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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Hancock, John, 1737-1793 [Delay of execution for Edward Johnson for five weeks].

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03420 Author/Creator: Hancock, John, 1737-1793 Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Document signed Date: 2 July 1789 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 31 cm, Width: 19 cm Order a Copy

Signed by Governor of Massachusetts Hancock and countersigned by Secretary of the State John Avery. Johnson was to be hanged for burglary. After requesting further time to prepare for death, he was granted a suspension of his sentence for five additional weeks. Johnson had already received a suspension for two weeks. Paper seal attached.

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