“I went up to a good looking house (Mr. Adams’), and after examining his barn for a saddle and bridle, I got into a back window, and saw a saddle and bridle hanging up in the kitchen. I took off without any interruption or noise, and went in pursuit of a horse in his field. I had brought some corn in my pocket from one of the barns, and put it in my hat, for the purpose of calling the horse. After running about for some time for him, he came up, and I put on the saddle and bridle. It proved to be a fine mare, and it carried me very fast to Springfield.”     Mike Martin, 1822.

Mike Martin, the highwayman, was alleged to be a familiar culprit in Holliston and the surrounding towns. His domain during the years around 1820 was said to have included the Boston to Providence high road and his specialty was holding up stagecoaches. Part common thief and part legend, he was said to have made several Holliston citizens his victims on the narrow winding country roads leading between neighboring villages. Martin had a certain flair for carrying out his self-appointed rounds. A popular tradition relates the time during one holdup, said to have been perpetrated at the Hill tavern located in the southernmost part of Holliston, when he asked the group assembled there for the occasion whether an Irishman was among them. If so, may he step forward and he would whisper in his ear the location of his hidden cache of gold. No one dared step forward. His secret died with him when he was captured and hanged at Cambridge for his crimes. This was the last execution for highway robbery in Massachusetts.

The image on the front page ($35 reward) – The story behind this ad of a reward in 1822 for the recovery of a horse stolen in Holliston was researched by Joanne Hulbert, Town Historian