340 Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1769-1770.

Lib. C. B.
No; 20

to go in the Goal and Tye William Watts accordingly they
did violently he whipped him then the Sheriff Ordered the
Negroes to come into the Goal and Tye me accordingly they
Tyed me around the Wrists and carried me out of Goal
stripped my Shirt over my Head and Tyed me up to a Walnut
Tree before his Father's Door and there gave me a Severe
Whipping I told the Sheriff that it was false Report of the
Negroes that I neither knew or was not concerned in the
least in the attempt of the Negroes he paid no Regard to what
I said I told him he must use his Pleasure when I was carried
back to Goal they fastened me by the Hands and Feet with
a Rope like an Ox led to be slaughtered I requested of my

p. 92

Brother Debtors to look how Barbarously I had been Whipped

upon their viewing my Back they told me there was eight

severe Cuts which Caused me many a Nights uneasiness with
the Pain I endured and threatned me that he would have me in
Irons and sent a Negro and took Measure of my Wrists and
much more to increase my Aggrievances he would not suffer
my Wife to come to the Goal to Speak to me for several Weeks
nor even allow me the Liberty of Writing to my Friends for
fear I should discover his Cruel Usage Your Honours will be
pleased to have me and the following Men brought before your
Honourable House whom will Justify my Complaint to be the
whole Truth. My Evidences are M^r John Doncastle M^r
Joseph Harrison M^r Ignatius Green and M^r John Neale,
Joyner the said Neale is now at Liberty. Your Petitioner
therefore most humbly pray your Honours will take his Dis-
tressed and Lamentable Situation into your Serious Consid-
eration and Grant such Relief as your Wisdom and Goodness
think just and reasonable and thereby prevent a Continuance
of my Complaint and your Poor miserable distressed Peti-
tioner as in Duty bound will ever pray.
William Wright
9^br 7^th 1769.

By the Committee of Grievances and Courts of Justice
December 7^th 1769.

Your Committee beg leave to inform your Honourable

House that they examined William Wyatt Fentham who was
Summoned as a Witness on the Petitions of the Prisoners in
Charles County Goal complaining against the Sheriff of that
County and have taken his Deposition which is hereto annexed
That it appears to your Committee that the Room of the
Private Goal in which Richard Lee Jun^r Sheriff of Charles
County detains his Prisoners for Debt is about fifteen or
sixteen feet square and had not any Fire place therein when