The Van Buren press., 1867-05-31
United States District Court.

tic in this court since our last issue, was the
United States ts Cyrus Bakcr-indicted for
mur,lcr-aftcr considerable time devoted to
the hearing Of the witnesses, and the argu-
mcnt Of counsel, the july retired, and after an
absence nf about twenty four hours they re-
turned into court a verdict of guilty The
United state. was represented by the District
Attorney, the defence was conducted by Judge
Thos. Bolcs, William Walker Esq. aud
Gran Wilcox, Esq. The evidence, to our
mind was by no means sufficiently strong to
warrant the finding Of the jury. There
seems to bc no testimony going TO show 4
completely in the actual murder either in de-
| sign or fact. II seems a scout was sent ont by
an officer of the confederate army sometime
| in 1863, 10 oyertakc and arrest dcscrters and
also at the request of citizens of the country,
| the scout was ordered 10 arrest and bring back
a family OF Roberts, who were said to be com
mon thieves and had perpctratcd many out
rages by stealing the property OF citizens of
the country, and were escaping from justice.
! The scout overlook the female portion of the
family and one boy of sixteen or seventeen
years of age, near PitchlynnS in the Choc-
taw Nation. The testimony shows that the
scout went to Pitchlynns and made inquiries
| for the Roberts family, and asccrtaned that
| the family were camped in the neighborhood
| The scout then went, accompanied by Pitch
lynn and the witness Dikcman, after arriving
at the camp, Il portion of the scout arrested
the boy Roberts, and proceeded a short dis
tance with lin, accompanied by witness.
| Dikcman and Pitchlynn and also the prisoner
Baker. After arriving at the spot where the
hanging took place three of the scout hung
! the boy TO limb ola tree. The testimony
shows no more participation in the act by
! prisoner than by ptchlynu or Dikcman there
was no testimony going to show that prisoner
| even did enter into the design Of hanging the
! boy. How the jury arrived at the conclusion
| they did is a mystery to It's. We cannot see
/ hos il Is that the jury could have agreed to
! convict after portion of them had refused to
concur for q hours, thereby admitting a rea-
sonaLlc doubt TO exist in their minds. ..r
| I'm Bakers ease. a notice fora arrest of judg-
mcnt and Il new trial, was made by his attor-
ncyS and The application dcnicd--thc priso-
ner was sentenced for 3 years to the pcniten-
tiary and to pay $1,000 fine.
! United States vs. ChaS. RobnSon-intimid-
ating witncss-jury found prisoner guilty
| Court sentenced him to 500 fine and cost
United States vs.. n. Newman and Porter
introducing liquor into Indian country-jury
found, not guilty in both cases.
United States vs.. Newman-intimidatidg
witness-verdict of the jury, not guilty.
! The principal witness in the last three eases,
we recognized man who came up the river
with us on the same boat from Memphis some
year and a half ago by the name of James
! Taylor. lie was "SpoRgiAg" his way up the
Arkansas then and We judge, from the evi-
| dcncc introduced he has been sponging ever
since. His testimony was impeachcd by sew
eral of the best citizens of Fort Smith. This
miserable fostering se4G Sn M ihe J, boaK qfthe
nous, false swearing, involved several good
men in trouble and expense. Such man is a
curse to amy community and should be Vootcd
out of AL good society. We strongly obcc,
to his being left on our hands, and our n.iob.
borS over the river will see to it that they take
him home-cvcn if they DO have to put him a,
work on the roads.
| The business Of this Court has been accom-
plished with dispatch and universal good feel
ing has existed between all participants The
Judge is universally popular with the bar
I presiding with that DIGNITY and urbonitv NJ
manner which commands the respect that a
Court of this respectability should always do
The Court will, probably, close its session
for this Term, to-day or to-morrow.