The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-02-09
rRIAL BEFORE MILITARY COMMISSION
SIXTEENTH DAY.


F. G. STowEEs, and his Counsel, Hon. AE,nsTEAr
BURT and Gen. JAMES CoNNEH.
The proceedings of Monday last were read by
the Judge Advocate.
Lieut.. JOHNSON, LIST Maine Battalion, was intro
duced by the Judge Advocate, as tho Grst witness
in reply; and aftor being duly sworn, testified as
follows:
Questioned by the Judge Advocate.
Question 1.-What is your name and age! are
you in the service of the United States If 3d.
what is your rank, regiment, and dutyT
Answer.-Hannibal A. johnson; "a years OF age
1st Lieut.. Co. D, list Maine Battalion, acting Ad-
jutant.
2. Upon what duty and at what place we're you
at or about October 9Th, 1865?
A. I was Acting Assistant Adjutant General Sd
Sub-District, Western South Carolina:
8. Was Anderson District included in the Sd
Sub District?
A. Yes.
4. Who commanded the Sd Sub-District at that
timer
A. Capt. Barrows was in temporary command,
Col. Brown being absent.
5. We're you sent OH any duty connected With
the arrest of tho accused, T. G. Showers? If so, on
what duty?
A. was sent by Capt. Barrows to arrest F. G..
Showers.
6. Had you any party with you? il yea, of how '
many QlQ SUCH party COuSlsI1 ctuto thSAA A"An3
and who commanded the party.
A. 7 started from Anderson G. Fl. with 8 men /;
Sergt. J. G. Kelly and S privates when got to
the Ferry, found the guard had lett the night
before, consisting of one sergeant and = men
commanded the entire party.
T. State what efforts you made TO arrest the ac-
cused and what took place.
A. When got to the Ferry, saw Howell there
and in consequence of what he told me-hndlng
that Showers was not at his house, but had gone
Id notkyv orH Cn1f
sergeant and eight men across the river, and told
him to follow down the river, and overtake the
boat if possible; on Tuesday the 10th of October;
it was about one o'clock, P. NJ, when left Brown
Ferry; took four men and a sergeant, and pro-
ceeded down the South Carolina shore, and got to
Dooley's, Ferry, the trst below browns, % Gu aOou1
three miles off, saw no men on the South Caro-
lima side, but saw man on the other side OF the
river, whom I supposed to be the ferryman. l
then hallooed across the river, and asked him II
any cotton boat had passed there during the day;
he said if there had he didn't know it; that he
would be squad Of cavalry there in few mo-
ments, that when they came there TO tell the ser.
geant to return and search the house had told
previous to leaving Browns Ferry. Ithen left the
Ferry and started for Stinson's Ferry, some five
miles below-my men with me. had to make q
detour round the country; could not follow along
the river, it was 30 wooded; suppose we had to
ride some ten miles to get to Stinson's. Before 1
got to the Ferry, I left one Of my men; his horse
failed, and was obliged to leave him. think
watch with me, but should think it was that by
the sun. AS soon as got to the bank OF the
river I looked across, and saw cotton-boat on
the Georgia shore. saw there were four or fivo
negroes in it--no whito men--on the bank; they
to be loading cotton, and hallooed
across the river to these negroes. asked them
whose boat that was; they told me that it was
Gaines Showers boat, but the cotton Is al right;
they made that remark. ! asked where they were
going; they told me to Augusta. asked them
where Gaines Showers was; they said he was at
the house. I told them to so to the house, and
tell him no was wanted ut tho river at once. One
of them left the bank went out OF my sight, up 10
the house, suppose. waited some hfteen min,
than hallooed again, and told them to send after
Mr.. Showers. that was in a hurry; another negro
then started from the bank toward the house, the
same as tho first one did. then turned round to
a negro who had como down to the bank while L
was there, and asked him if could ford the river;
he told me that could not. then went up the
bank of the river to look for q boat to carry
me across, as I could not ford the river.
found q boat, but it was IN such condltlon
that did not think / could cross the mon IN
it; so did not launch it, left it, and returned.
I suppose half an hour had passed from the time
since the last time hallooed until returned to
the Indian cabin by the ferry. few minutes
after I returned saw white man come oown
to the river over on the Georgia side; asked the
negro that was with me, if that was Gaines Stow
ers; he said it was not. then said nothing more;
waited to see what events would transpire wait
ed for the other man. waited some 20 minutes,
I should think, rs near as can Judge, when So"
another white man come down to the river IN
the meantime, had said nothing; from the Time
had returned to the ferry till I saw this second
white man, I had never spoke. then asked the
negro il that was Gaines Showers 1.-THE second
white man who had como DOWN; he said that ne
did not know, he thought it was; he was not sure
The two white men then had q short conversation
when the last man had come down; the negroes
and the white men went on board the boat-tht
whole party. They then unhitched her-the boat
had been headed up stream; they swung, hel
round, with her head toward the Carolina shore
Two negroes then took poles, and commenced
showing the boattoward the Carolina shore liner
I turned round to my men, and says l, he !:
coming across. The negro then spoke up and salt
no, he isn't; he is obliged to come out into tnt
stream, to clear o reef or shoal that runs ou
from the Georgia shore.
The Court was cleared for consultation; on be
ing reopencd the examination OF witness JOHN
SON was continued; who, having been directed b!
the Judge Advocate not to repeat what had beer
told him by others, proceeded with his answer tt
the last question as follows:
When the boat got out into the river, about tl(
centrc-it may have been little nearer tho Caro-
lima shore, but not moro than few yards-tht
parties turned the head of tho boat down th'
stream; and as soon as she was turned dowI
stream, the two white men and all the neSroe:
seized poles, and commenced showing the boa
down the river. The sergeant and / had some
conversation about the parties. don'tk know tina
it is necessary to repeat it here. remained OF
the bank Of the river till tho bout got out OF sight
There was L bend in the riy 1r, maybe about Q
quarter of n mile of, viii h obstructed the view
That was all 1 saw Of the boat of the parties
/ had my reasons for letting them 60 reported
to Capt Burrows what 1 had done, and l asked
him to allow me to so to Hartwell.
s. Did any one of your party or in your hear
;at. ha;l or snank TO tie men ON tho cotton boat