Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-11-01
Letter from McCrea to his Father
in-law.
LEAvENwoRTn, Kansas, Sept. "a.

LEAvEswoRTH, Kansas, Sept. "a.
DEAR FATHER: have, by former letter,
told you that the Court met last, Monday; |
now propose to give you histofy Of its pro-
ceedings. Forty-e:ght grand Jurors were
summoned; out Of these the Judge selected
sixteen publicly, who, being duly sworn and
empanneled, retired to their room. He after
wards priodte,y added three to their number,
making nineteen, who, on Thursday, came
into Court several 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
proper in to lecture them in private. Once
he sent r. r. Rees, Chairman of the Com.
m,tee that outraged Mr.. Phillips. Still the
jury continued to be agtated, divided. and to
force their foreman TO lead them into Court,
who. becomiDg excited, exclaimed in open
Court that the jury could not agree, as there
was three In favor of finding for murder. five
for manslaugbter, and eleven opposed to find
ing any bill against me. Again the Judge
sent them to their room without inst ructng
them that they, in such case, should report
the bill back to Court indorsed "not found;"
and thus the Grand Jury continued til. Satur-
day. vainy endeavoring to get their foreman
to do this duty In returning the bill TO Court
indorsed "not found" when the Judge fraud
ulently cooperating with my enemies on the
Grand Jury. adjourned the Court till the Sc.
cond Monday Of next November, and / am,
in violation of all law and Justice, deprived
of my liberty.
This poor, weak Judge makes my case as
much party question as the infamous String
fellow would if he were on the same banch.
When | shall get out Of his hands l cannot
tell. Another application will in a few days
be made by writ Of habeus corpus, ard error
taken on that to the Supreme Court at Wash
ington, which think is my only chance of
ever getting out by law.
| Now, that am writing, Q o'clock A. A.,
the city is all awake and in arms, several
suspicious ecoundrels hivng appeared as
sembled about the streets in the evening, in
conversation with the bandit Hughes, Who
was last night seen prowing aoou! the house
of Mr.. Phillips. with gun in his hands. 1t
is supposed that there is company Of ruff
| fans from Missouri, assembled in tfe bushe 3
near the city, and there is force of at least
three hundred men, well armed, now ready
to re ceive them on the part of our city. 1t
is supposed that they contemplate an assault
upon several Of the citizens, including my.
self and the Democratic press in this city
the Kansas Territorial Register. Sentinels
are posted in every part of the town and in
every corner, with signal. have heard
fse5eral persons say they would shoot Hughes
he was shot at last night by a man who was
passing by, who saw him watching for Phil
lips, bu. missed. The people are determined
not 10 be disturbed by him and his associates
much longer, and finding that the Judge side.
in with those ruffians, having one OF then
for clerk, have concluded to take the law in
, to their own hands; this Hughes was captain
Of the band Of ruffians who mobbed Phillips
and unless he leaves this town very soon
some daring hand will certainly drop him in
to h-ll. Matters are progressing toward
the formation of State Constitutipn-mem
bers OF the Convention will be elected or
the second Tuesday of next month, and we
meet in convention on the oath OF the same
month, so as to submit it to the people be-
fore session of Congress.
. e, Inc pOltlcal aspect Is Iast changing. M
people almost universally repudiate the laws
passed by the late Legislature. All resrect
able persons appointed by that body to office
are resigning.
The cocks are Growing, and have hearc
no shot fired. The city never was so still a.
ii is tonight hope shall never agair
have occasion to alude to such a night al
this I helieya that tho nresent demopetro
tion will have good effect upon ruffians
both here and across the river. l rathe
guess they will not think it prudent to pa,
US another visit from Missouri. e..
Yours truly, COLE McCREA.
To THos. RATTRAY, Esq, Dubuque, Iowa