Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-05
Superior C0urt-Criminal Term.
JUDGE ROCKWELL PRESIDING.
The Libel Case Cnniinned.


niger; if you do l will knock you out of the
door and roll you in the dirt; l have not
drop of Niger blood in me; | am going south
to fight for the Union; if you are a secession
list go down there where you belong; | should
like to meet you there" Hilton had then en-
| listed or was about to do so.
James l.. Graves-lives in FsIdale; has
belonged to the 2lst Massachusetts regiment,
received his discharge about a wear AFRO
knew Charles was in his store in January
! last to get bill changed; heard Charles saw
! Gen. Butler had taken everything he could
| lay his hands on; that the south had lust as
| good right to take what it could get as Gen.
| Butler. In December heard Mr. Charles saw
IN his store, while Mr.. Avery, wounded sol
| der, was pa sing in the street, ''rhere goes
one of the id rough-scutIs, or scallowag
cripples" Heard Avery say to Charles at
| Parker's Hotel in Sturbridge, in January last,
Il understand that you are going to put me
through Charles replied, Il told you not to
! speak to me again; | told you if you came
| into my store | would kick you out;' heard
| Charles say we had no government; that the
south had accomplished their object; that we
| had done nothing that none but rough Scuffs
had gone to the war as soldiers.
Nelson Bennett of Sturbrdge said Mr.
Charles had uniformly opposed every PROPOSE
ton to pay bounties to soldiers or render aid
to families of volunteers; heard him call the
war an abolition and niger war; heard him
| say that the government was broken up On
being cross-examined, witness said: ''Chares
means what he says, unless he says it is lie,
and then believe it." Are on friendly terms
with Mr.. Charles; never furnished informa-
| ton respecting Mr.. Charles to the editor of
the journal.
Emerson johnson was one of the school
committee of Slurbrdge; has a son in the
war Mr.. Charles opposed, in town meeting
where he was present, the raising of money
! to aid the families Of volunteers; heard him
| speak in opposition to men enlIsting for the
war; said it was unnecessary, and there never
would be a gun fired north of Mason and
! DiXons line; all the south wanted was to be
| let alone; that some of the soldiers went to
| the war on pecuniary considerations, because
| they could earn more than at home. Had
| heard Charles frequently express his opinion
| in favor of monarchical form of govern
ment.
Arson Williams of Sturbridye had heard
Charles discuss the war frequently with vari-
Gus persons. Heard him say to Ore Parker.
"A part of your company have enlisted and
gone"-meaning, as he said horse jockeys.
Charles said our officers were composed of
blacklegs thieves, robbers and horse Jockeys
| just like you. Parker replied, ''If you mean
me, will put my potatoes down and stop
with you" Charles said to B. S. Chase, in
reference to raising money, that it was id
smart lot of men, to raise money by subscrip-
ton and then call on the towns. lie has al
ways opposed the war in his conversations;
| heard bin call it a niger and abolition war;
| he has always opposed persons advocating the
war; heard him say the town would be good
deal better off if some of the soldiers never
came back
George l.. Avery of turbridge-Belongs
to the 10th Massachusetts regiment; was
wounded in the battle of Antetam, in the foot,
by Mimic ball passing through it; has been
around the village on crutches had a CONVEX
sation with Mr.. Charles in the tavern; went
into Parker'S hotel by the east door; Charles
was sitting by the stove talking with gentle
man; Charles said, ''rhere comes one of
those id cripples." | asked, ''Do you
mean me-? Il mean any of them," said Mr..
Charles. The person talking with Charles
commenced taking off his cout, and said to
him, ''Dont let me hear you say anything of
that kind" Charles called on Avery at his
house, to see him in reference to the article
in the paper.
George l.. Marsh of Sturbridge has been in
| ltit lOlIl MASSACHUSETTS regiment. was DIS
charged Oct. 2Sth last on account of sick
ness; was in hospitals at Washington and
Portsmouth Grove; is acquainted with Tru-
man Charles and George l.. Avery; was
present in the bar-room Of Parker's hotel with
them when the occurrence above narrated
took place; Charles was sitting by the stove;
Avery came in and Charles said There
comes one OF those id cripples'' 'Do you
mean me?' said Avery. Il mean any of
them," said Charles A gentleman sitting by
Mr.. Charles got up and began to take off his
coat, and said "Don't you let me hear you
say anything Of that kind Charles got up
and went out of the door; | spoke to Avery,
but he paid no attention: have told the story
to several persons, and to Avery; Charles
once asked me if the officers didn't use the
soldiers a ID sight meaner than nggers
and said also they ought to, for they are
meaner than niggers.
Cross examination by Mr.. Aldrich-This
last conversation took place in Charles store
thought Mr.. johnson or Mr. Skerry were
present; it was in the forenoon; had Just
bought something, don't recollect what, of
Mr.. Charles; sometimes have epileptic fits
which do not, as | know, affect my recolec-
ton; there were anywhere from four to
twelve in the barroom at Parkers hotel at
the time above stated; more than four; Mr.
Williams was present; did not see Mr.. Par
ker; came in just as Avery did; Charles was
there; | spoke to him; Charles was nearest
Avery; thought the man who took Oft his
coat was a railroad man; have not talked the
matter over with Avery but once since the
paper came out: have not met him to have
conversation with him since this affair; | was
always used well by my officers; could not
tell who were present when Charles asked me
if the officers used the soldiers meaner than
niggers; he was talkingin an ordinary tone of
voice.
Joseph Burrows OF Sturbridge, has heard
Charles talk about the war a very little; he
asked me once how my grandson was; | told
him he had enlsted Charles said it was rath-
er a bad army and rather a bad thing; he
said the soldiers were fighting for the mig
gers, that our folks would get enough of it;
this said in his store; | was trading with
him at the time and have traded with him
since; do most of my trading there.
Horace f. Chase of Sturbrdge has heard
Charles say this was Il Niger war, and that
all that had gone to it were the rough scuffs
and nothing more than thieves and robbers;
have heard him say that the north had better
attend to its own affairs that the south had a
perfect right to be set off that we were fight
ing for the id niggers cannot remember
all that | have heard him him say.
Cross examination by Mr. Adrich-When
the above expressions were made by MIR.
Charles we were standing in the road in front
of Mr.. Green's house; | met him and spoke
To hft,aiT md 10, f.,n