that city, was mobbed, and fled to the Asia man-of-war for
protection. From thence he went to Boston, where General Gage
appointed him Provost Marshal. When the British took possession of New
York he followed them to that city, burning with desire to be revenged
upon the Whigs.

He is said to have compassed the death of thousands of prisoners by
selling their provisions, exchanging good for spoiled food, and even
by poisoning them. Many also fell victims to his murderous violence.
About two hundred and fifty of these poor creatures were taken out of
their places of confinement at midnight and hung, without trial,
simply to gratify his bloodthirsty instincts. Private execution was
conducted in the following manner. A guard was first dispatched from
the Provost, about midnight, to the upper barracks, to order the
people on the line of march to shut their window shutters and put out
their lights, forbidding them at the same time to presume to look out
of their windows on pain of death. After this the prisoners were
gagged, and conducted to the gallows just behind the upper barracks
and hung without ceremony there. Afterwards they were buried by his
assistant, who was a mulatto.

This practice is said to have been stopped by the women along the line
of march from the Provost to the barracks. They appealed to General
Howe to prevent further executions, as the noise made by the sufferers
praying for mercy, and appealing to Heaven for justice was dreadful to
their ears.

It would seem from this account that, although the wretched men were
gagged as they were conveyed along the streets, their ferocious
murderer could not deny himself the pleasure of hearing their shrieks