Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4

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Cossomo Garcelli and Bartholomew Martel were brought before the grand jury in December 1783 after John Johnson, a sailor, was stabbed and died in Boston in November. Witnesses described the accused being thrown out of a Boston tavern before harassing several women, at which point Johnson intervened, precipitating the attack. While Martel was acquitted, Garcelli was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging.

Grand Jury notes

RTP

Suffolk. Special Sup Jud Court Decr. 3d Wednesday 1783

Cor Grand Jury vs. Cossumo Garcelli & Bartholomew Martel for murder of John Johnson1

Oliver Vose 2 6 Novr. last I saw 3 men in my Front Room with large Clubbs. I orderd em out they went. I then heard some noise in Street saw a man lay, one man striking. the rest stood round they all went away Jane Woodrow 3 men came into my house a 4th. came in they appeared enraged, had Clubbs, they went out,—went to Voses then came out, went to Mr. Grooms. Somebody cry’d murder it proved to be Fanny Grooms—Clark & Wheeler came by—Johnson no sun out, screamed murder, he dy’d the 8th. I saw men strike him I think the same men that came at my house & that I saw come from Voses Fanny Grooms I was going out of Gate with my brother 3 men coming up the ally askd mother if they cd. have a Dance She said no. he sd. by G—— we will have a frolick by & by. he that Spoke was the tallest. I went out again going up the ally I saw em coming out of Vose Entry. they took hold of me, saw a knife glisten, they sd. If I spoke a Word they’d take my life away, I scream’d murder Mrs. Woodrows door opened. I saw two men coming up alley the 3 left me & went to them, who were Clark & Wheeler and struck them with their Clubbs Mrs. Woodrow took hold of me, then Mr. Johnson came out with Tongs they fell upon him struck with Clubbs. threw him down, & run. I saw a motion of all 3 like Stabbing Stooping over him 276 George Clark I was standing in King street & heard murder cryd in the alley I went down saw the 3 I askd what the matter they calld me a d——d boger & struck at me 2 of them I knocd one down he rise & come close with a knife I retreated 10 steps, came back. Johnson sd. he was stab’d. Garcelli is the man who drew his knife on me. I think I saw Martel that night John Wheeler I was in State Street, her cry of murder. Clark & I went down Alley askd wht. is the matter the 3 rushd on Clark & struck at him—Johnson came out soon drop’d. I saw em strike Johnson—they ran I kept sight of them till later Garcelli is the same person. he made severall passes at me Fortesque Vernon between 7 & 8 oClock at the other ½ of Vose house, heard some people attempting to force their way into Vose Room. Saw 3 people with sticks, Garcelli there, Martel not, all the 3 at Voses Door could talk English Dr. Appleton found 4 Wounds, 1 inch wide left side between 6 & 7 Rib. 1 between shoulders 7 & 8 Ribs: 2 below left Kidney, we compared the Knife & it suited. all the wounds appear’d to be of same width Thos. Clemens I was present at taking him took his knife from him, ground to a point. found a Jack Knife abt. him with two blades: the blood on the Knife fresh, I dd. the Knife to Jus. Greenleaf he to Mr. Patten the Consble. John Tilley I serched Garcelli found a Jack knife Benja. Chandler I was at Vose, among the Dancers, 3 came in. shov’d Door open, struck agt. the Door, came in tall one drew a ~~hanger~~ knife. I saw Garcelli strike Johnson: Jona. Beal was there Elias Parkman I took hold of Garcelli he had a knife it was bloody Jona. Stoddard I was present at taking Garcelli took the Knife bloody Joseph Charles, Casselo Gardelo

MS .

On Nov. 8, the Boston Evening Post reported: “A man by the name of Johnson, in a fray which happened last Thursday evening between a number of foreign seamen, received four several stabs from a knife in different parts of his body, by the hands of a Portuguese, which wounded him to so great a degree that his life is despaired of. The perpetrator of this infernal practice has since been detected and had before authority, who has committed him to goal: May he receive the reward justly due to his demerit.”

Oliver Vose (1734/5–1810) moved from Milton to Boston about 1778 and operated a tavern in Royal Exchange Lane (Ellen F. Vose, Robert Vose and His Descendants [Boston, 1932], 67–68).