The Virginia Gazette

NEW YORK, October 9.

On Saturday e'en night one Kelly, an oyster-man, Mitchner a tavern keeper, and one or two more, having, it is said, made an information to the customhouse officers, which occasioned the seizure of a few casks of wine belonging to the mate of a vessel, and was, it is said, the whole living he had made of three years wages, the populace being greatly incensed against the informers, after several days search found and seized them, placed and tied them in carts, and carted them through great part of the city, attended with many thousand people, who huzzaed, insulted and treated them with the utmost indignity, often bemearing their faces and clothes with tar, and sprinkling them with feathers, so that they made a most hideous appearance, and certainly felt as miserable as they looked, and had no little reason to fear that their lives were in danger; however, they escaped without any other punishment than being thus exhibited as publick spectacles of scorn and detestation. We hear the magistrates interposed, but were for some time unable to stop the cavalcade, until the populace had in some measure satiated their resentment.