Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-11-29
To he Editors Of the Richmond wing ~ ga ,aso


90 wadn..day last saw, for the first Tine
Dedr 'o"s ,h IAN inst. continuing your cpHeh.s c
m m nr,i,e in the Fredericksburg % rave md seriors
on nm ,yhcein the editor makes grave unu @
Cupercr mos, IN reference to that atfair thank you
charges manner in which you have spoken OF ~
nhi; SERVICES and for making loi I'M M hs then hcfo,
@ me that YOU could do from lhe s i =, M, ~. Sat-
oes' o,ninson YOU state me owes II i.'he " Nv @
you In @ nn,uun 10 lake public notice OIL these va
| Iious char .es a., ,nl,ved in the duties Of
', h, have not bee able 10 avail my " s ~ NV
Ia,nns until now. heard on sal,a, hc, for the Aer
-; Clrcnrr had written piece on inc suoJ. !, ,a,a -
I'D IuIcp. which have seen; but u con.hns' no
anaa reiy full statement of The particulars 80 a arr
am concerned in them eut' nGve,' rs The affair.
0 me 7 duy of July last when sick a. no frn a
~ ,he mob for the first time received mo,v ;forn
~ ~ 'e Eso son of Judge Green deceaseo, ,hoane
w. Green ~ dav he had met a party of men on Their way
~. Courthouse 10 hang Grayson was Sey a..
Thai moment had fever upon me- anu ,h, in the Who'll
III, s cos, me my liie do not think thut III 'c mioe
might nave co IT, NJ vr had been so completely overwhcn
I'd hv niece of intelligence. Without waiting - y, h @
sxclchcd off quickly as could s ~ orth immediate
"a, Murstrue at hand exhong nm ~ 10 w "a IN 80,
H. .. the usse of the county if necessary an NJ ~
be unfortunate prisoner at a hazards. ,o nd Tho, Nv
-. II committed would amount ~ nluluci @ ' ne
CRIME IL rr, RIGHT 10 repulse the assaan,s Of the
mi, by the means most eirctua for Inc pnIPpv no nm @
from Mr. Green with this note encioseo r; Inn, ,h
en-, nj, immediately to the magistrate rearing @ nele
nbt nn,sbly be some miscarriage OF Inc no'e, VI ulo
of its reception in time 10 be OF service a"ues =, r
~ ,h most discreet respectable and lnnaenliai ne
ol ue another note and sent ii oil Immediately
pepper CVu.'no., THAT note which happens 10 have
been preserved and hus been returned 10 e' - WV
ing words 10 VII w.,xrr Jrly H. 1885,
n.or Srs-I received note few minutes ago ron, r
Iom.s W Green, informing me that ne mao ie P ~
,hrir way 10 the Court House TO nang uayso"' w
hd ,b,i such Ia yess act such horrid crime, shold
for moment thought Of in civil 1ed c1nnu. hih ,n
am confined 10 my bea with no@e' p,anc and is p
tended with SLIGHT fever; to turn out 10 60 10 ic
would be al the peril Of my life al this particular 'e e.
do hope the people will stand iorh ano sa'e .u The
dsprace i few determined men would prevent IT, tno
lave right 10 repci the attack BY force, ou nope "u "
lieyc the advice and cntreaes oil your leading p S
w be sufficient 10 prevent ihe ac'i any @ .ouire III. Sc
has the same authority that have, ana may an
nIor officers of the Militia who may be present. 10 CELL ~
the power of the County. 10 haste y II FIELD.
Il Major Hill G.orrc r Thomas and Fuye,,e Muuzy, Esqrs
Tbi, note was received and read aloud 10 lhe "o.
twice and commented upon In the nearing oi te oG ;
some gentleman who addressed me moo :. a t vrnu.
They wunted me pledge myself not 10 chanSe e
but 10 try Grayson third time in Culpeper ms "uu ~
solved no, 10 do; ior If Grayson should ASK me " cs
m. venue meant send him oil 10 be tiled elsewhere; .
that in the event of his acqual he might escape Io va
violence which believed would be committed upon hs per
son ii tried and acquitted IN ouMpsl. r NM h
came from the mob my house and informed me m "
believed that if would give pledge mat "ouI y.
e Grayson in Cuprper, the mob would disperse anu
home without committing any violence 'oa M sn,
. man who concurred fully with me in the oplnoh uia'
could not give any such pledges that should 90 on % "
hin, again in Cupeper unless he applied Tor cnnnse
i motion according TO that in no even
would send him TO be tried in county, either rauquel
elsewhere, unless fair trial could be mo as wen III III,
Of the Commonwealth as the prisoner Inc gen'etai WV
had called upon lie returned TO the Court Housc am ~
il ported my the mob whilst they were at III.
Some Of them as nave ssa1o b ital" and here
upon they broke open the Jail door, took OIL Inc pohe
und hung him. The number of this mob has been Va'us
a estimated from 10 $40 people. o.,
Shortly after Gnyson was hung the magistrates VI Sl
peper assembled the Court House TO determine on The pro
per be pursued against the mobiles was a, ~.
