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a long debate with him it was voted to raise said Company. Afterwards said Bowers made a speech to the people against their proceedings, telling them how costly it Would be, and how hard it would be on the Town to pay the cost; that the learning the exercise would do them no good, and also that it hurt our cause, and earnestly moved to the Moderator to call a vote to dismiss said Committee; and after a dispute the vote was called, and the Committee was dismissed by one or two majority. Then a motion being made and seconded, to settle the military in said Town, and for more cash to be paid for learning the exercise, said Bowers appeared very much against doing any thing about it, saying that they had better be easy; that money was the sinews of war, and if they voted for money to be paid, so it should be by the rate-street, for his estate should not pay one penny of the cost. Then a motion was made, if there was no need of men nor money for our defence, there was no need of a Committee; and it was moved and seconded by said Bowers, that the Committee be dismissed; they were accordingly. The above is according to our best remembrances.
BRISTOL, ss., WARREN, August 18, 1775: Zephaniah Cole and Upham Luther, the within-named persons, personally appeared, and being duly cautioned to testify the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the within imposition subscribed by them. Before me JOHN KINNICUT, Justice Peace. Swanzey, August 13, 1775. I, Jeremiah Brown, of Swanzey, in the County of Bristol, &c., being of lawful age, testifieth and saith, that I heard Colonel Jerathmeel Bowers publickly oppose the Minute-men to be raised, and also oppose the Militia of said Town to be equipped out of the Town stock; and at a Town-meeting, on Monday following the battle of Bunker’s Hill in order to raise a number of Minute-men to be ready for the defence of our Country on the shortest notice which was voted, notwithstanding the violent opposition said Bowers made. But he and his adherents were uneasy at the great charge that would accrue for their pay, and said Bowers declared none of his estate should go to pay them, for the meeting was illegal, for every man should vote according to his interest, or be tried by the rate-street; whereupon, by his influence, the said Minute-men were dismissed. And then a motion being made, if there was no need of men nor money for our defence, there was no need of a Committee, and it was moved and seconded by said Bowers, that the Committee be dismissed, which was accordingly done. And I have heard the said Bowers oppose several times publickly the paying in our standing Province taxes to Henry Gardiner, Esq., of Stow. JEREMIAH BROWN. BRISTOL, ss., WARREN, August 18, 1775: Jeremiah Brown, the within-named, personally appeared, and being duly cautioned to testify the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the within deposition by him subscribed. Before me: JOHN KINNICUT, Justice Peace. Swanzey, August 18, 1775. I, Daniel Brown, being of lawful age, do testify and say, that Jerathmeel Bowers* sued me on two notes of hand, at Taunton, last September Court, and the Courts, fell, and he endorsed, his notes to the Sherburns, at Boston, and sued me to January Court last at Boston. Further saith, that he, said Bowers, has always appeared against the Country’s moneys being paid to the Congress Treasurer, raising men or money to pay them to fight for their liberty. DANIEL BROWN. BRISTOL, ss., WARREN, August 18, 1775: Daniel Brown, the above-named, personally appeared, and being duly cautioned to testify to the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed. Before me: JOHN KINNICUT, Justice Peace. FURTHER REPORT OF THE COMMITTEES OF REHOBOTH AND SWANZEY. The Sub-Committee of the joint Committees of Rehoboth and Swanzey, being conscious to ourselves that we, with the utmost decency and moderation, have acted on the rules of the Congress in the case of Jerathmeel Bowers, Esquire, of Swanzey, being willing, at our first publication, to publish his name only, as an offender against the rules of the Congress, without publishing his crimes, which appeared to us of a very dangerous nature, humbly hoping that the great end of discipline would be answered thereby, which is to take away the sin and save the sinner: We have procured some further depositions to be published herewith, so that the impartial publick may be able to judge for themselves in a case of this importance to the bleeding cause of America, the said Bowers being by far the most popular man in the Town where he lives, and over which he apparently presides, as appears by the tenour of the depositions.
A quorum of the said Town’s Sub-Committee chosen for this purpose. Swanzey, August 18, 1775. I, Patience Law, of Swanzey, in the County of Bristol, &c., being of lawful age, testifieth and saith, that on Wednesday following the battle at Bunker’s Hill, Colonel Jerathmeel Bowers asked Mary Slead if her husband was gone to the Congress; she answered him yes. He asked her if Philip Slead had heard any news that made him go; he said it is best for the Town to lay still, for there was an army there, and let them fight it out. And I have known him to use tea since the restrictions of the Continental Congress. PATIENCE LAW. BRISTOL, ss., SWANZEY, Aug 18, 1775: Patience Low, above-named, appeared, and being cautioned to testify the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by her subscribed. Before me: EDW, LUTHER, Town-Clerk of Swanzey. Swanzey, August 18, 1775. We, the deponents, of Swanzey, in the County of Bristol, &c., being of lawful age, testifieth and saith, that On Wednesday following the battle at Bunker’s Hill, Colonel Jerathmeel Bowers asked Mary Slead, one of the deponents, if her husband was gone to the Congress; who said yes; he said he had no need to have gone there, for it is best for us to lie as still here as we can. She asked him for what reason; he said there was an army there, and let them fight it out. And we have known him to use tea since the restrictions of the Continental Congress.
BRISTOL, ss., SWANZEY, Aug 18, 1775: Mary Slead and Martha Chase, above-named, personally appeared, and being cautioned to testify the truth, made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by them subscribed. Before me: EDW. LUTHER, Town-Clerk of Swanzey. Swanzey, September 4, 1775. I, Samuel Law, of Swanzey, in the County of Bristol, being of lawful age, testifieth and saith, that being in Freetown about the latter part of last March, when I saw several of the inhabitants of said Freetown receiving the King’s Arms out of Colonel Thomas Gilbert’s house, said Gilbert said to me, that Colonel Bowers and about tea more had occasioned all this difficulty, and if Bowers had behaved himself always as he had for three months back, it would have been better for him, the said Bowers, and your Town too. I asked him for what reason; he answered me and said, because he was your Representative, add your Town must answer for his conduct. SAMUEL LAW. *Colonel Bowers desires us to request the publick to suspend their opinion upon the foregoing depositions, (they having been taken exporte,) as a regular and proper inquiry will soon be made by authority Into his conduct, touching what is contained in the depositions; when all parties will have a fair and candid hearing, and the publick will be informed of the result of such inquiry.—Boston Gazette
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