Court and Terminer. May 8, 1781

Prince William County to wit

 

Cuthbert Bullitt attorney for the Commonwealth for the County aforesaid giveth information to the Court; that Billy alias Will, alias William late of the Parish of Dittengen in the County aforesaid; a Mulatto Slave belonging to John Taylor Esq. Late of Richmond County in the Commonwealth aforesd. Upon the Second day of April in the year of our Lord 1781 at the said.  Parish of Dittengen in the County of Prince William aforesaid with force of Arms & Ca. did feloniously & upon the Sd. Second day of to the Enemies of the Commonwealth and gave them aid & Comfort & upon the Sd. Second day of April at the sd. Parish of Dittengen in the County of Prince William aforesd. Did in Company of & Conjunction with diverse Enemies of the Commonwealth in Armed Vessels, feloniously & Traitorously Wage & Levy War against the Commonwealth to the great Danger of Subverting thereof and against the Act of Assembly in Such Case made & Provided, and the Peace of the sd. Commonwealth, & the Dignity thereof.

 

C. Billitt

 

At a Court of Oyer & Terminer called and held at the Court House of Prince William County, the 8th. Day of May 1781 for the Trial of Billy, alias Will, Alias Williams, a Mulatto Slave the Property of John Taylor Esq. for Treason.

 

Present

Henry Lee

William Carr

Foushee

Richard Graham Gent.

William Tebbs

William Brent

 

The said Slave Billy, Alias Will, alias William, let of the sd. Coty of Prince William being brought to the Bar of the Court, and Indicted for Treason, in Joining the Enemies of this Commonwealth, upon his Arraignment, Says he is not Guilty, Upon hearing the Several Witnesses , it is the opinion of the Court that he is Guilty, & that he Suffer Death, And be Executed agreeable to the Act, Declaring what Shall be Treason And the Said Sheriff of the Sd. County on the Twenty fifth of this Inst. Between the Hours of Eleven & two of the Same day, do Execution thereon at the Common Gallows of the Sd. County, by Causing the Sd. Slave to be hanged by the Neck until Dead, & his head to be Severed from his Body & Stuck up at Some Public Cross Road on a pole, And the Sd. Court do Say that the Sd. Slave is worth Twenty Seven Thousand Pounds Current Money

 

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