Tarred and feathered in East Holliston and how long does it take to pluck a hundred hens?

A boat with six persons in it was accidentally upset on Winthrop’s Pond, in Holliston, Mass., on Sunday the 11^th inst., and two young men by the name of Michael Kannally and Edmund Rawley were drowned.

At one o’clock last Tuesday morning, Patrick O’Brien, a citizen of Mudville, (being troubled with a very heavy ‘brick in his hat’), commenced kicking up a row, and overturning things generally to the no small inconvenience of his neighbors. Officers were called to the spot, and O’Brien was conveyed to the ‘Lockup’ that he might “cool off” and resume his right mind. A night and portion of a night, with the accommodations these afforded have a wondrously good effect in such cases.

    The Holliston Transcript     June 13, 1857

October 10, 1857 – Before Elias Bullard, Esq. – Thos. Joyce was arrested on Sunday afternoon for assault and battery upon the person of his son, John Joyce. Fine $5 and costs:  $11,98 in all.  John Joyce for assault and battery on the person of his father, plead guilty.  fined $3 and costs: in all $8,82.

November 21, 1857 – Hen Thieves. Descent was made upon a small piece of woods in Medway one night last week and some five or six men surprised in the act of plucking and dressing a hundred or more heads of poultry, stolen from neighboring henneries. The parties taken were lodged in Dedham jail to await trial. Two of the number according to our informants were residents of Holliston (near Braggville depot) brothers named Adams. We cannot vouch for the correctness of the report.

June 26, 1858 – We would advise certain young men of this town not again to visit a house of ill-repute, in Upton, of a Saturday evening; else in another attempt of the officers to rid society of this nuisance, more than one of their number may be furnished with quarters for the succeeding Sabbath in the Milford Lock-up.  “A word to the wise is sufficient.”

July 24, 1858 – Three fugitives, en route for liberty, are reported to have been in this neighborhood quite recently their complection was of that light yellowish shade so frequently found along the west coast of Africa. Where they are now we really have no idea. We suppose the lady owners of their musicless cages would “very much like to know. But under these summer skies, and just on the eve of vacation, we can hardly help harra’ing for the free!

A few nights ago a man named Davenport, living in East Holliston, Massachusetts, was taken from his house by some dozen men in disguise, to a place about two miles distant, and there received a liberal supply of tar and feathers. Domestic infelicities are mixed up in the affair.

Memphis Daily Avalanche, pg. 1, August 8, 1867.