The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-08-11
THE ARREST OF HON. j.. A. BYNUM
ON A CHARGE OF sWINDLINC.


hority of Mr. Bynum's counsel whose letter we pub
ished That letter stated that Mr. Bynum
eased on the merits and that not probable
was made out against him, &c Last week we receiv-
ID statement from party to the case on the other
iide, which in justice TO that side and as throwing
little more light the case feel bound to publish
W. may therefore call the attention of those who no.
iced our former paragraphs to the following letter
and adavs from the prosecutor order for arrest &c
To The Editors Of me Madisonian
Conference.-The attention has been called TO the
note of w l. Brent, Esq in the Madisonian of the
18th inst relative TO the arrest of Jesse A Bynum
am greatly surprised at the statement contained in
that note
The best commentary can make upon that com
is 10 enclose to you the proof exhibited
the trial of Bynum, accompanied by this further state
ment that the justice decided that il appeared him
that Bynum had possession of the boy before he care
The drah and did not get him by means of the draft
The only proof offered the affdavts hereto
nexed and the extract from an answer in chancery
sworn TO by Piles. And the Justice refused to
tnue postpone the until furthertestimony could
be got, the ground that the United States al
ways bound to have the witnesses ready
Your obt serv't,
29th July, 1910 WIN ARCHER
DlsTRIcT OF COLUMBIA,
Washington County SIS.
Be known, that this fourteenth day of July 1870
Peace in and for the county aforesaid personally APP
pears William Archer, citizen of the city of Wash
ington, well known TO me and the said William Ar
cher being first duly sworn according to law, did de-
pose and say that some time in the latter part of
March first of April last past he purchased draft
of one Lewis Piles, Of the town of Alexandra, which
draft was in the words and figures following, to wit
Mr.. Glen Dawsey, Pay to Lewis Piles or order
one hundred dollars and charge the same IN account
with A Bynum J. A. BYNUM
" Nav 23d 1888
That at the time he purchased the said draft from
said Lewis Piles, he informed by him it in
part payment for negro boy named Jim, sold by said
Piles to said Bynum that said Bynum paid him part
Of the purchase money for the said negro boy in
check on the Bank of Washington, for which he
ceved the money and the said Bynum gave him for
another part the said draft and represented to him
that the person whom il drawn, was the Ser
geant at Arms or paymaster of the House or Repre-
sentayes; and the money would be there short
Nv afterwards for that he said Piles had afterwards
presented the said draft to said Sergeant at Arms who
said il was not drawn on him, and that said Bynum
had drawn all his money and that said Piles further
said that Bynum now refused to pay the draft.
This deponent then called on said Bynum, and
stated to him what Piles had said to deponent and BY
mum admitted II TO be true and added that he knew
at the time tina, the draft not drawn the Ser
geant at Arms and he had drawn it so on purpose
because he was not that the said Piles had
good title to said negro boy that he, Bynum, recev-
ed the said negro boy from Piles and afterwards
put to trouble ana expense IN defending MS title TO
him which he claimed to of against the said draft
And the said William Archer doth aver and charge
il to be true, that the said Jesse A. Bynum did get pos
session of and obtain the said negro boy from the
said Lewis Piles by of the said false pretences
to wit that the said draft was drawn on Roderick
Dorsey Sergeant at Arms of the House of Represen-
iatives he, the said Bynum well knowing the
to be false WIN. ARCHER
Subscribed and sworn to before me.
y A HALL, J P.
DIsTRIcr or COLUMBIA,
County Of Washington 10 lcd
hereby certify that this 18th day OF July 1910
Lewis Piles named in the foregoing affidavit appear
cd personally before me the subscriber Justice Of the
Peace in and for said county and made oath in due
form Of law that the facts and statements therein
tanned so far as the set forth, derived from
him true
d A HALL J. P
DIsrRcT OF COLUMBIA,
Washington County, IS.
To Thomas G Wilson Constable
Whereas, William Archer and Lewis Piles have
made information and complaint, on oath, before me,
of the Justices Of the Peace in and for said
ty that Jesse A Bynum did on before the said 23d
day of May, 1888, unlawfully knowingly and de
sgnedIy and with intent to cheat the said Piles OBJ
tain from the said Piles certain negro boy named
jim by false prcences and the said Archer and Piles
have exhibited the said false pretences by and
by reason whereof the said Jesse A Bynum did OBJ
tain possession of the said negro which negro is al
legged to have been the property of said Piles
Now you are hereby commanded TO apprchend the
said Jesse A. Bynum, and have him before some
other Justice of the Peace in and for said county
be dealt with according to law, and have you then and
there this warrant.
Hereof fail not
Given under my hand and seal this twenty first day
Of July eighteen hundred and forty
D. A. HALL, [sEAL.
Justice OF The Peace.
Extract from the answer of Lewis Piles to the
plant Of John Mellon and Mary Mellon, in the Cir
~, - ~ of calm
county.
That the boy James, this defendant is informed
and believes is in possession OF William ii Williams
that this defendant sold the boy James TO the Hon
Jesse Bynum of North Carolina, for the considera-
ton Of three hundred dollars cash; and should he
prove be slave Tor life, after search Of the records
the said Bynum was to pay S7O0 (ot which this de
ponent had doubts and expressed thcm,) that MIR
Bynum searched the records and was satisfied the boy
was a slave only until % years Of age, and has no
other intention Than to hold him for that term"
Some explanation is wanted to reconcile the extract
from the answer in chancery, which read, and
lied on and now published to show the deception
The following statement of facts and admissions will
more clearly disclose the matter In May, 1888, J
Bynum bought slave in this city from l. Piles of
Alexandria for $500 cash TO be free at % years Of
age which would be in July, lSi7 After the bargain
made and while the negro dealer was making the
bill OF sale Bynum asked the seller if he could let
part of the money remain unpaid few days to serve
him. which was agreed to, bynum then psid Tdo,
and gave his note for $500 be paid the following
month and draft for 500 which he said was drawn
on the Arms ofthe House of Represents
tives, which he said would be paid when presented
piles agreed to let the other 500 remain in the hsnds
| Of Bynum TO be paid to the negro when free These
were the conditions of the sale, stated by Piles and
admitted bv Bynum; Bynum did also admit that he
made the draft fictitious, knowing il to be so when he
made it snd that he did pass il to Piles knowing il to
be falsely made and that he did advise the Sergeant
at Arms not to pay it il presented The learned coun-
sci likewise admitted the same in presence Of Bynum,
and before the justice but said IT felony II
Anntnrl chnnt In law the lenrned