The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-03-30
Tho LoydsviIle Mob.

The case of the Loydsyille mobites was
tried in Guernsey County, on Wednesday
the 18th inst. The Jsfsrsoniaa says:
",During the present term of the Com
mon Pleas, the celebrated Eoydsviile Case
was tried. This was an Indictment found
in the Court Of Common Pleas of Bel.
mont county, at the term held last fall, in
which it is charged that Alfred Nichols,
j ohm Estep and fourteen other abolition
lists, on the End of July last, in Loyds-l
Vile, fred swivel at the omnibus of
John, Il. Simpson, which was filed with
lpeople-all Democrats, who were return
| ing to Morristown from st. Clairsvilie,
where they had attended a Vallandigham
meeting. 1t was also charged that the
same DEFENDANTS at the same time and
place, shot Mr.. Simpson in the arm,
either with rife or pistol At the
same term of the Belmont court, the
Judge ordered that the trial should be
changed from that county to this.
That the FIRST effense was given By
Nichols, seems to be very clear. AS the
omnibus was passing through Loydsville
in the morning, he applied the most in
|sulting language to the persons occupy
ling it, calling them d-d traitors and
everything that is vile; and for all this he
had not the slightest provocation or ex.
cuse. Simpson and. some of his asso
ciates returned, and used languags-espe-
ciaIly towards the females who neediessly
Iinterfered in the dificulty-of which they
ought to be aud are no doubt ashamed,
But what excuse did that afford for the
murderous assault that was made upon
them in the evening?
!. 1t seems that as the omh bus was re-
turning in the evening, Nichols secreted
his associates about his premises. They
were armed with rifles, shot guns and
pis, OILS, and large swivel, loaded with
slugs, wa. planted near the house. AL
this was done under the false and hypo-
. critical pretence of self-defence. The
+ omnibus was crowded with persons, ens
of them little child less than two year.
told, and all of them were passing through
the tawn in very orderly maaner, though
occasionally cheering for Vallandigham
i.or had they any intention to stop or dis
turb any one. But after the omnibus
had parsed Nichols horse, and while il
4 was yet in motion, the swivel was aimed
j at it and fired, and in a very few minutes
ore of Nichols associates fired a rifle OF
pistol, The ball of which inflicted a severe
aud painf.l wound on Simpsons arm.
We are aware that it was claimed thai
the omnibus had stopped when the swivel
4 was fired; that two or three persons had
got down from it to the street; that the
swivel was not loaded with anything de-
structive; that it was not aimed at the
omnibus; that it was only fred as a signai
to the persons to come from their hiding
places and defend Nichols; that the shot
which Simpson received was fired not by
the enemie s-but his friends, and that all
that was done was merely in self-defense,
But this part of the case had NO satisfac-
tory fonndationin the evidence, and was
manufactured by the partisan advocates o.
the defend tits. -. .s. i.
The public will. be surprised to learn
that With this streng array of facts. there
! was not erensa verdict that the defendants
we're guilty Of an assault, although il
seemed to be conceded that even pointing
at another, in a snenacing manner, gun
/ apparently loaded but not loaded in fact,
was an assault. But in truth there was
not Democrat On the jury, or rather
there was, one, but the defendants, deter
mined that there should be no possible
obstruction to an aequittal. challenged
him, and of course the Sheriff filed the
box with ano her abvlitionist We do not
charge that this jury vas wilfully corrupt
but We say thatno nnprejudiced man could
have returned that verdict.