Martha Ballard's Story
Chapter 15
The verdict of the Supreme Judicial Court
Martha was not at court when the verdict was given.
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Link to see the official court verdict. |
Her entry for July 12 reads,"mr Ballard attended Coart. North acquited to the great Surprise of all that I heard Speak of it."
Martha's reference to "great Surprise" suggests the evidence pointed to Judge North's guilt, at least according to the opinion of the people she had heard "Speak of it," who were probably mostly women (and women were not allowed to sit on juries).
What did Martha think? She does not tell us directly. But given her usual habit of referring to men by their official titles, her reference to Judge North simply as "North" is telling. It seems Martha, too, thought Judge North was guilty.
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The Supreme Judicial Court hears the case in Pownalboro |
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Did anyone other than Martha's family read Martha Ballard's account of the Foster story? |
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Martha Ballard's Diary |
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