The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-11-24
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I
Judge, q Tri al, or q Jury--HoW the
"Chlvalry" Treat their Prisoners
Shooting Of the Prisoner ThOmp-
son.
The testimony Of Horny Hunter, one
of the party of men who took the pris-
ouor Thompson out Of the parlor Of the
| Wager House, and killed him on the
railroad bridge, was not fully reported
in our tolegraphic dispatch. We there
fore subjoin a verbatim report, premis-
ing that the witness, a very intelligent
young gentleman, apparently about p
years Of age, is the son of Andrew Hun
ter, who conducts the prosecution.
Mr.. Bolts, counsel for the prisoner
Brown, having proposed to introduce
testimony as to tho killing of Thompson,
Mr.. Hunter, the prosecuting officer, OBJ
iected that it was irrelevant, and in
tended by Brown for outdoor effect,
He added however, that if it we're shown
that Brown was informed Of this Kill
ling, and still continued to exercise for
bearauce towards the prisoners and the
citizens, he would not object.
Mr.. Green, counsel for defense, con-
tended that they had tho right to infer
that Brown had been made aware oft,
as it was already proved that commu-
nications passed between him and the
citizens several times after the killing
of Thompson
Judge Parker decided that the whole
transactions Of that day constituted a
part Of tho res gcSiU, and might be in
quired into
Henry Hunter oallod-Examined by
counsel for defense.
O. Did you witness the death Of this
Thompson?
A. 1 witnessed the death Of one
whose name I have been informed was
Thompson.
O. The one who was prisoner?
A. Yes, sir.
O. Well, sir, what we're the circum-
stances attending it?
A. Do you wish my own connection
with it, or simply description of the
circumstances 1 mention the
names
Mr.. Andrew Hunter-Every bit of
it, Henry; state all you saw.
Witucss-Thero was a prisoner con-
fined in the parlor Of the hotel, and af-
ter Mr.. Beckham's death, he was shot
down by a number Of US there, belong
ing to the sharp-shooting band.
Mr.. Andrew Hunter-Will you al
low him to state, before proceeding
further, how he was connected with Mr..
| Beckham?
Mr.. Groen-Certaiuly, sir.
Wituess-He was my grand uncle
and my special friend-a man loved
above all others; after he was killed, Mr..
Chambers and myself moved forward to
the hotel for the purpose Of taking the
prisoner out and hanging him; VIC wore
Joined by a number of other persons,
who cheered US on in that work; We
went up into his room whore he was
bound, with the undoubted and undis-
guised purpose Of taking his life; at the
door zee lOere stopped by persons guard
ing the door, l1hO demonstrated 10uh as,
and tie eEciicmeat l0as so great that per-
sons aghO demonstrated DHh rs one mo.
nbent would cheer rs OF the neat we
] UuloL lALO LAg rum hAelG Ae "ooy al IA
found several around him, but they of.
fered only a feeble resistance; we
brought our guns down to his head
repeatedly, myselfaud another person,
for the purpose Of shooting him in the
room.
There was a young lady there, the
sister of Mr.. Fouke, the hotel keeper,
who sat in this mans lap, covered his
face with her armes, and shielded him
whenever we brought our guns to bear;
sho said to us, "For Gods sake wait
and let the law take its course" my
associate shouted TO kill him; "Lot us
shed his boodl' were his words; all
around were shouting, "Mr. Beckham S
life was worth ten thousand Of these
vile adbolitionists;' / was cool about it,
and deliberate; my gun was pushed up by
some one who seized the barrel, and l
then moved to one side, still with pur-
pose unchanged, but with a view to d.
vert attention from me, in order TO get
an opportunity, at some moment when
the crowd would be less dense, to shoot
him; after a moments thought, it occur
red to me that that was not the proper
place to kin him; we then proposed to
take him out and hang him; some Of
our baud tohn opened a way to him,
and FIRST pushing Miss Fouko aside, we
flung him out of DOORS 1 gave him a
push aud many others did the same
we then showed him along the platform
and down to the trestle-work of the
bridge, he begging for his life all the
time, very piteously at FIRST.
By-the-by, before we took him out Of
the room asked the question what he
came here for; he said their only pur
pose was to free the slaves-that b,
came here TO free the slaves or die
, Thou he begged "Dont take my life
a prisoners" but 1 put the gun to him
, and he said, "You may kill me, but il
) will be revenged; there are eighty thou
, sand persons sworn to carry on thi
d work" That was his last expression
1--WE bore him out on the bridge with th