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The murder of Parmenas by Thompson 1843
The murder of Parmenas by Onderdonk 1846
History of New York During The Revolutionary War and of The
Leading Events in the Other Colonies At That Period, By Thomas
Jones, Justice of the Supreme Court of the Province, Edited by
Edward Floyd De Lancy, 1879
Page 93
In the spring of 1781, three privates of the third Battalion of
De Lancey's Brigade left their quarters at Lloyd's Neck, went to
a lonely house, a small distance from Jerusalem, in Queens
County, belonging to one Parmenas Jackson, an honest, worthy,
loyal Quaker, broke it open, murdered the man in the most cruel
manner, robbed the house of 1,200 (pounds) in cash, and went off. Luckily a woman present, knew one of the villains, and knew the
corps to which they belonged. An express was immediately sent to
the Colonel, the rascals were soon discovered, and the greatest
part of the money recovered. The criminals were sent to New
York, tried by a Court Martial, found guilty, sentenced to be
hanged, and the sentence confirmed by General Clinton. But this
sentence, just as it was, to the surprise and astonishment of
most people, was never carried into execution. Good reason,
however, may be given why sentence of this kind were not
executed. There may be a doubt, whether Courts Martial, in cases
of murder, committed as these were, have power to try or punish,
the power of such courts being restricted and limited by the
mutiny act, and the articles of war. And these murders being
committed upon persons having no connections with the army, the
offenses were cognizable only in a court of civil law. If so,
Clinton was prudent in not punishing for crimes not properly
cognizable by courts Martial. But pray what reasons can Governor
Robertson give, to whom it was often mentioned, for not issuing
a Commission of Oyer and Terminer for the trial of these
criminals? He was
Page 94
authorized so to do by his commission. The Great Seal of the
province was in his possession. The court might have been as to
its durations, limited to a fortnight, or three weeks only. But
in such a case there must have been civil judges, a Sheriff,
constables, Grand Jurors, petty jurors, etc, and this would have
had so much the appearance of the re-establishment of the laws
of the land and the ordinary courts of justice, that the very
idea was insufferable, and every hint of the kind spurned at.
The culprits lay in jail about three months, the only punishment
for a horrid, wicked and deliberate murder, and were then
discharged upon paying some trifling fee to the keep of the
provost.
Transcribed by Jerry Gross
June, 2007
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Transcription by Jerry Gross. You are welcome to use any of this transcription and please
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This page was uploaded July
31, 2007.