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a son, and son in law of McCormack. But
no investigation ever took place, or any attempt
to discover the perpetrators of the deed. Robert
Shields, was one of the handsomest young
men I ever saw, of respectable talents & uncommonly
fine manners - dressed elegantly and
had in every respect the bearings of a gentleman.
His father and McCormack, had been
at law, for several years, & there had been law
suits with other members of the family & a
most unhappy feeling existed between them
when they accidently met with the old man
near their residence. Robert (as he informed me)
became highly excited at seeing him, & after a
few words of crimination & recrimination
attacked & beat the old man without any
intention of killing him.

In the spring of the year 1819 or 20, three men were
charged with having committed an outrage, in the person
of a female in Wayne County, where I still continued
to practice. The offence was charged to have been committed
a short time before court. Upon my arrival
at Monticello, I found the people generally excited, indeed
to a very high pitch against the persons charged. Several
of the most prominent & influential men, in &
about the town, waited upon me, on Sunday evening
& Monday morning and earnestly requested me not
to undertake their defence; they said, there was no doubt
of their guilt and that public sentiment, as well as,
the public good demanded their conviction. Two of the
persons were married men of respectable families
and were on bail; the third was a widower, of not
more than ordinary standing in society, & had been
committed to jail, for want of bail. I had seen & conversed on
Sunday night with one or both of the persons on bail