Attacks on the Excise Officers

Country people in the west of the state rose against a federal tax on distilled spirits. The accused rode with an armed band to the home of a tax officer, forced him to hand over his official papers, and made him swear to stop doing his job. The band then went to a second officer's house, ransacked and burned it with the public records inside, and later seized that officer and made him resign. He says he went along only because he was frightened of the mob.