Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-10-10

grand round OF the prison, ana had MT.
Horne brought into his august presence.
He informed the frightened prisoner that
he "could now go about hisbusiness, but
be must report back on the following
Tuesday, when there would be trial 7"
Mr.. Horne left the filthy den in which he
had been incarcerated for twenty four
hours, and wandered back to Mr.. Will
liam's stable, where he told his tale to
some gentlemen, who at once became in
terested in his fate. Mr.. Horne was ar
rested without q warrant; his property
stolen; detained in filthy prison; dis
charged from custody; but his fine mare
was not returned to him.
We wish to PROFOUND two questions to
Mr.. Beaumont, which will present both
horns of the dilemma: If Mr.. Horne was
guilty, why was he discharged from
custedy2 If he was not guilty, why was
his property retained2
THE PLUMBER DIsGoRGED.
The new friends of Mr.. Horne carried
him to the Office of Judge Scruggs, who
at once commenced suit in replevin for
the mare before Esquire Hall. The case
came I'D on hearing last Friday, and q
Judgment by default entered-the cheva-
lier Beaumont not daring to support his
outrage by appearing in court with his
proof Hastings may be clever detec-
tive, but in this matter his reputation as
shrewd officer sinks below par. We
use the word clerer, not in its American
seuse-good- honest-but in its
proper English Observation-Disclosures
skillful. But with Hastings we have
nothing to do; our business is with his
master.
1t is an easy thing for Beaumont to
assume dignity and Importance, and to
humble out some Ineligible words
about horse-thieves, stolen property
and the right to arrest on suspicion"
but no sensible man can see in all this
stuff any excuse for so great an outrage
upon the rights and liberties of the citi-
zen. Under the code of the police
establishment, any stranger visiting our
city is liable to be thus illegally arrested
without a warrant, thrown into a.dirty
cell, plundered of his property, and ac-
cused of being q thief upon mere sus'
picion, and that the suspicion of parties
interested in his property.
In Mr. Beaumont's note to Mr.. Will
liams, occurs the words -" confessed that
she is stolen animal" We are
authorized to say that no such con-
fession was ever made, but, if it
had been, it would surprise no
one who understands the manipulations
continually carried on in our station
houses. Detectives can always prove
confessions, but rarely is such proof ad-
mtted in court of justice. Such things
are too well understood by judges and
lawyers ever to be recognized as volun-
tary confessions. The whole matter con.
densed amounts to this: Some one
wanted Mr.. Eorne's mare, but the owner
had to be disposed of before the property
could be considered secure; therefore,
Mr.. Horne must be made to leave the
city, and, with this end in view, Mr..
Beaumont informed him when he dis
charged him from custody that the
owner of the mare would be in the city
on Tuesday, and he (Horne) would have
some trouble"
Even after the replsvin suit ended,
detective effered Mr.. Horne one hundred
dollars for his mare, giving as a reason
for so doing "that Horne would be swim
died by his attorneys, and he had better
sell her, and leave on the night train for
Nashville" So it seems the detective
was willing to purchase stolen mare,
and run the risk of advertising for an
owner for thirty days"
We must protest against such open and
barefsced proceedings as the above, and,
in conclusion, we beg of Mr.. Beaumont
and his detectives to try and conceal these
in future, or refrain from
them, as it is undoubtedly true that those
who purchase tickets in the lottery of
generally draw the prize-ex-
posure, from which even our own Beau
mont il not 0xamnt