Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-02

90. Was that character good or bad
OBJECTED to by plaintiff for irrelevancy.)
A. Witness answers that the plaintiffs
character in the community was not con-
sidered good.
@. Was Hickmsn's character for homes
ty, morality and veracity good or bad. A..
Witness answered that his character for all
the above was bad The plaintiff, through
his counsel, objected to the above question,
and the court ruled out the evidence, on
the ground that, in proving general char
acter, ii is not competent to prove special
traits Of character.)
G. Was Hickman's social position in
society high or low? A. 1t was low. THE
court ruled ont this answer.
O. Was Hickman, at the commencement
of the war, a man Of credit or not? A.
Witness considered him wholly insolVent
(The court ruled this answer out, on the
grounds laid down above) The counsel
for Gen. Bate contended that as the plain
tiff AYERS in his declaration that his credit
had been impaired by this arrest, it was
certainly competent to prove that Hickman
had no credit before the war; and hence,
it could not be injured.
Cross-examined by plaintiff: q. Are you
not on unfriendly relations with the plan
tiff? II so, how long has such been the
case, aud out of what did it originate A.
Witness states that he is on unfriendly re-
lations with the plaintiff. The cause was the
plaintiff endeay0red 10 steal Witnesses
cotton; this occurred during the occupation
of this place by the United States army,
under command of Gen. Smith, and wit
latsar,.- hot Ill, IN. ka fall Of
1868; | was under military arrest at the
time; Hickman took possession of my
cotton without my knowledge or consent
and had it under military guard when |
was informed of the facts; | therefore made
application for its release to me, to Gen.
Smith, and upon showing him the circular
aforesaid of said Hickman and the intro
duction of other proof, he ordered it re-
stored TO me. The following paper was
shown the witness, and he was requested
to say if he recognized it, and requested TO
place private mark upon it.
LCopyl
Received Of James Hickman, one thou
sand dollars, in part payment for one hum
dred and twenty-three bales of good cotton.
in good order to be delivered at the depot
at Huntsville, Ala, on the 1st of August
next, and the balance of the money to be
paid when the cotton is delivered, in Con-
iederate States treasury notes, this at
twenty-five cents. per pound,
[Signedl w. J. McCALLEY.
July lst, 1868.
Witness answered: | look upon the
paper above marked o. o., and state that
it is a correct copy of the original, and
placed upon it my name for Identification.
The witness states in explanation of the
above contract, the facts to be these, viz :
That it was rumored in Huntsville, about
the last of July, 1868, that the United States
forces under Gen. Stanley were approaching
the town, and was naturally anxious TO save
ii if possible. Hickman came to him and
said, if the cotton was turned over TO him
he could save il, in the event it was seized
by the United States forces; at that time
witness gave Hickman no answer, but i'm
mediatey consulted with Capt. ID. B. Tur-
ner, who advised him to place the cotton
in the hands of Hickman, and arranged
meeting between witness and Hickman, at
which he, Turner, was present at this in
teIview Hickman suggested that any trans
fer made to him should be anti-dated some
ten or fifteen days, to give It the appear
ance of age, and that some money should
be paid by him, which could afterwards be
refunded; for this service Hickman was TO
be paid such sum as said Turner should af-
terwasds determine to be fair and right
thereupon the contract signed Q 0 was
made, and Hickman paid $1,000. After
the United States forces came in, which was
about the last of July, 1863, the said wit
ness being under military arrest, the said
Hickman went before the Provost Marshal
and made oath that he had purchased my
cotton and that | was endeavoring to re
move it across the Tennessee river in the
night time; thereupon he obtained guard
and took possession of the cotton, and il
| was under these circumstances that | made
| the application TO Gen. Smith for its release
and return to me, and at this interview
witness showed Gen. Smith the circular oi
| Hickman, above spoken of, which, with the
statements of Turner, who knew all the
| facts of the transaction, satisfied Gen.
Smith of the Justice of my application, and
he accordingly granted it; the oath OF
| Hickman before the Provost Marshal
was wholly untrue; witness further
states "a a part of his explana-
ton, to which the plaintiff objects,
az irrelevant and Illegal, that in January,
1864, he thinks it was, he being under mil.
| itary arrest, he went with Turner TO see
Hickman relative 10 said cotton; that when
he went into where said Hickman was, said
Hickman said to him, "Iou have acted the
| God damned rascal. You have been en-
| deavoring TO sell the cotton. have been tC
Washington TO see Mr.. Lincoln and | have
papers in my hands to put You and your
family in the streets, aud | will do So
And in saying these things he brushed the
paper across nv face. | said nothing in
reply. About that time Turner went out
and Hickman standing in the door Of the
room, placed his hand behind him, and
saw pistol partly drawn out, and said to
me, "Iabe a seat there and assign me the
cotton" replied Pm die first get out of the
wav and let me pass. As ! did SO, he took
me by the arm and whispered in my ear,
pay me $4,000 and I'll let the thing slide.
| made no reply, but passed on.
| DEPOSITION OF COL. JOSEPH C. BRADLEY
have known Gen. Hickman for twelve
or fifteen years. Huntsville was occupid by
the Confederate troops in December. 1862
under the command of Gen. w. B. Bate
/ anu AT lndN Nlule Ntell. IllChHldl was aEASHtce
bv Gen. Bate and sent TO Gen. Forrest a
Columbia, Tennessee. In a short time Gen
Hickman returned to Huntsville, having
been discharged from arrest, and in Jan
nary, 1863, he was arrested the secon'
time by Gen Bate and ordered to b
sent to Chattanooga for trial; but CAV
bond and was discharged under writ o
habeas colyoS. Gen. Bate exerted himsel
before the court 10 set aside the application
for discharge Gen. Bates treatment Q
Hickman was unkind while imprisoned
Gen. Hickman in this community was con
sidered as a kind and charitable man. Th
state Of feeling in this community toward
Union men was very bitter they were no
free men il was unsafe both to persons AM
property TO express their true sentiments
and had 10 say and do a great many thing
not consistent with their feelings and be
lief as Union men. l heard no citizen
say at that time, openly, that they wer
| Union men. From my knowledge Of Gen
| Hickman | believed him to be Uniol
man, although he did act in aid of the Con
federate cause, because it was forced upol
him.
| Cross-examined The unkindness O
Gen. Bate, spoken Of above, consisted ii
expressing his opinions in regard to Gen
Hickman's disloyalty to the Confederate
cause. | believed Gen. Bate was prejudice,