Being thus organized, they proceeded to the trial of ROLLA, the slave of
Governor Bennett:—
JACOB AXSON, Esq. attending as Attorney of his master.
It was proved, that _Rolla_ had confessed to two persons, both of whom
were examined by the Court, that he belonged to the conspiracy, and with
one of these witnesses (his friend) he used every effort to induce him
to join in the insurrection, which Rolla stated was to take place on the
night of the 16th of June.—Finding that this friend (the witness in
question) would not join the association, he urged him to go out of town
on Sunday night, lest some harm should come to him. Rolla represented
himself as the commander of the Force which was to rendezvous in the
vicinity of his master’s mills, and explained to the witness fully the
order of attack; the division of the forces; and said, “that his troops,
in their way into town, would fix his Old Buck (his master) and the
Intendant.” On being asked whether it was intended to kill the women and
children, he remarked when we have done with the men we know what to do
with the women.—On this testimony Rolla was found _guilty_, and
sentenced to be executed on the 2d of July.[6]