Joseph Watkins was a member of the Sons of Liberty in New Liverpool. He had been previously charged with throwing a brick through the front window of the local office of the League of Coloured Citizens but had been released before the trial for lack of sufficient evidence. Colonel Thomas Bushell reviewed his file after the theft of The Two Georges and decided to interview him the next day. Bushell thought this cracked the case wide open but the rifle turned out to have never been fired and so could not have killed "Honest" Dick.