The Virginia Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, August 1.

Extract of a letter from Chester county, July 31.

I have been just informed, by an officer in this county, of the following melancholy event which happened there yesterday. As the Chester companies were returning from escorting the powder which lately arrived, one of them in the ranks, being intoxicated, behaved very indecently; for which he was severely reprimanded, and ordered out of the ranks. But he refused. He still continued his rudeness, so that the officers were obliged to confine him in a smith's shop, near capt. Bryan's. Shortly after this, major Lloyd and mr. Daniel Collins, a sergeant in one of the Ridley companies, went to release him; and as soon as they opened the door, this unfeeling wretch presented his musket at them, saying, that he did not care whether he lived or died, and immediately fired upon them, when the load unhappily passed through mr. Collins's head, as he leaned over major Lloyd's shoulder, which in a moment put an end to his life. As the musket was charged with small shot; several other persons were slightly injured: one gentleman in particular received a wound in one of his eyes.

I cannot help observing, with some degree of pleasure, that this unhappy man was no associator, nor did he ever appear in the ranks before.