A really garbled acount of the Boston Massacre.
Soldiers were attacked by a mob throwing bricks and shot back, killing 5 of the mob.
Six soldiers were tried in MA court, defended by no less than John Adams. Four were acquitted. The other two were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to branding on the thumb, by Benefit of Clergy, which is probably the garbled source of the Death of Clergy, in the article.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benefit_of_clergy
To: Sherman Logan, thanks for that.