Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Story
January 8, 1773
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
Letter from Philadelphia, Dec. 17, describes the city filled with play-actors, horse-riders, whores, thieves, and near men-slayers, including odd moving machines resembling women with huge heads. Reports three local bucks fatally wounding a watchman for reprimanding them; two captured and imprisoned.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Extract of a Letter from Philadelphia, Dec. 17.
"Our City is filled with Play-Actors, and Horse-Riders. Whores, and Thieves, and I had like to have said Men-Slayers:
We have also a Sort of moving Machines; they resemble Women about the Heels, but have as monstrous Heads as ever was seen, nearly as large as a Bushel. If I meet any of these Creatures in the Street, I endeavour to give them room, for Fear, if I should jostle them, and their Heads fall off, it may occasion a great Deal of Trouble to right them, as they appear to be top-heavy."
N. B. My Reason for saying Men-Slayers is, that three of our Philadelphia Bucks, in the Night, lately attacked one of our Watchmen with Swords, for reprimanding them for breaking of Windows; and before he got Relief they wounded him, of which Wound he died. One of them made his Escape, two are taken; one of those a reputable Merchant's Son in this City; the other a Merchant's Clerk, unknown to me. Various are the opinions concerning them, what will be their Fate. They are, I hear, loaded with Irons in the Dungeon.
"Our City is filled with Play-Actors, and Horse-Riders. Whores, and Thieves, and I had like to have said Men-Slayers:
We have also a Sort of moving Machines; they resemble Women about the Heels, but have as monstrous Heads as ever was seen, nearly as large as a Bushel. If I meet any of these Creatures in the Street, I endeavour to give them room, for Fear, if I should jostle them, and their Heads fall off, it may occasion a great Deal of Trouble to right them, as they appear to be top-heavy."
N. B. My Reason for saying Men-Slayers is, that three of our Philadelphia Bucks, in the Night, lately attacked one of our Watchmen with Swords, for reprimanding them for breaking of Windows; and before he got Relief they wounded him, of which Wound he died. One of them made his Escape, two are taken; one of those a reputable Merchant's Son in this City; the other a Merchant's Clerk, unknown to me. Various are the opinions concerning them, what will be their Fate. They are, I hear, loaded with Irons in the Dungeon.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Crime Story
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
Crime Punishment
What keywords are associated?
Play Actors
Horse Riders
Whores
Thieves
Moving Machines
Watchman Attack
Philadelphia Bucks
What entities or persons were involved?
Philadelphia Bucks
Watchman
Merchant's Son
Merchant's Clerk
Where did it happen?
Philadelphia
Story Details
Key Persons
Philadelphia Bucks
Watchman
Merchant's Son
Merchant's Clerk
Location
Philadelphia
Event Date
Dec. 17
Story Details
Letter writer describes Philadelphia overrun by entertainers, prostitutes, thieves, and bizarre mechanical figures; explains 'men-slayers' reference via recent fatal sword attack on watchman by three young men for window-breaking, with two arrested.