James Smith, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Dutchess County

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New-York, September 27, 1775.

We hear from Dutchess County, that on Saturday, the 16th instant, James Smith, Esq˙, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for that County, was very handsomely tarred and feathered, for acting in open contempt of the Resolves of the County Committee, as was Coen Smith, of said place, for the like behaviour; they were carted five or six miles into the country. The Judge undertook to sue for and recover the arms taken from the Tories by order of said Committee, and actually committed one of the Committee, who assisted at disarming the Tories, which enraged the people so much, that they rose and rescued the prisoner, and poured out their resentment on this villainous retailer of the law.