New-York tribune., 1868-09-12
TIE ASHgUBN MURDER IN GEORGIA..
orrIcIAL REPORT OF GEN. MEADE.

OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEN. MEADE.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD MILITARY DISTRICT
DEPARTMENT on GEORGIA, FLORIDA AND ALABAMA|k
ATLANTA, Ga, july 1858
gen. I. s. GRANT, Commanding U. s. Army Washing
ton, d. Q.
GENERAL: The numerous malicious and false state
mcuts that have been given TO the public through 'ho
press political and partisan purposes In relation 10
the trial and tho treatment Of witnesses ana prisoners
implicated in the murder Of Mr. @. w. AslDurn OF Coiu
bus require on my part special report which is mere
with made and which beg TO ask lmay be authorzeu
TO give that publicity which my vindcaon requires
The ACCOMPANYING papers contain all the Instructions
oraerq and tciecrams that have emanatcd from these
Ueadaul lrers aud the replies made thereto CaIeiut
H. boe trausatti5n and viii exhibit the part taken by
each individual whether military or CIVIL under my con,
succnct statement Of the facts OF the S.sf: Gase,
herewith submtGG' on ic oon OF rSr "a u.s. no ~ ts, Com
,litutoua Convention OF Georgia. was assaSsinaed ata
house where he was boarding III the Town oi Co.uD9s, %
Immediately receiving notification, Instructed the
commanding officer Of Columbus, Capt VIM Miis ION
Infantry, make every effort In cooperation WIN the
ci, authorities to detect aud arrest the criminals Capt
nils having ported the civil authorities were disposed
10 act with energy. declined the frequent rcconmen
dati0ns of parties 10 remove them but subsequently
Capt Mills reporting that the energy OF the civil auth0
ties all show aud merely assumed and tbat ne could
place no reliance them, removed the Mayor ana
Board OF Aldermen, together with the Marshal ana his
Depuy-apontlng others ana appGhtlE = Spt, MiIis ,t
assassination, Capt Mills having obtained sufficient ev
dence TO warrant his action, arrested ny my olei, some
citizens of Columbus, either as parcpaors atcee
aros for having some knowledge OF the f9ct oil mo
case These persons subsequently released on bonds
o appear and their trial Finding that owing 10 the
character of tins crime, In great measure political as
well social, there effort on the part OF the com
munity where 1t was committed-elthcr through The
authorities among the ciizensof ferret ont the guilty
deemed proper 60 ask of the War Department that
competent detective officer should be sent 10 report 10
that he might assist Capt Mills IN his reSeacheS On
the 18th OF April Mr. Reed having arrived from Wash
lngOn was 20 Columbus TO report Ia Capt. Mills.
guaa'eG d md 'T nd f Mr. WloI trn m Kansas
i,,t rV{ea aoft he Int
TicevSd and 9eceded to- MIR Whitley arrived about May
and was Immediately sent to Capt Mills. soon AFTER
his arrival at Columbus, Mr.. Whitley reported he was
and had arrested OF the principals, but that was
u terly impractcable TO obtain any testimony from
bey fdRrfefed II they dared 70 disclose what
they knew, and he reGonm,ended thst n. ceFtan gtl
should be removed 10 place where, being pro-
eced they could without fear disclose such facts ms were
in their pussession Upon recent OF ths coinmnhcanh
authorized the transfer or the parties named 20 Fort
permit the detectives Wlteey and Reed to haye free
the prisoners and 90 have general direction OF
yes that in their extract the facts as known 10
these parties, unusual, or crnel or physical means
disclosure OF most important 1es by several parties
who had not dared 10 speak out until under the protec
ton OF the Government. From the statements made by
these prisoners number OF others were arrested ana
brought to Atlanta carry IN june song aiYa 10 ,S Eo
organization of the Military Commission TIL late III
June Finding my the meet false and eIaegcr
aed in regard TO the treatment OF PRISONERS
and witnesses called Gen Sibley, commanding sub
District Of Georgia, for report oh their treatlent at
This post Atanta and Capt Mills and Capt Cook for
repOts treatment OF those confined 20 Columbus
and Fort Pulaski respectively. l hiso caIeu On mt'
Whitley the detective for report ON tbs sais sn9sCt
An these repors are herewith subMittcd, ana VIII DC
seen from them and from the aihdaVlt OF thS prisoners
Themselves attached TO Mr. Nhtey report tkat the *
gerated statements which for political purposes ihe
ress have given circulation 20 an false, ld nave no
foundation beyond the fact admitted by Mr. WLtey INA,
he dd operate on fears OF TWO negroos Nels ana
soon finding they knew nbthlug they were folseu u-
with the exception OF threatening 10 shave thtr eads
pnIak arranged for the punishment OF rei-
tory soldiers they well treated and we're III no we
Injured The tal has been IN progress new some twenty
the evidence Tor TIE PROSECUTION u'uc
If for the Department and the people OF thn country 10
Ind "a whether with tae evidence as adduced on to lal
was only Justified but compelled 10 arrest ana bhg
that ughOut the whole transaction nave
been animated by but one purpose which
cate the Jaw The character OF the CRIME, the social
status Of parties implicated in ITS commission, ana he
doubts the guilt Of the several paJtes-ad no h-
ence ON me except 20 my determination % brng
the facts out even risk Of for time putting per
sons to inconvenience who might subsequently prove M
noceut Hence many arrests were made Ot palrs VINO
subsequently, released 81 ils Deing proven ma,
they neither partCpatoS or had any KNOWLEDGE OF
the ease In ali these these parties were wen
treated and being discharged were paid the usual
witness fees for the period h0y removed from their
business Had the civil authorities acted IN good Iath
aud with enelyy and made attempt 10 ferret out the
ltyOr had the people Of Columbus cyinced or felt any
horror OF the crime and eOOperated IN any way IN detect
ing its perpetrators, mnOh that seemingly hlh ah
arbitrary might have md would have been aYoldcd-bht
the required prnDpt and decided measures when
did not hesitate 10 take; and am satlshcd now that
documents accompanying this report, and the evidence
the trial, that every ghtthinEng man VIII JUSTIFY
! me- Very respdtfp!y, your obedient servant -
GEO. G.. MEADE, MajOrGcn. L. y A