Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1860-01-07
clarke County Court.

The State. &C.. &c.
Negro man Jerry. belonging TO Col.
Francis Mccormick, was tried on Tues
day, the 9th uli., before the County
Court of Clarke sitting as a Court Of Over
and Terminer, on a charge OF plotting and
censpiring with slaves To rebel and make
/ insuHeclon.
Counsel for The prosecution, Prov. Me-
Cormick. Esq /, Commonwealth AIloT-
lney, assisted b. Andrew Hunter, Esq
For The defence. p. Williams, Esq.
The DULY evidence against him was
tina, Of his own confessions. The pris-
oner, with another negro man, was al
work IN his masters field, when the wit
ness, white man, who was stranger to
them, happened TO pass that way. En-
iering into conversation with the negroes,
at frs. without any particular motive, he
enquired who was their master, where he
was. how many negroes he bad, and how
many colored men These questions
were answered with so much slscrIiy by
the man Jerry. who seemed so willing TO
communicate the facts. that the white man
became suspicious, and finally asked him
what he ihought of the YArper's Ferry al
fair ? Jerry replied that he was glad 10
hear of it. why were you not there g
asked the witness. "Becanse did not
know exactly when TO GO" was The re.
rly. would you have gone if you had
known % "Yes. aud have four sons
tina, would have followed me. ] would
be ready at any time" And then, turning
TO The other negro. he added, "would not
you 90, TOO p TO this the other negro
assenled. and asked the witness if he was
one of Brown en,which being answer
ed in The affirmative, YES" added Jer-
nv. "le is going abont letting us know.
He then told the witness where he would
find other negroes TO talk with on the sub
iect. stating tina. the patrol was ont and
would not lie, them Qhe negToes) 60 from
one place 10 another without pass. tie
said there had been some burnlngs since
the patrol commenced, and ihst"we viii
keep on burning until they are stopped
Abont ten DAYS afterwards, the same
witness went back for the purpose OF ellcI-
ting more facts from the prisoner tie
was gladly received by Jerry, who re.
cognlzed him, and told him that there had
been more burnings since he lssiss" him,
stating that The patrol had not been out
tina, week. and that he and others had
made plot the night before TO burn The
house of Dan'I. ii. Sewers in the dark OF
the moon. At that juncture Mr.. Alfred
Castleman appeared in sight. passing
along the road, and jerry commenced abu-
sing him most violently 10 the witness,
stating tha, he intended to burn him out
himself, that lie had been 10 BerryvlIe the
Sunday before TO get matches, but could
moi gel any. IT was proved by another
witness that Jerry was IN BerryvlIle the
previous Sunday.) They were then JOIN
ed by the other negro, Joe, and the CON
verss,ion turned upon John Brown. then
in jail under sentence of death, and the
possibility of rescning hlm-Joe remark
ing tina, he had heard that 80 army was
comirg on to take him ous Of jail, land il
we Join ,hem We can take him out" to-
winch the prisoner Jerry asstnted. pro-
yidrd they could stop the patrol so they
could get about.
The Court, composed Of FIVE Msgis-
lrales, after hearing able arguments from
both sides. and duly considering the evI'
dence and arguments, unanimously found
the prisoner guilty of plotting and con
spring to exci'e slaves to rebel and make
instruction, and appointed Friday, the
nth day of February nerf, for his exc.
cution; a, the same time strongly recon-
mending him 10 The mercy OF the Execu-
tive.
Mr.. ChambIin. the witness in this case,
deserves The thanks of the community tor
having, al his own peril, (erre'ad out this
conspiracy. Like many others who have
been most true TO Virginia in her hour oil
trial he is a non stakeholder.
Joe the other slave Of Col. McC. above
referred to. was ordered to be sold out OF
The Slate.-BerryUiHe ConserUatOr.
Mason's and Dixon's Line.
On the 4th of August, 1863, Thomas
and Richard Penn and Lord Baltimore be-
ing together 10 London, agreed with Chss.
Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, two maihe-
ms,icisns or surveyors, TO mark. run out,
settle and fix HE boundary line between
Mary land on the one hand, and Delaware
and Pennsylvania on the other. Mason
aud Dixon landed in Philadelphia on The
18th of November following, and began
their work al once. Tie adopted the pen
insulsr lines. aud the radius and tangent
poin, OF the circular. of their predecessors.
III NJ .ka rnrih aaaiern