New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-11

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respectable and influential citizens OF Augusta.
1Ae advice was taken, and Col Cumming apvhed
b. He called that evening, and, after listening 70
Mr.. Cranxale's statcment to his honor DO it
mia, consented to defend the case.
\ An this time. il should be remembered, the pris-
sner was held under no legal process, but, though
esnpea in the City Prison, ndv;sted by the officers
Of the law, was simply In the custody Of the vigi-
Once Committee. The next morning he was or
aered into court, and on his way thither was ar
rested at the suit of the State on charge of en-
deavoring to incite an insurrectiOn among the
slaves and was srraigued before Justices DIN and
Piquet The statute of the State which provides
the penalty of death for The crime with which the
prisoner was charged wss read, when Col. Cum
ming moved that the case be carried to the Superior
Coart, which would sat the latter part Of January
and that the prisoner be remsnded to take his TRIAL
nj that time He gave as his reasons for this mo-
sos that the present trial was held in fact, BY the
Yisilanee Committee, who alone constituted the
suaiepce, and who would hang the accused then and
Ihere, If the ibghtest shadow of suspicion could at
taeh to him. Mr.. CraDgale himself, however,
arose and opposed this motion. Strong in his own
Innocence, be wished the trial to proceed, and did
net fear the result The witnesses were then called
and examined. They were Charles MCalla John
ESI., Allen Dsvy, Thomas I. FOgarty,
and james Hughes, the bar.keeper OF
ne United States Hotel. Their evidence,
however, was only bearsay. Not one # them knew
anything, of his own knowledge, of 'he prisoner;
net ore of them bad ever heard him utter single
Abolition opinion, or any opinion whatever upon toe
sebjtet Of Slavery, and none Of them knew anything
sAeut him, good. bad, or Indifferent. The only
evidence of any moment was that of Hughes, who
testified, on q cross-examination, that Andrew
Gray bad pointed out the prisoner to HIN as an
Abeh6onist; and that of Nelly, who Acknowledged
tAst he had agreed and proposed that the prisoner
lAesld be hanged without the formalty Of trial at
he time Of his arrest, upon the lamp-pOst opposite
sAe United States Hotel This admission passed
even without resuke from the Court. But the
Court was more vigilant when Hughes admitted
Nat Gray had pointed cut the prisoner to hum as an
AbehtioDst, and ruled out the evidence on the
ground that the trade Of Augusta with the North
weuId be injured should it become known that such
was their method of dealing with creditors. After
the witnesses had been examined, Col Cum
ming addressed the Court in speech,
evidently so fearless az to have exercised
strong influence over the minds Of the Court and
sadience, and marked by degree OfsOund common
sense hitherto unheard of under such circumstances.
He denounced these Vigilance Committees as self
made tribunals, constituting themselves as at once
\ IL ankr. "a NV m GhQ
motive than determination to deneunce al North
smn nenof property Aboltionists, for the purpose
a running them and dividing the spoIs among them
selves. The statute Of Georgia providing the pen
atty Of death for meeting the slaves to insurrec-
hon, he said, On the other hand, though severe,
was none too much 1t beh0Oved the South to keep
both its eyes and ears open to protect their property
against Dcendiaries. But the Innocent be declared
sAosd not be accused and subjected to persecution
Nadsr the effect Of this speech, add as no title Of
evidence could be produced against Mr.. Crangale,
TIE Court had but one course to pursue, and the
prisoner was acquitted. He was nevertheless con-
aenDed to pay the costs of prosecution, the fees of
the Vigilance Committee, who had arrested him
without legal process, and the cost Of the
imprisonment which he had been compelled
to suffer, and was remauded to jail tall pay.
Eent was made. On arriving at the hotel
his coat and valse, which the Committee had taken
frsm him, were produced, but the pocketbook
containing nearly hundred dollars, and which be
had left in the eOatpocket, was lot to be found.
AGAIN he was taken to the Court, where be stated
the circumstances to Justice 0lin. But that gen.
tleman refused to believe him. al have, he said,
to the prisoner, Z" acquitted you simply for want of
"eySence; but still believe you are an Abolition
s'ist, God id Abohhonist and you had better
s'cODfess it. You are" he continued, "a fool,
"God id fosl. Have not your friends told
"ySu sol DOyOu not know it YOURSELF" He then
ordered him to open bis valse declaring that If any
thing was found in it to convict him, there were
enough Of the "bOys" present to string him up.
The prisoner at first refused TO obey this order.
The valise and the keys, be SAID had been out ohis
possession for two days; he did not know what
might hare been put in the vslse, and he did not
choose to take the chance Of being hanged
On such contingency. On the threats beng
rspeased. however he consen ed to open
the vshse, which fortunately had not been tam
persd With, and where nothing was found but his
clothing and some papers relative to the debt
which be had come 10 Augusta TO collect Word
was then sent 10 Col SDeed, the President Of the
Vigilance Committee, of the inability Of the prison
or 70 discharge the bill of costs and to demand its
payment Of him. &c the representative of the party
making the arrest. Col. Sneed refused. The
Mayor was then sought for to make the same de-