History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

566 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1T21-1733.
the matter of counterfeiting. He was a weaver, probably
an Englishman, and lived in Springfield, but did not follow
his trade very industriously. He was arrested for counterfeiting,
and tried in Northampton, in 1718, but nothing was
proved against him. He was again on trial the following
year in Hartford, and was before the court here again in
September, 1721, when he was convicted of engraving
plates and with them printing spurious bills of credit. The
court sentenced him to be set in the pillory at Springfield,
to have one ear cut off, to be imprisoned one year, to be
branded F on the right cheek with a hot iron, and to pay
double damages to those whom he had defrauded. This
punishment did not reform him, as he was several years
afterwards again under suspicion.
Highway Rates Up to tliis date the practice had been to lay
Changed. a spccial rate for highway expenses. In
1723, a change was made in this respect.
Payments for work done upon the highways were ordered
to be made from the town rate, and surveyors were instructed
"to take good and effectuall care that people be
warned to work att highways for some proportion according
as they bear of the town charge." The price was
fixed at 5s. for teams in the summer, 2s. 6d. for "hands,"
and 4s. in the fall for teams, and 2s. for "liands" per
diem. For that year highway work amounted to £20, 15. 10,
made out in one bill, which also included plank for bridges.
About one hundred sixty-five day's work were reported as
having been performed.
Increased Bounty Wlicu the towu entered upou the work of
for Killing eucouragiiig sheep raising, it not only made
war on all dogs over a foot high, but it also
endeavored to stimulate the onslaught on wolves, by increasing
the bounty offered for their ears to £4 per pair.
This was higher than had ever before been given, but it
was none too large, as the destruction by wild animals was
much greater than by tame ones. This increase of bounty
depleted the treasury to the amount of £16. During the