hundred lashes, on the naked
back, and then, as soon as ho should be able, shoujd depart the New
Hampshire Grants, and not return again, upon pain of live hundred
lashes." After the execution of this sentence, Allen and Waiine;;
gave a certificate, that he had '• received a full punishment for his
crimes," and the inhabitants Avere directed to give him " a free and
unmolested passport toward the city of New York," "he behaving
as becometh."
Bat not to trespass further upon the province of State history,
in detailing the incidents of this controversy, we add only a few,
which occurred within the limits of the County.
Colonel Reid, of a Royal Highland regiment, had received from
the government of New York a grant of land, as a reduced, or half
pay officer, on Otter Creek, including the fallsat Vergennes, whose
tenants had been dispossessed, in August 1772, by IiiA Allen and
others. This 033urred, while the agents, who had been appointed
by the inliabitanta of Bennington, at the reo[ue3t of Governor Tuyon,
66 HISTOKY OF ADUISOX COUNTY.
as stated in a former page, •\vcrc in a negotiation v,"itli the governor
and council, whicli resulted in the conciliatory measure by them
adopted. This proceeding, ^vhen it came to the knowledge of Gov-
ernor TiiYQX, so irritated him that he wrote a severe letter to the
" inhabitants of Bennington and the adjacent country," charging
them with a '■ breach of fiith and honor, made by a body of your
people in dispossessing several settlers on Otter Crock,'' at the very
time the negotiations were going on, and requiring tlicir " assistance
in putting forthwith those families, who liavc Ijcen