Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-10-26
Letter from M'Crea.
LEAvKNwoRTH, Sept. "a, IS;

DEAR FATHER: | have by former
letter told you tha, the Court met last
Monday; / now propose to give you i
history Of the proceedings. Forty-eight
grand jurors were summoned but Of these
the Judge selected sixteen publicly, who
being duly sworn aud empaneiIed, retired
to their room. He atterward pri0ate,y
added three to their number, making nine
teen, who On Tuesday came in Court seve-
raj times for instructions, but instead of
giving such instructions publicly the judge
each time sent them back to their room,
and sent such persons as he thought pro-
per to lecture them in private. Once he
sent Rees, the chairman Of the committee
that outraged Mr.. Phillips. Still the Jury
continued to be agitated, divided, and to
force their foreman to lead them into
Court, who becoming excited, exclaimed
in open Court that the Jury could not
agree, as there were three in favor of find
ing for murder, five for manslaughter, and
eleven opposed to finding any bill against
me. Again the Judge sent them to their
room without instructIng them that they,
in such case, should report the bill back
to Court endorsed "Not found" and thus
the Grand Jury continued till Saturday
vainly endeavoring to &c, the foreman to
do his duty in returning the bill! to Court
iudorsed ''Not found" when the Judge,
fraudulently cooperating with my enemies
on the Grand Jury, adjourned the Court
till the second Monday of next November,
and am, in violation of all law and jus
tice, deprived of my liberty.
This poor, weak Judge makes my case
as much party question as the infamous
Stringfellow would if he were on the same
bench When shall get out of his hands,
eau not tell. Another application will
in few days be made by writ Of habeas
corpus, and error taken on that to the Su-
preme Court at Washington, which think
is my only chance of ever getting out by
dlc.
Now, that am writing,2 o'clock, A.
NJ, the city is all awake and in arms, Sc
yeral suspicious seoundrels having appear
ed assembled about the streets in the eve
ming in conversation with the bandit, Hugh
es, who was last night seen prowling about
the house Of Mr.. Philips, with gun iu
his hands. 1t is supposed that there is
company of rutlians from Missouri assem-
bled in the bushes near the city, and there
is force OF at least three hundred men
well armed now ready to receive them on
the part Of our city. 1t is supposed that
they contemplate an assault upon several
of the citizens, including myself and Tie
Kansas Territory Register. Seniiuels are
posted at every part Of the town, and in
every corner, with signal. have heard
several persons say they would shoot
LAG NdS shpJ 81 last iiS W
man who was passing by, vino saw him
watching for Philips, but missed.
The people are determined not to be
disturbed by him, and his associates much
longer, and finding that the Judge sides
with those ruflians, having one Of them
for clerk, have concluded to take the law
into their own hands this' Hughes was
captain of the band of ruffians who mobed
Philips, and unless he leaves this town
very soon, some daring hand will certainly
drop him into bis grave. Matters are pro
gressing toward the formation of State
Constitution. Members of the Convention
will be elected on the secoud Tuesday Of
next month, and We meet in convention on
the Oath of the same month, so as to sub
NIT it to the people before the session Of
Congress.
Tbs political a.pect is fast changing