The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1868-10-02
THE AsHBURE MURDER CASE.
0rN MEADE q REPORT


Gen Meade rcpor. on the subject
of the Ashburn murder case in Geor
gia
Major Con. Meade has made O
report of the action and that Of tho
military officers under him, in tho
matter of arrest aud manner of treat
mcnt of the prisoners charged with
completely 10 the murder of Ash
burn. who was killed in a broihcl in
. Columbus, Ga, on the 30th, day OF
March. IL will be recollcctcd that
some Of the parties thus arrested
have published sta,cmon, Of the
cruelty and inhuman treatment they
we're subjected TO while under arrest,
aud that Read, Of the detectives EN-
ployed by Gen. Meade aud Gen.
Grant to work up the ease, has also
recently make an affidavit to the
facts. which show that cerfain per-
sous among the prisoners were sub.
lected to barbaTous treatment, under
the authority claimed to have been
received from the military comman
Ter. As u yindication Of himself
against these allegations, Gen. Meade
has asked and received authority To
publish an account of his doinRs.
Ii appears that the murder Of Ash
burn, who had been member of the
Georgia constitutional convention,
caused great deal of excilcmon,
which ultimately assumed the form
of a political controversy Il was
charged that Gen Meade and some
Of his subordinate. entered into the
pursuit and trial of the alleged
murderers, in part for the graiihca
ton of pariisans, and to make polit
zeal capital
The report, including exhibits, is
quite volnmiuous, but the great b;i'k
ef il Is made up Of copies of orders
for arrests and returns of officers
thereon. The report shows that 'ho
civil authorities Of Columbus had
undertaken to ferret out aud bring
To trial the persons that killed Ash.
burn. aud that the military comman-
der, whose head quarters we're in
that place, at frat commended the
action oi the civil officers, but after
wards recommended that the milf
tary take the case ia hand There
upon, Major Gen Meade ordered a
military commission to Try such par
ties as might be arrested, charged
with the crime. A number of ar
rests we're made upon the suggestion
of various parties, but especially up
ON the direction of two detectives
Whsley and Reed who were en-
ployed by the advice of Gen. Grant,
and at the request Of Gen. Meade
The officer ia charge Of Fer, Pu'
:. .-...s. ..-.ss...,, -,---- .,'-.-
detectives came to the fort with the
prisoners in charge, with orders to
have sole control of them conse-
qveutly assumed no authority, OK
cept to keep them securely" To
discover whether two oolured men,
Wells and stopeler, were in posses j.
sion of information material to the
case. the officer says The detoo-
,ives thought proper to operate some
what upon their feelings This
operation upon the feelings consis.
ted in lathering their heads prepare
tory To shaving them, blinafoldlng
the prisoners, and placing them ia n
case,nate of the fort. There tho
bandaco WAS taken off, and before
the prisoners there stood soldier
ready to Ere of a cannon which was
pointe' at the accused. While those
threatening operations were going on,
the detectives endeayored to force
the prisoners TO make some disclo'
sures about the murdct, but IN vain,
for they protested they knew nothing
Of the killing,
They were then placed IN sweat
boxes, described rs closet IN the
walls Of the fort, little wider than
the prisoners body the door closing
within three inches oil MS breast