The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-11-18
Cokcsbury, Nov. II, 1879.
TRIAL OF TUE IEsuEREcrroN.sTs

NnAEtisToWE, Novrmh2r S.
'he attencance Mt our court to dav was quite
'nrsr' drawn 10y the anmonnccuncnL that .he
case q Capt. Couk w.n!.l tc tc,;.a m
AT, halfrns. 6s o'clock, the prisoner wac
brought into>couttly the jaiior and couple
ot deputies, accompanied by Gov, W:T,r,,
aud Mr.. Crowley, Lro:hcrsin law, Thn ,r
pearance OF the prisoner is rather prenn. ses
sing. lie is about &c years of uce. ho. T,,Lt
hair and remarkably fair comrlcxi"n, and
were II NOT ti9s ne IS quite; round shoudered
would he considered handsome. His cours.,s
Attorncy-Cenoral Mcdonald, District tttnrnnr
oorhees' OF Indiana, and Nlessrs. Bolts and
"reen' were seatcd in front, and communicated
WIN nm constantly during the entire duy.
before the clerk commenced the Sead,n,. O,
The Indictment, Mr. Green slatrl ,hasfithe rri.
soner would not plead to The inGic:meHt nm, i
alter counsel had been heard. as they wished
TO enter demurrer against the finding of tI,,
Grand Jury, on the first count, whicl, referred
to the act of treasou.
hlr. EottstheT commenced the argument for
the prisoner against the first count Of the in
dictinent. which he claimcl was not wo..l.,.
according to the requirements of the common
law nrnciicen The question was further ar
Sued by Messrs. Hunter and Harding for IA,
prosecution. and Mr. Green for the defence.
and was finally decided by the Judge to the
effect That the indictment was correct. neeor.
ding 10 tla statuary provision Of the Viryinin
code
The same QUESTIONS propounded to the Jury
IN the case OF Brown were put to the jury, and
but little difficulty was experienced II th.
selection, a. but few had expressed an opinion
which, would prevent their giving the prisoner
fnirsahd impartial trial rhasinry i, com.
posed mainly of farmers, and is possessed of II
fair state of intelligence.
After the jury had been sworn, the prisoner
was directed to stand up, and the indictment
was again read, aud the question propoun.lsd
by the clerk, guilty. The prisoner responded
shot guilty as TO the first count, charging him
.svith treason. and guilty as to the second and
third count in the Indictment charging him
with copspiriug with slaves to rebel and mur.
der.
Mr. Green, for the defence. stated the grounds
on Which the prisoner plead not guilty to the
hrst count The prisoner admitted the fact of
eonspirinS with slaves to rebel, which was ru-
nlshable with death or imprisonment for life.
Dir Green spoke Tor some time, and was listened
to with much at.cntoa.
Mr. Hunter followed and stated he held in
his hand confession written by. John l., Cook,
which he proceeded TO read. Tho confession
covers some twenty Fl ve.pnses of mnnuseript..
and is written in Il smooth style Nothing
new is eicited, excepting the fact that lie i'm.
piicated Fred. Dougiass and DR.. Howe with
the affair. The confession will not be published
in the papers, as it will be printed in pamphlet
form: The rsading of the con fcssion was lis
tened to with MUCH attcn ton by crowded
court room, aud the comments on it were va
rious.
Agreat effort will be made by the defence
to save the prisoner from hanging and fenrs
are entertained by many that the effort will be
successful. The outside feeling agains, the
accused is very great.-Cor. Baltimore Aneri-
eau.