Wenham, 1637:  John Williams a ship's carpenter, said to be of Wenham, has been found guilty of the murder of John Hoddy and executed in Boston.  It is one of the earliest murders occurring  among the European settlers of the colony. Both men had recently escaped from the Ipswich jail and were traveling together.  Williams murdered his companion and stole his belongings, including the poor man's bloody clothing.   He was apprehended in Ipswich wearing the dead man's clothes and ultimately confessed when Hoddy's body was found.  He was executed, by hanging, in Boston, September 28th. (History of Wenham)

Be Thy Brother's Keeper Takes On New Meaning In Woburn, MA:

June, 1676: Woburn, MA: At a meeting of the selectmen, Woburn officials took steps "to break up all those irregular and vicious habits, which usually terminate in pauperism, or lead to confirm depravity and spiritual ruin."  The solution manifests itself in the form of Tithingmen, whose office it is "to have oversight of their neighbours, and see that they keepe good orders in their houses."  To ensure its effectiveness all families in Worburn have been "assigned" to their respective Tithingman.  Among specific duties of these officers are that of preventing disorderly conduct in private families and public houses; suppressing or checking profanity, Sabbath breaking, idleness, intemperance and sundry other immoralities.  (A History of Woburn)