrie]
Is that one ofthem?, >
4. I think it is—I have no doubt it is one of the same—It is the
Same sort; but there may be many others of the same kind.
Dexter, Do you recollect this doubie guard? [shewing tt]
4. Yes, do. ~ After hearing the pistol I ran out upon the ex-
change, and saw Mr. Selfridge. I observed a break in his-hat, and
saw something through it.
Gore. Was there any more than one pistol at a time in the desk,
as you say he had two?
A. I do not know how it was generally.
Gore. Did you frequently sce only one ?
4 IthinkI have. But I should not very distinctly know, for as
the two cases are of woollen, and connected by a string, I should not
easily know, unless I took up the cases, whether there were two, or
there was only one. . :
Henry Cabot, Esq:—Sworns
Gore. Had you any conversation with Mr. Selfridge on the morn-
ing of the 4th of August, on the subject of his controversy with Mr.
B. Austin? 4. Yes.
Gore, Please to relate what he told you.
“tt. Gen. Tmust object to evidence as to what the Defendant said
to any person respecting this matter, before it took place, unless.
when his confessions are given in evidence against him, and then
what he said at the same time may be inquired of, and shewn in
his favour. But to produce his declarations in testimony as to what
he said before the fact, to establish the guo animo, is not otherwise
admissible. .
Gore. I will then inquire only what Mrs Cabot told him; which
understand to have been to this effect: that he was that day to be
attacked by some one who would be procured or hired to beat him.
Parker J, As the having a pistol, and conversations before the
Defendant went on change have been shewn, I do not see but that
the Defendant may now shew that it was necessary to put himself
upon his guard. , :
“4. In the morning before this affair took place, I notified him
_ that he was to be attacked by a bully hired-for the purpose. . I drew
this inference from a conversation with Mr. Welch.
Att. Gen. J have a motion to make, that this may be considered
as a transaction from the Ist day of August, to the day of the af-
fray, &c—it is in writing, and I shall use it bye and bye.
Gore. If you willconnect it with what passed in July, I have no
ohjcction.
K