He says he now felt himself out of all danger from robbers, and was
therefore willing to travel at night. At the same time, he thought himself
in very great danger from robbers, and therefore took the utmost pains to
keep his pistols well loaded and in good order. To account for the pains
he took about loading his pistols at Exeter, he says it was his invariable
practice, every day after he left Bangor, to discharge and load again one
or both of his pistols; that he never missed doing this; that he avoided
doing it at the inns, lest he should create suspicion, but that he did it,
while alone, on the road, every day.

How far this is probable the jury will judge. It will be observed that he
gave up his habits of caution as he approached the place of the robbery.
He then loaded his pistols at the tavern, where persons might and did see
him; and he then also travelled in the night. He passed the bridge over
Merrimack River a few minutes before nine o'clock. He was now at a part of
his progress where he was within the observation of other witnesses, and
something could be known of him besides what he told of himself.
Immediately after him passed the two persons with their wagons, Shaw and
Keyser. Close upon them followed the mail-coach. Now, these wagons and the
mail must have passed within three rods, at most, of Goodridge, at the
very time of the robbery. They must have been very near the spot, the very
moment of the attack; and if he was under the robbers' hands as long as he
represents, or if they staid on the spot long enough to do half what he
says they did, they must have been there when the wagons and the stage
passed. At any rate, it is next to impossible, by any computation of time,
to put these carriages so far from the spot, that the drivers should not
have heard the cry of murder, which he says he raised, or the report of
the two pistols, which he says were discharged. In three quarters of an
hour, or an hour, he returned, and repassed the bridge.