A BAD NIGHT AT JOHN PERKINS' TAVERN PT1

A drunken  crowd shooting  off their pistols inside a barroom, one shooting his off underneath the table.Then the light goes uut, more shots are fired, and when the light is restored, a man lies bleeding on the barroom floor.

A bad night in Dodge City in the 1870s?

Nope.

A bad night in Ipswich, Ma in 1672at the "ordinary" run by my 9x great granduncle "Quartermaster" John Perkins.

From the Essex County Quarterly Court Records:

Mr. Dudly Broadstreet, Mr. Nathl. Wade, Mr. Tho. Wade, Mr. Samuel Jacobs, Jno. Wainwrite, Thomas Bishop, Elihu Wardell, Jno. Cogswell, Mr. Nath. Rogers, Mr. Samll Rogers, Mr. Ezk. Rogers, Mr. Jno. Burr, Jno. Lee, Edward Nealand, Mark Quilter were presented for disorder in Quartermaster Perkins' house upon training day in shooting pistols in the house after the colors were lodged and for breach of the peace. 

Jno. Edwards, aged about forty years, deposed that "upon a trayning day Last sumer at this Towne I was attending at Quartermaster perkins” house drawing bear &c: for his Guests and being too & fro in severall Roomes of the House, I saw in one Roome these psons: viz* Mr Dudly Broadstreet, mr Nath1 Wade, mr Samuell Jacobs, Jn* Wainewright, mr Tho. Wade, Thomas Bishop, Elihu Wardell, Jn* Cogswell, mr Nath1 Rogers, mr Samuel Rodgers, mr Ezk. Rogers, Jn* Lee, Edward Nealand, mr Jn* Burr, Mark Quilter: In which Roome there was much disturbance & offence given to the master of the House by shooting of pistols in the Roome In soe much that the Quartermaster & his wife often went & sent to bid them Cease fireing in yo Roome:who not w"standing their earnest chardg & intreaties was Littl regarded soe that yo Quartrmaster was forced to throw open the Cagements, and bad them. If they would shoot to shoot out there. Butt his words were little Regarded: for as I past I saw them shoot in the Roome: & soe much that soome in the Roome Complained: and after this one in the Roome cald for one doz" of bear for Mark Quilter & I seeming to take noe notice without Mark had caled for it himself: Mr Samuell Jacobs sayd Bring half a doz° of bear & we will have noe more, & If Mark Quilter will not pay for it I will. Soe I went & fetcht it for him that cald for it & sayd this is for you And then Mark Quilter Came downe to the barr, & ask' If any thing was chardgd to his Acet, I answered Noe: He Replyed, & sayd nor chardg none woout I call for it my self: only sayer hee give mee a pint of wine to drink wth them then Came up after the wine was Carried up. And many drank to him & I took Notice that Mark had two Cups full before him & another drunk to him, & he took the cup, but would drink little: & presently Thomas Bishop shooting under the Table: Mark complained & sayd is this the kindness you pretended in drinking to mee: &c. lle stay noe longer with you, and about this time the light was putt out, soe I went to light it & the Quarter Master comeing up sayd sir* depart the Roome, for I will have noe such dessorder here; all being in a Tumult, & Mark very Angry, his cloathes were burnt with shooting under the Table. And Qur Master sayd Mark gett you gon for they will doe you mischeif; and I being lighting the light as the Qurmaster went downe still it was blowne out, as I did light it & Mark Goeing to Follow y* QuarTnaster two psons clapt too the door, & the Rest pressing about him: a pistoll was shott by some, but who I know not did the execution among the severall pistolls then shott. And Mark sayd you have lamed mee: I then did light the light, and Cryed out you have kild the man, and all the persons were hustling, and gon out of the Roome only two, that as they went presented & snapt their pistols at Mark as they went, he lying by the door & Bleeding: I vewing his wound saw a wadd sticking which I took out, it being on fire, & I Cryed againe, you have kild the man, for he lay speechless & Ready to dy away: Help comeing up presently Laboured to stanch the blood, & Qurmaster took care the Doctor might be sent for presently: I Goeing downe saw not any one of these psons mentioned but Mark left in any Roome of the house all being gon soe he was Carried away by those the Qurmaster desired to his owne house."pp31-32

Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts: Volume V 1672-1674  Essex Institute, Salem Ma. 1916

To be continued...