The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-06-19
COUNCIL BLUFFS

co
gin to that important trial; the grave ques
tions OF law evolved in its adjudication
will render its perusal deeply interesting t,
your readers, and minute scanning of tn
evidence will induce proper appreciation
OF the admirable tnesse with which the Col
onel managed his defence.
'"e '@'ss e. y "'e' In III. Kangaroo Court,
Col. Greenberyy, Caught mp Term, A. D., ,ss
The special jurors, jovial sons of Momus
swide awake and duly sober,' upon theil
oatns, present that to.wit: on the seth da,
OF September, 1858, Col. Greenberry, butch.
er late of Kentucky, and former friend ol
Major John J. wilkins, of the city of Au.
gusta, in the State of Georgia, did, with
force of arms, willfully, and with malice
forethough ght and intent felonious, aid, abet,
aggon and encourage, two certain 'bloods,
in said town of Maco, to fight with murder.
GUS weapons, duel, to the great horror Of
the 'colored population the sport of the
wicked, and against the peace and dignity
of the said goodly village of Maco.
DENETRIUs DHFENDAFFER, Foreman.
above indictment, the defendant arose, and
with an aspect stern, and in voice of thun-
der, exclaimed: 'It's all id lie, you are
tryin' to make q prostitute Of my charac-
ter! Pm freeman, Pill The Sheriff
interposed, ard quieted the prisoner. When
the Court constituting the language as a plea
OF s'not guilty. declared the case open for
trial.
The defendant being informed by the
Court that the law allowed him, previous
to the introduction of the testimony, to make
a statement of the facts, said. Permit me
to observe that ar fotched up and accus-
ed of crime which are no crime in this land
of liberty. are as innocent of crime
as this reverend Court war when a
sucking pulling baby as its mammy's bu-
zom. Of what ar accused, sir? Tell me
whar I've violated the law? Have tried
to alterate the Constitution? Or to bust
into hellsplinteration that liberty my father
bled, and died for. Yes, sir, my father fit
and bled and died for liberty, before the
egg which Matched the American eagle was
sot on by the first Congress that ever sot.-
Yes, sir, before that proud bird, which now
spreads his wings from pole to pole, and
clutches in his independent claws of con-
stitutional liberty, glittering crowns from ty-
rants and kings, and hurls them to hell in
the bottom of the Massippi, was pen
feather SQUAD fed upon the crumps of patri-
otism, which fell from the tabil of General
Washington.
eternal bird! forever may you sail,
Spread wide your wings, you will not bust your ta!'
These are the language of my distinguish
ed friend, Gen. J. c. Calhoun, of the State
of South Carolina, the great American poet.
1t are my motto, and this are me! and that
(pointing to the leading Counsel for the
prosecution) are the young upstart with
sarpindicular collar from Massippi, perse-
cutin' me for an unconstitutional crime
He are no more to be compared to me, than
the crispated feathers of frizzly pullet to
the grandifastic plumage of the lordly shang-
hal. He are seekin' to make prostitute
of my character, and as my friend Major
John J. wilkins, of the city of Augusta, in
the State Of Georgia, once told me his friend
Jakespur told him,
Gle who steals my purse steals trash;
But he who steals my character
Steals that shall do him no good nor me, either"
If this are the land of liberty, allow me
to observe, sir, hain't l got the right to count
'one, two, three,' for gents who wish to
fight upon the hig and honorable principles
of duelllng? Sir, have; and it's oncon-
stitutional to say | can't. Whars the free
man that'll say shan't? If l shan't, whars
UenefGSr JuiSRsd8- Tout lke 1htifN GtentT baft
tle Of Waterloo? Whar is the liberty my
friend General Taylor, rid down old Whitley
for, when he fout the yaller bellied Mexi-
cans at the battle of Bunker Hill? DON'T
the Constitution say, sir; 'this is the land OF
the free and the home of the brave?' Don't
the Declaration of independence say, 'Hail,
Columbia, happy land?' Yes sir, l ar a
freeman, and l will be free in spite of your
unconstitutional Sons of Temperance, and
Lone Star Societies, that tries to put crowns
of glory on mems heads in this land of lib
erty. { A voice from the crowd, 'Did you
ever have the staff of honor in your hands?'
Yes sir, thank you; excuse me, sir, but
reckon made the cussed thing bounce or
your pates when see you was tryin' te
make burlesque of my character. Thus
sir, Eve showed you that ar patriot
When came to the State of Kentucky,
fotched bull that was imported by thu
| King of Ireland from the Cannibal Islands
and when left Kentucky for this country
| fotched one of his calves, now a fine foul
year old; but to make high and honora
BILE defence afore this reverend Court,
have been compelled to mortgage him to m.
lawyer, Col. G. Now sir, this ar state
ment Of the case, Pm all right, sir; know
what the law ar sir, come to your country
sir. Permit me to observe, sir'-(Here tn
Colonel, overpowered by his feelings, tool
his seat amid tremendous checring.)
| First witness introduced by the State be-
ing duly sworn, said: About two week
ago, Col. Greenberry came to his house
and told him the boys would fight, and tha
he wanted gun powder and bullets. IL
furnished them. Was requested by the Col
to load, which he proceeded to do. Tn
Col. insisted on Is bucks shot. He (wit
messy wanted to put in IA. The Col. urge
that Major John j. wilkins, of the city o
Augusta, of the State of Ca, had ofte'
told him that Is was the proper number
He finally agreed to Is, and counted them
and dropped them in, while the Col. hat
turned his back, and was deeply intereste'
in a conversation about the high and honor
able principles of duelling. (The witnes
did not say whether.he dropped them in tn
gun or his pocket.) The witness went witt
the Col. to the place where the duel wa
fought. The Col. placed the combatant
30 steps apart, and assured them they mus
fire at the word three according to tn
high and honorable principles of duelling
The Colonel then proceeded. Tom ralse'
his gun, and was about to FIRE at the wor'
stwo,' when the Colonel snatched loade'
pistol from his pocket, and told him, if h
dared to raise his gun before the wor'
sthree,' he would shoot him down; for Ma
ior John J. wilkins had often told him tn
second had right to do so. That Ton
seemed very much frightened at this act
and lodged and halloed out, "Stop, stop
for Gods sake, Col. I'll fight according t
the high and honorable principles as lai
down by Major John J. wilkins, of tn
State of Georgia, or any body else.' Tn
parties then fred at the word sthree,' an
the Sheriff coming up, all hands vamosed.
Cross -examined.-'Where did the defen
dant go?' 80.
black coat.tail, as it disappeared behind
BANK
Cross examined by Defendant.--'Did nc