Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-10-26
A Florida Case.
CALVIN l.. ROBINSON VS.. ETHELRED
WOODWARD.


pears is now before the Supreme Court OF
New York, in New York city, where the
defendant now resides and as we have
many readers who will feel interested in
the case we copy the report entire, as fol-
lows:
TREATMENT OF UNION MEN DURING THE
REBELLION IN FLORIDA.
The plaintiff charges that on the 10th
of March, 1862, company, or association
of men, hostile to the United States, and
in interest of the Rebellion, existed in
Jacksonville, Florida, among whom was
the defendant, who was engaged in the
prosecution Of loyal Union men, aud were
threatening violence to them unless they
left. The gang was called Woodward's
gang" or " Sadler's gang" The plaintiff
received notice several times prior to the
10th of March that he was considered
an enemy to the South. that his property
would be oonfscated and destroyed, and
that be would be taken care Of" That on
or about March 10, 1862, band of Rebel
troops, about 500 in number came to Jack
sonville, having orders from the Confede-
rate authorities to burn certain saw mills
there" Woodwards Tor" Sadler's y gang,
with Woodward and the Sadlers on the
| 9th of March, left Jacksonville and joined
the band of Rebel troops, and returned
with them, though not in the Confederate
service themselves. The troops, re-en-
forced by this gang, passed the plaintiffs
store, when he heard from some one of the
gang the words: "There goes Robinson,
God d--n him." and other threatening
words were used By them. On the eve
ming of that day the said mills were fired
by The Confederate troops, and during the
evening the gang separated itself from the
troops, and without any orders from any
Confederate authority, proceeded TO burn
on its own responsibility the property of
the citizens. Under the leadership of
Woodward they proceeded TO the " Judson
House." and set on fire buildings adjoining
| it, Woodward personally participating in
the business, and setting on fire with his
own hands one or more buildings as plain
tiff is informed, and the hotel also was
destroyed by fire. The gang then came
to plaintiffs store-buildings, as he is in
formed, Woodward and Sadler being
among them, and broke into his store and
pillaged it; and, as he is informed, Wood
ward, with his own hand, set fire to plain
tif's store and buildings, and has since re-
peatedly acknowledged that he did so, and
, boosted Of it. The store and goods were
| entirely consumed.
r Plaintiff was advised by his friends that
it would not be safe for him or his family
, to remain in the city, and that his store
was to be burned when the gang came
there, but did not act upon the suggestion
until after he heard the threatening Ian
guage mentioned above, when feeling that
it was no longer safe to remain there, he
took his wife and two little children and
left the city, crossing the River St. John,
and took refuge in the bushes, on the side
opposite from the city. and from that po-
siiion he saw the flames as they began to
arise from his store, and saw the confagra-
ton by which said store and its contents
were destroyed, and also heard the report
of some 16 shots, fired, as he understood
and believes, at his clerks as they were es-
Gaping from his store. He remained in
the bushes with his family the succeeding
night, and they were the next day picked
up by the United States gunboats coming
up the river, bringing the United States
: troops, who thereupon occupied the town.
: The value of the property destroyed is
alleged to have been $4,000. The plain
tiff also alleges that Woodward was a
gambler, but is now a resident of this city,
and has male great deal of money in
7 the purchase Of cotton and of goods sold
r in different departments Of the South, by
the United States military authority since
e the close of the war.
5 These statements are embodied in the
plaintiffs affidavit, and there is also an af
# iidayit of E. Sneders. a Waterman, to th,
e effect that Woodward led the gang to the
: store, and that one Edward Westlield fired
IS the warehouse aud Woodward himself the
d store.
Ga this affidavit the Court granted ar
n order of arrest, holding Woodward tc
Ia $4,000 bail.
Is The defendant now moves for the dis.
= charge Of the order of arrest, or at leas
for the reduction of bail. His own affida
II Wit denies that he was ever gambler. O,
il that he was connected with any gang call
10 ed the " Woodward or "Sadler gang
he or had any knowledge of any plan to burn
d or plumber Jacksonville until two or tire,
ID hours prior TO the attack on it: that h,
had been for three months at Fernandin,