Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 327

the request of William Outten Sub Sheriff to Benjamin
Handy Gent, High Sheriff of the County aforesaid went with
the said William Outten to Assist him in the Execution of
sundry precepts one of Which was against one John Willy
that on their way to the House of some of the persons for
whom the said Outten had precepts it was agreed that the
Company should Divide and one part proceed to the House
of One Mullinex and the other part to The House of the
said John Willy which was accordingly done, that the said
William Outten with one part of the Company went to the
House of the said John Willey and the other part (one of
which this deponent was) went to the House of the said
Mullinex that after Some time this Deponent with those that
were with him Left the House of the said Mullinex and went
to the House of the said John Willy where they found the
said William Outten with the others his Company the said
John Willey being then up the Loft of his House and the
said Outten Endeavouring to Take him by making an At-
tempt to get up through a Vacancy of two or three planks
(the Loft not being Covered by that many) but Without

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.

effect as the said Willey Struck at him with a Large Stick
when col^o John Dennis who was then present Proposed to the
said William Outten and the said John Willey that all endeav-
ours to take the said John Willy should be Stopt and the
Matter referred to the Magistrates of Worcester and Sussex
Counties to be by them Amicably settled which was readily
agreed to by the said William Outten and the said John
Willey upon which the said John Willey requested the said
Outten and all those with him to sit down, which they or the
Greatest part of them did that in a very Short time after-
wards when the said William Outten with all those who were
in Company with him were about to return home without any
further to do in the matter a certain John Sharp and Pen-
nington Welch Came up, Sharp with a Stick in his hand and
Welch with an Iron rod, Sharpe calling Out where is the
Damn'd Sheriff I will Splitt him to the Earth or words to
that Effect upon which Outten went out of the House (he
not having gone out untill then) with a Cutlash (which had
that day been Taken from the afs^d Mullinux) in his hand that
then the said William Outten and John Sharpe engaged and
after Several Strokes had passed Between them, the said
Welch made a Stroke at the said William Outten which fell
on his Shoulder with such Violence that the Rod did bend and
fly Out of the hand of the said Welch when both Welch and
Sharpe ran off but as Sharp turned to run Outten made a
Stroke at him which wounded him on the Left shoulder
upon which the Engagement ended and the said William

p. 285