|
The Deposition of Charles Somerset Smith taken before
me one of the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary his
Justices of the Peace for Ann Arundel County this Twelfth
day of December Seventeen hundred and Sixty Nine.
This Deponent being- first sworn on the Holy Evangels of
Almighty God deposeth and saith that he was Sheriff of
Charles County part of the year 1765, and 1766, 1767 and part
of the year 1768 and that in August 1766 a certain John Dun-
castle was brought to his Goal and continued his this De-
ponents Prisoner until November 1768 and that he this De-
ponent in order to serve the said John Duncastle kept his
Goal in Portobacco (the said Duncastle having a Wife and
Family residing in that Place) for Twenty Months and up-
wards at a very great risque and expence and during that time
he this Deponent has been informed and verily believes it to
be true that the said John Duncastle frequently from his dis-
solute Behaviour caused the greatest Confusion and uproar
among the Prisoners and often advising them to break the
Goal and make their Escape which many of the Prisoners did
at the said Duncastle's Instigation which run this Deponent to
great Expence in repairing the said Goal. This Deponent
further saith that a Suit was Commenced against him in
Charles County Court for Seven Thousand Pounds of To-
bacco on an Escape occasioned by the said Duncastle's advice
and persuasion. And this Deponent further saith that the
said John Duncastle persuaded the Prisoners not to go to the
said Deponent's private Goal which he had built for the greater
Security of the Prisoners the County Goal being altogether
insufficient which they obstinately refused to go to the said
Private Goal until he this Deponent raised a sufficient Force
to carry them there And that from the said Duncastle's Ad-
vice he this Deponent frequently was obliged to Iron many of
the Debtors to prevent their breaking the Prison And this
Deponent further saith that the said John Doncastle during
his Confinement in Portobacco was so very abusive and his
Language so Gross that very few People chose to go near the
Prison for fear of the Lash of his Abusive Tongue. And this
Deponent further saith that after he got the said Duncastle
to his House he let the said Duncastle have the use of one of
his best Rooms in his House for a twelve Month the greatest
part of which Time the said Duncastle was in a low and lan-
guishing Condition and was treated in the same manner as any
of his Family for which Treatment he often expressed his
Sense of Gratitude till some short Time before he this Depo-
nent'o Shrievalty was to end when he the said Duncastlc as-
sumed a quite different Tone and took every Method in his
power to make himself disagreeable to this Deponent and
|