Court House the day. was not IN nel ineets
bur conyesrd with some of the magistrates with the Aor
ney for the Commonwealth and with Captain Ill., iie Hig
Sheriff They all informed me that warrants %ouia ue 10
i sued against the offenders. | believed II would be Done
Il The High Sheriff. Capt. Hill invited mo to step asiac WI.
nm old So when he told me thai he wished 10 talk WI.
me relation 10 the duty which ne would nave 10 petoi',
(as lie thought that very day. OF arresns nunioe
the offenders He stated me- that he expected the wal
rants would be made Immediately and placed IN III
hands that before night the Jail would be iu OF psron
! and asked me what he must with such as the Jail woni
, moi hold told him that It would be his duty 10 confn,
within its walls, many Of his prisoners as the JAN "ou
If hold and the Others he had right to conhnc them
any suitable place that he could procure Tor the PURPOSE an
would BE- entitled 10 have guard to guard the prisoners
That would his duty keep them securely de rspe
l. that he his duly and all he wanted was 20 Sno
in what manner il was proper for him 10 act After this cor
versation with Capt. Hill lett the Court H"use and WEI
d homc and did confident that the warrants @ono We
sued and on getting home, remarked TO my family that
II had no doubt tho Jail n.n filled with prisoners
heard however the next day tha, the maGlsates ma
h rans but that their next meeting, warrants wou
be issued constantly expecting 10 hear of the ssun
of tile warrants until heard II suggested that was I'll
intention of the magistrates not 10 issue m" warrants unit
il would he necessary issue them 10 be In time Tor The Ia
Of the Circui, Court of Curcpcr left home Tor Fr
Court The 30lh Of August under the belief that III
would be issued according the above suggestion
From Fuvanna Court went Loulsh, and from Louisa
went by home Rappnhannock On the 1874 day Of Ser
i TENDER, was on my way Rappahannock Court, an
If with uf the Deputy Shcrits In the road lie wa
on his way to Cupeper Court House. / enqred OF him
the warrants mad been issued He said he then
serving subppnss on the witnesses and expected mat III
Il would be issued the next day did not in III
that would be issued My next court after Kappa
hammock, Orange then Madison, then Culpeper hel
IS all these Courts. When got Cupeper found that wha
expected would have been DONE had not been DONE No
rants had been issued Immediately after opened my
in Cupepcr, called Mr. J. c. Green (bcng the Attor
ney for the Commonwealth ard observed TO him that
bring the Grayson TO the notice Of the Grand jury
He replied promptly, certainly" asked him If he ha
prepared any indictments or presentmens. He repie
he had not but would leave for the Jury TO make
sentiments after hearing the evidence observed tina
n that would do, and ! would Immediately issue Benc
warrants, according TO law, upon The prssen'ments IN
me- and in that charge called their attention 10 tn
crime of murder did not say any hing about the crime
numbering Grayson It would been highly improper
suid anything about the murder OF Grayson il
my charge the Grand jury The Judge who is 10 try
for crime is TO become his accuser or prosecutor
is 1t proper in him TO take sides against any wht
may be presented In his Court for felony by making ehe
The Grand Jury Petty Jury exciting exaspc
railing address he should remain silent anu SIT as an I'M
partial tribunal between the Commonwealth and the nccus
ed Iii his duty hunt offenders and have then
arrested and indicted and then them for the offence.
is capable Of 50 acting, is wholly unfit and I'm
worthy of the honor oil being Judge in Virginia any
where else where upright und impartial adminisa-
lion Justice is regarded Of the greatest blessings
of society As the jury retired from the bar, the
Clerk of the Court handed copy of The order Of the
General Cour', granting new trial 10 Grayson. ] stated
what the Of the paper and Mr. Green instant
y said that he wished send witnesses before the Grand
Jury in relation that case-and further remarked that he
believed they all present, except three four, who
might appear In the OF the day list OF the
ot the witnesses made an all the witnesses
sworn and before the Grand Jury except three
four who abseDtfor whom subpoena made
and placed in the hands OF the sheriff In be executed
After ra Grand Jury had examined the witnesses, they
turned into Court without making any presentmen,s on
their testimony Mr.. Green said, that there several
very important witnesses absent whose testimony he wish
ed the Grand Jury hear in the Gyson but that the
attendance of the witnesses could not be procured until the
next day The Foreman of the Grand Jury said that the
vote had been taken and that large GRITTY Of the Grand
Jury was opposed TO making any presentmens in relation
that and several of the other Jurors spoke up and
said tina, Il would not be necessary adjourn them
the testimony Of the absent witnesses would amount
nothing, but what had teen proved by the other
that had been before them. Mr. Green then renewed
the expression Of his wish have the Grand Jury
cd Whereupon said TO the Grand JuryGentlemen