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26 City Hall. The punishment at that time for a petty thief was to burn into the left cheek near the nose the letter "T." The jail was remodeled during the winter of 1704, and made more secure for felons; and a debtors' prison was arranged in the upper story of the edifice. This was a rough room with coarse board partitions, without chairs, warmth, or comforts of any sort. It remained substantially in the same cheerless and comfortless condition for three-fourths of a century.

One of the most exciting scenes ever witnessed under the historic roof of this seat of justice was in connection with the city elections of 1701—immediately following the death of Lord Bellamont. Both political parties at the polls seemed to lose all sense of honor and decency. There was as much illegal as legal voting, and several bloody skirmishes among individuals. Then came a violent dispute as to which party had really won.



The new mayor, Thomas Noell, of the aristocratic party (as it was designated), was sworn according to custom before the governor and council, whence he repaired with the elected aldermen to Trinity Church to listen to an