14 JUNE 1693

 

228 ~  Court convenes; Comissioners present: Francis Jenckins, Roger Woolford, Capt. William Whittington, Thomas Newbold, James Round, Samuel Hopkins, Edmund Howard, Thomas Jones, Stephen Horsey, Arnold Elzey.

 

228 ~  Memorandum noting that Elizabeth Lawrence has not worked her 20 days on Coleman’s bridge, as ordered at March Court.

 

228 ~  Case agains Ellis Coleman & wife Damarias for stealing a hogshead of tobacco, weighing 406 lbs, from store of John Freeman at Snow Hill; Peter Dent presents case; Colemans plead not guilty; Sheriff calls Jury: William Planner (foreman), Richard Ackworth, Robert Burridge, Robert Catlin, Abraham Emmett, Thomas Humphreys, John Perkins, Rowland Beavins, Robert Smith, Thomas Oxford, William Richardson, Edward Green; evidences; John Freeman, Ann Rice, Matthew Scarborough, John Webb, William Tompkins, Anthony Jones; Jury returns guilty verdict; Coleman to pay fourfold (1624 lbs/tbco) with costs;

 

229 ~  Bond on Ellis Coleman for £20 to pay Freeman fourfold; securities John Freeman and Anthony Jones.

 

229 ~  Petition of John Fassitt (Fossett); asserts he was the John Fossett bequeathed inheritance in the will of John Cropper, now in custody of trustees James Round and Charles Ratcliff; asks Court to hear John Cole of Virginia who wrote Cropper’s will and can vouch for him; Cole testifies in support of Fossett; no record of Court’s disposition of the estate. (See also 1693-94 Judicials, f.12 where Fossett uses the name Cropper and calls the elder Cropper his father).)

 

229 ~  Grand Jury impanelled: John Bennett, James Givan, Michael Williams, John Richens, William Stacy, Thomas Beauchamp, Jonathan Towers, John Gray, Samuel Jones, Samuel Handy, Richard Tull, Sen., Thomas Tull, Sen., Stephen Costin, George Latcham, John Kellam, Somerset Dickinson; Jury sworn in; evidences sworn in: Matthew Scarbrough, Capt. William Whittington, Capt. William Coulbourne, John White.

 

230-234 ~  Case against Ellis Coleman and wife for suspected murder of individual by name of Robert Darby; various documents entered in record.

 

230 ~  Bond dated 7 February 1692/3 on Ellis Coleman, Matthew Scarbrough, John Webb and Thomas Oxford for £200 entered in record; bound for the appearance of Ellis Coleman at March court; witnessed by Samuel Hopkins, James Round.

 

230 ~  Deposition of John Watts, aged 21, dated 7 February 1692/3 and witnessed by Samuel Hopkins; sworn in Court on 15 March 1692/3; Watts recounts contentious conversation he heard between Coleman and his wife at their house; they both refered to buried body of suspected murder victim, each implying the other had a hand in it.

 

231 ~  Affadavit of Samuel Hopkins concerning testimony by Anne Rice and George Banam, brought to him on 31 January 1692/3 by Nicholas Cornewell, Constable, per instruction of James Round; afterwards sworn in Court by Rice and Banam on 15 March 1692/3; Rice and Cornewell recounted an argument between Ellis Coleman and his wife about his murdering someone named Darby who had lodged with them some years earlier.

 

231 ~  Deposition of Anthony Jones, aged thirty two, dated 31 Jones 1692/3, witnessed by James Round; sworn in Court by Jones on 15 March 1692/3; Jones recounts conversation with Coleman on 23 December 1692 in which Jones said he had heard Coleman was under suspicion of murder, but Coleman said the alleged victim, Darby, was in New England and had since been seen by  Darby’s brother in Pennsylvania.

 

232 ~  Deposition of Cornelius Gourde, aged eighteen, dated 7 January 1692/3, witnessed by James Round; sworn in Court by Gourde on 15 March 1692/3; Gourde recounts discourse he had with Ellis and his wife at their house in January and conversations between Ellis and his wife which Gourde overheard, in which Coleman talked about fleeing and fear he was going to be hanged.

 

232 ~   Deposition of Matthew Scarbrough, aged 44, dated 1 February 1692/3, witnessed by James Round, Samuel Hopkins; Scarbrough recounts conversation with Coleman at his house about 18 January in which he told Coleman he was suspected of murder because of things he and his wife had said; Coleman said he had stopped at Darby’s brother’s house in Pennsylvania and been asked by him about Darby.

 

233 ~  Deposition of William Bowden, aged 40, dated 30 January 1692/3 and witnessed by James Round; sworn in Court on 15 March 1692/3; recounts arguments between Coleman and his wife at their house on 7 January, he calling her a whore and she saying she would prove he was a murderer, repeating it some 20 times in two hours.

 

233 ~  The preceeding depositions were read in Court and verified by the deponents under oath.

 

233 ~  Ellis Coleman presents an affidavit dated 5 May 1693 signed by Edward Blake, a Justice in New Castle County (now Delaware), stating that John Darby had appeared before him and swore under oath that his brother, Robert Darby, was to his certain knowledge alive and in New England; he had left about five years earlier because of debts. 

 

234 ~  Affadavit of John Donaldson, a Justice for New Castle County PA, dated 25 May 1693 stating that he had seen Robert Darby, brother of John Darby, in New York City in October 1691 and he was now living in Connecticut; sworn before John Cann, a Counsel in Pennsylvania.

 

234 ~  Testimony of Edward Green verifying the signatures of Edward Blake and John Cann on the two depositions; Court orders that Coleman post bond for his good behavior and pay costs of the investigation into the alleged murder; Coleman makes bond for £50; securities John Freeman, Anthony Jones.

