106 Journal and Correspondence

September
16

Runaway from his master over the Bay and that he had Stuck a
Knife in his overseer & Kill^d him the said Argil then Reply^d that
he Did not know whether the overseer was Dead or not, after which
this Deponent with the said Sturgis made another Attempt to take
up the said negro & he got a Club & Drew his Knife & swore that
if they touch^d him he would Kill them and then made off & this
Deponent did not think prudent to pursue such a notorious Villian
& this Deponent further saith that he heard afterwards that the
said Negro threatned to Kill him; taken Before me the Subscriber
[one] of the Justices of the peace for Worcester County this 4^th
Day of Sept^r 1780 N. Holland

The Deposition of Abraham Sturgis of Worcester County who
being by me Duly sworn Deposeth and saith that some time in the
Last July or first of August Last this Deponent was Riding the
Road & Came to where M^r Daniel Robins was Talking to negro
Argil since Hanged by Col^o William Selby of Virginia at which
time the said Robins told this Deponent that the negro he was then
talking to was formerly Drummonds Argil and that he had Kill^d
his overseer over the Bay & Desir^d this Deponent to assist him in
Taking of him at which Time they Both moved towards the said
Negro and order^d him to Stand & he swore he would not be Taken
by them nor any other person alive & then got a Club & Drew his
Knife & made of from them after this Deponent went Towards a
house for a gun & swore he would shoot him; but afterwards pur-
sued the notorious Villian no farther & further saith not
Taken before me the subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace
for Worcester County this 4^th Day of Sept^r 1780 N. Holland
Accomack S. S. At the request of Col. William Selby of the
County afs^d I hereby certify that I purchased a negro named Argol
some years past, that I kept the said negro about two years or there-
abouts during which time he behaved himself very ill, by commiting
several theifts, and other misdemeanors: particularly he attempted
to murder a negro boy from whom he had stolen some money, and
for no other provocation than because the boy accused him of the
fact; which the said Argol afterward confessed he was guilty of,
and for which reason particularly I sold him. Sometime after I
sold him he ran from his master and came back again to me, and
in a most humble manner solicited me to buy him again, and in-
formed me his master's name was Tho^s Brandrige, I made him
rather believe I would purchase him, and wrote two letters direct-
ing them to the afs^d name; but I never rec^d any answer, and after-
wards understanding that he had told others of a different name
I supposed he had decieved me after his return he stayed with me
about five or six months during which time he broke my dwelling
house, and stole a quantity of Shoes, this caused him to depart, and