The Official Story
Chapter 15

The verdict of the Supreme Judicial Court

The Supreme Judicial Court justices heard the case of Joseph North vs. the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on July 10, 1790. The all-male jury's verdict two days later was "not guilty." (The cases against the other two men were continued to the next session and then dropped.)

(Why was there an all-male jury? According to 18th century American law, only male property owners could vote, and only those who voted could serve on juries.)

The official record tells us nothing about what was said in court.

Most probably it came down to a case of his word versus her word. Since Judge North was a prominent member of the community and Rebecca Foster was the wife of a discredited minister, one could argue that the verdict was predictable, no matter what evidence was presented.

What was Martha's reaction to the verdict?



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 The Supreme Judicial Court hears the case in Pownalboro
     
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 How did this case get recorded in the official town history?

Table of Contents
The Perpetual Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts General Court
May 1789 		View Image
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 Title page     Page 16   Page 17 
 

 

 

Title page

Joshua Green Junr's
T H E

PERPETUAL LAWS

 

OF THE

C O M M O N W E A L T H

O F

M A S S A C H U S E T T S,

FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION
IN OCTOBER, 1780,
TO THE LAST WEDNESDAY IN MAY, 1789.

TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED,

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE ARTICLES
OF CONFEDERATION, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMONWEALTH, THE TREATY OF PEACE, BETWEEN GREAT-BRITAIN AND AMERICA, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
Published by Order of the General Court.

[STATE SEAL]

BOSTON :
PRINTED BY ADAMS AND NOURSE,
Printers to the Honourable GENERAL COURT.

M,DCC,LXXXIX.