Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-10-05
interference of q rsureau Agent with
the Course OF Jusstce-


the Course OF Jussice.
The Tuscumbia Aiabamian and Times
makes the following statement;
On the Esd inst, q warrant was sent 70
,hs noliee of Huntsville, Alabama, for
The arrest Of George Grim. alias George
Jobpstop. who was charged with the
offspse of arson, in burning the Female
Seminary at Tuscumbia. BY virtue OF
this warrant, the said Grim was arrested,
and notice thereof given to the ofiicers
| issuing the warrant On the night OF the
oath, Messrs. Hooper and Green, con-
stables, went TO Huntsville with the
necessary authority to bring the pris-
ouer 10 Tuscumbia, TO stand his trial:
On the morning Of the 18th, the said
constables went, with the prisoner 10
charge, to the railroad depot, to the III
o'clock train. While waiting for the
train. Col. ID. @. Rugg. agent OF the
Freedmen's Bureau at Huntsville, with
about fifty negroes, came up and warned
the said constables not to attempt 10
carry the prisoner of, stating that blood
would be spilled if they did SO. Mr..
Hooper asked him for his authority. Col.
Rugg said, am here, and acting under
orders from the general commanding. III
you start with the prisoner, you viii be
stopped by the military.
The Times adds its regrets that any
officer of the United States should so far
forget his duty, and the expression OF q
hope that II will not again occur. Two
officers of the police Of Huntsville who
made the arrest, certify that Colonel d.
C. Rugg, of the Freedmens Bureau, did
threaten the officers who were sent there
from Tuscumbia with arrest by the milf
tary IL they undertook to put the prisoner
on the train to be sent to Tuscumbia, and
that the threat Of Col. Rugg, who was sur
rounded at the time by thirty or forty
negroes, deferred the officers from Tus-
cumbia from taking the prisoner, as they
were commanded to do, to the county
where the offense was committed" Al
frming their own disposition to do their
duty, they protest against an interference
T" wholly forbidden by law" The two
officers from Tuscumbia also certify as
follows: Atg 4At
They received said prisoner from the
police authorities of Huntsville, and car
ried him to the railroad depot Whilew
were waiting for the trails, Col. Rugg,
agent of the Freedmens Bureau, at the
head of more than forty negroes, came
and objected to our carrying the prisoner
away. He said - if we attempted to put
him on the train, blood would be spilled"
We asked him by what authority he re-
sisted us, in obeying the law. He an
swered, "thet he was acting under orders |
from the Military Department" He fur
Their stated, "that if we started with the |
prisoner, we would be stopped by the mil
itary." The crowd of negroes and Col.
Rugg were very much excited, and seemed
determined to make disturbance. Col.
Rupr stated, in violent manner, point
inc TO the negroes, "Sirs, those nen (the
negroes) are not going to let you take this
prisoner away. and blood Will be shed IL
you attempt 1t. Il
Seeing q determination on the part of
Col. Rugg, and the negroes VINO were
with him, to create riot, we told him
that we we're unwilling to have any dis
turbance in Huntsville, and were deter
mined not to give him chance of
making political capital out of anything
we might do, and that if he would permit
the police officers to take the prisoner
back to jail, we would leave him. He
agreed to this, and we sent him back to
j ail by the police officers, Messrs. Arm
strong and Russell.
We assured Colonel Rugg that, if the
prisoner was permitted to come TO Tus-
cumbia, be would have fair trial, and
that the officers and citizens of Tuscum-
bia we're determined to insure him safe
and fair trial.
If this case is reported, as it properly
should be, and the subordinate officer is
not punished, the responsibility will rest
III Al