<!-- © 2003-2008 Old Bailey Proceedings Online -->
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<p>2.
<persName id="t17520218-2-defend79" type="defendantName"> John How
<interp inst="t17520218-2-defend79" type="surname" value="How"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-defend79" type="given" value="John"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-defend79" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> , was indicted for the
<rs id="t17520218-2-off8" type="offenceDescription">
<interp inst="t17520218-2-off8" type="offenceCategory" value="kill"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-off8" type="offenceSubcategory" value="murder"/> murder of
<persName id="t17520218-2-victim81" type="victimName"> Abigail Stebbings
<interp inst="t17520218-2-victim81" type="surname" value="Stebbings"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-victim81" type="given" value="Abigail"/>
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<join result="offenceVictim" targOrder="Y" targets="t17520218-2-off8 t17520218-2-victim81"/> </persName> in a
<placeName id="t17520218-2-crimeloc9">river called York River, otherwise Hudson's River, near the city of York, in North America</placeName>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-crimeloc9" type="placeName" value="river called York River, otherwise Hudson's River, near the city of York, in North America"/>
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<join result="offencePlace" targOrder="Y" targets="t17520218-2-off8 t17520218-2-crimeloc9"/>, within the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England </rs>,
<rs id="t17520218-2-cd10" type="crimeDate">June 7, 1750</rs>
<join result="offenceCrimeDate" targOrder="Y" targets="t17520218-2-off8 t17520218-2-cd10"/>; it was laid over again for the murder of a person unknown.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t17520218-2-person82"> John Murcer
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<interp inst="t17520218-2-person82" type="given" value="John"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-person82" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I was on board his Majesty's ship The Greyhound in 1750; I was midshipman, the prisoner was
<rs id="t17520218-2-deflabel11" type="occupation">Lieutenant</rs>
<join result="persNameOccupation" targOrder="Y" targets="t17520218-2-defend79 t17520218-2-deflabel11"/>, he was at that time
<rs id="t17520218-2-deflabel12" type="occupation">commanding officer on board</rs>
<join result="persNameOccupation" targOrder="Y" targets="t17520218-2-defend79 t17520218-2-deflabel12"/>: between three and four o'clock in the afternoon we saw a boat coming out at the mouth of York-River with a pennant at the mast head: the Lieutenant ordered a gun to be fired at her, in order for her bringing too: she keeping her course, he ordered a second gun to be fired, it was a swivel gun: we heard afterwards there was a woman killed.</p>
<p>Q. Who pointed the gun?</p>
<p>Murcer. The Lieutenant did; I did not see it charged.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t17520218-2-person83"> Richard Whitbey
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<interp inst="t17520218-2-person83" type="given" value="Richard"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-person83" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I was on board the Greyhound at that time; a boat came out of the South River with her pennant flying at her mast head, upon which the Lieutenant ordered a gun to be fired at her, in order to her striking her pennant; the Lieutenant pointed, I believe, to go over the boat: it might be about a mile distance, or better, from us.</p>
<p>Q. Could he have stopped this vessel without firing upon her?</p>
<p>Whitbey. I believe he could not, she went at such a great rate ; had we launched out our boat, she would not have come up with her?</p>
<p>
<persName id="t17520218-2-person84"> Alexander Watson
<interp inst="t17520218-2-person84" type="surname" value="Watson"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-person84" type="given" value="Alexander"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-person84" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I was on board the Greyhound : the prisoner was Lieutenant in the year 1750 ; I saw a pleasure boat come out at the mouth of the river in which Mr. Richards was failing to sea; we fired a gun at her to make her strike; there were no possible means to make her strike without; I don't believe the man of war could have overtaken her, and our ship was at anchor, there were two guns fired one after another.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t17520218-2-person85"> Matthew White
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<interp inst="t17520218-2-person85" type="given" value="Matthew"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-person85" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . I was on board the ship Greyhound in the year 1750: I was quarter-master; the prisoner was lieutenant: I saw the boat come out of the south river, about three in the afternoon, with her pennant flying: the lieutenant ordered a gun to be fired to make her strike her pennant: she kept her pennant flying after that: then he ordered a second to be fired; upon which the pennant was ordered half down, and she turned back into New York again.</p>
<p>
<persName id="t17520218-2-person86"> John Crisp
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<interp inst="t17520218-2-person86" type="given" value="John"/>
<interp inst="t17520218-2-person86" type="gender" value="male"/> </persName> . The gunner ordered me to load a gun, but the guns were loaded long enough before the boat was seen.</p>
<p>Q. Do you know of any body being killed?</p>
<p>Crisp. I don't know there was.</p>
<p>
<rs id="t17520218-2-verdict13" type="verdictDescription">
<interp inst="t17520218-2-verdict13" type="verdictCategory" value="notGuilty"/> Acquitted </rs>.</p> </div1></div0>
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