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not drive him off - he said that Mr. Givin had told him this when his mother last visited him. He also said that he did not like his mother for she had treated him harshly and not like a mother - He expressed great desire to remain at Givins because - as he said they were very kind to him.

Several disinterested parties assured me that William is only fourteen years of age instead of being seventeen as stated by Mr. Fessenden - These parties lived in the neighborhood where he was born - He is a stout lad, but his appearance does not indicate more than fourteen or fifteen years - though the question of [[strikethrough]]his[[/strikethrough]] age from appearance is a very uncertain one - 

Two of Givins neighbors told me that they had heard him more than once tell William that he might go to his mother or wherever else he might wish to go

The boy is fat,  hearty, looks very happy and has plenty of good but coarse clothing which I had him bring out and show to me.

I directed Mr. Givin to furnish him with a new suit of winter clothes and take him to Mr. Fessender at Monterey so that he could interrogate him, and then deliver him

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-11-05 12:18:34