 

235 ~  Petition of Stephen Luffe (County Sheriff) for charges of 366 lbs/tbco against the estate of John Trubshaw (Trupshaw), executor Francis Jenckins; items include unpaid County poll taxes in 1689 (2 taxables @ 58 lbs/tbco each), 1690 (1 @ 88 lbs) and 1691 (2 @ 31lbs); Jenckins admits charges.

 

235 ~  Note of debt for 850 lbs/tbco to Thomas Newbold signed  9 October 1690 by John Trubshaw (Tripshaw) entered in record; witnessed by William Mead, Margaret Henre; Francis Jenckins acknowledges debt.

 

235 ~  William Morton bill to George Noble proved in Court per oath of Capt. William Coulbourne.

 

235 ~  Grand Jury dismissed.

 

236 ~  Case against John Bishopp, laborer, for swearing “seventeen execrable oaths besides many pette ones to the great dishonour of God” at Snow Hill on 17 December; witnesses against Bishopp: Samuel Hopkins, Sen., Matthew Scarbrough, Capt. William Whittington, Peter Bodkin; Bishopp begged the Court’s favor, but was fined for first offense and required to post security.

 

236 ~  Bond on John Bishopp for £10 to be of good behavior and pay his fine and fees; security Robert Pirrie.

 

236 ~  Bond for £10 dated 15 May 1693 on James Gray and wife Margaret to make appearance at June Court; securities John Atkins, John White; witnesses, James Brown, Chr. Jones.

 

237 ~  Warrant to Constables of Pocomoke or Annemessex Hundreds, dated 10 May 1693 and signed by Thomas Jones; cites complaint of Michael Holland that his house had been broken into and various goods stolen; authorizes Constables to search for suspicious items and bring any suspects before the Justices.

 

238 ~  Case of James Gray and wife Margaret for receiving goods valued at 500 lbs/tbco taken from the house of Michael Holland by his negro woman; Peter Dent Clerk of Presentments; Sheriff calls Jury: William Planner (foreman), Richard Ackworth; Robert Burridge, Robert Catlin, Abraham Emmett, Thomas Humphreys, John Perkins, Rowland Bravins, Robert Smith, Thomas Oxford, William Richardson, Edward Green; Gray and his wife confess to receiving one yard of cloth and one shilling; Holland’s bill of stolen goods in name of “Mr. Thief” entered on record; contains considerably more; Jury acquits Gray; Court orders he post security.

 

238 ~  Bond of £20 on James Gray and wife Margarett to be of good behavior;  security Capt. William Coulbourne. 

 

238 ~  Petition of Mary Windsley to have her two children returned from Devorax Driggers (Dregors) who has detained them; Dregors appears and promises to give the children a year’s scooling and a yearling heifer in Spring; Court rules the children to stay with Dregors until of age; girl is judged to be 14, the boy 12.

 

239 ~  Court orders summons for John Bennett to appear for Andrew Whittington and Richard Chambers against Towers.

 

239 ~  Sarah Whitty appears in Court; will of her father Capt. Richard Whitty read; Court orders John Bozman and George Betts to appear in Court next day.

 

239 ~  Petition of James Furniss, orphan, asks Court to require John Strawbridge post security for quitrents due on the lands Furniss inherited but now in Strawbridge’s custody; claims Strawbridge has not paid the taxes and will accumulate to large sum by time Furniss comes of age; Strawbridge introduced an award between himself and Stephen Costin and agreed to make good by August Court. (Presumably Costin took care of the tax liability).

 

239 ~  Petition of John Cole, “being a foreigner inhabiting in another Government”, to have his case against Teague Riggen heard forthwith; not granted.

 

240 ~  Edward Jones, Pltf. vs. Teague Riggen, Sen, Deft. for debt of 600 lbs/tbco acquired in 1690/91; account presented; includes six charges of attorney’s fees for representing Riggen against Tisdale, Lynch, Thomas Nichols, Rowell and Catlin; no mention of Riggen’s appearance or defence; Court rules for Jones as declared, plus costs.

 

 240 ~  Case against Samuel Worthington for extorting 120 lbs/tbso from Thomas Roberts on 3 March 1691 by pretense of summoning a Jury trial for Roberts, contrary to Act of Assembly limitation on Officers fees; Peter Dent Clerk of Indictments presents case; Worthington pleads not guilty; indictment quashed and informer, George Noble, ordered to pay Officers fee.

 

241 ~  Case against Samuel Worthington, Undersheriff of Somerset, for taking a hogshead with 440 pounds tobacco from Bryan Dougherty at the house of Thomas Tull in Annemessex on 11 February 1692/3; Peter Dent Clerk of Presentments; indictment quashed; Court orders Worthington to pay fees.

 

241 ~  Petition of Ellis Coleman to have costs of witnesses at trial against him remitted since he has been exonerated and the expenses would ruin him; no record of Court’s decision.

 

241 ~  Petition of Anne Rice for payment for seven days attendance at court; trial of John Freeman vs Ellis Coleman, at 30 lbs/tbco per day.

 

241 Anthony Jones request for payment for four day attendance; t trial of Ellis Coleman

 

242 ~  William Tomkins request for payment for four days attendance; trial of Ellis Coleman.

 

242 ~  John Watt request for payment for six days in guarding Coleman.

 

242 ~  William Coulbourne request for payment for three days attendance at Court; trial of James Beauchamp vs William Graham..

 

242 ~  Robert Pirrie assumed recognizance of £10 for appearance of David Richardson, minister, in next Court.

 

242 ~ Court adjourns for the day.