The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-03-08
.ssnopsisof Hon. hrmistead Burt's Speech.

F.
After an eloquent cxordium, in which
he aa7erted to the nature and character
ofthe Court before which the accused had
been arranged, and expressed his regret
that the trial had not taken place in the
vicinity of the place where the tragedy
had been committed, and before q jury OF
bis peers, he sasds
The. chief and striking excellence OF
trialby jury consists in the knowledge of
the parties and their witness by the jury,
and their peculiar and admirable aptnees
and fitness to determine the credibility of
witnesses and to elicit truth from the con-
fieting testimony. They are familiar
with the habits, customs and usages of
The community in which they live; they
are concerned to uphold the majesty OF
the law By. the punishment Of crime, and
Eheir verdict is the voice of reason re-
spending calmly, but firmly, to evidence.
/ find additional cause of regret that this
time-honored trial by good men and true
81 the vicinage-the peers of the accused
il denied to him, in the fact that peace
and order reign throughout the country,
the Courts are open, law is enforced, and
Justice administered, in every District in
the State--in the city in which this un-
eongenial Military Commission, with all
It's military appliances and surroundings,
now sits to administer novel and unfa-
mili:ir lava law which derives its ex-
siistsnce not ireni the people. not from the
Constitution, but law which finds it's
oriigln aud its definition in the mere will
of military power.
He next proceeded to give brief mar
ratiye of the facts and circumstances con-
neeted with the now memorable murder
Tin Anderson onsthe sth day of October
last:
What are the particulars of that ex-
traerdinary narrative? A party of men
were seen moving on foot along the pub
lie highway, in the Stiffness and darkness
ffsthe night, towards Browns Ferry
They wore no disguise and attempted no
concealment Not word was spoken
aad not d gesture made. In a few swift
moments some inaudible, confused, but
sharp werds were uttered. Sounds OF
the tread of men, the falling of timbers in
the fat, the exelamations of despair, or
the piteous notes of sunplication, fell
family upon the air of the distant listen
ers, and quickly followed the startling re-
port of firearms. ut is time we were
goneg was hastily spoken by an unknown
voice, and imperfectly heard by an agita-
ted witness, and speedily a party of men,
three on horses and some on foot, were
seen coming as if from the ferry, and pro-
cseded along the Anderson road, out of
hearing and out of sight Thus quickly
and mysteriously did the actors in this
midnight drama make their appearance
and their exit The witnesses of these
stirring events and startling sounds
Brown and HowelD skulled back to then
drowsy beds, and dozed through the dull
hours Of the night. The community were
not aroused No "hue and cry" was
raised, and this party of brigands were
allowed, unmolested and unparsued, to
return withstheir blood-stained ,spoils to
shes haunts from which they had sailed
on this GRAND of murder and robbery.
The morning came, the sun rose, but q
deep stiffness hung over the camps of the
guard; not sound broke the silence but
the soft lnurmurs of the placid waters OF
the Savannah. The camp vas deserted
the guard, their arms, their horses, equip
ments had disappeared; all were gone.
Information having been communica-
ted to the garrison at Anderson, on Mon
day, the 9th, detachment arrived at the
ferry in the afternoon. Blood stains were
found in the fat, and bullet mark upon
its side A search in the river soon dis.
covered the bodies of the soldiers. They
were exhumed from their watery graves
and were found marred with ghastly
murderous wounds. This is literally all
that is knowns
He commented severely on the in
action of the witnesses Brown and How
ell0 in making no efforts, either to pre-
vent the crime or arrest the perpetrators,