New-York tribune., 1868-07-04
THE KU-KLUX KHAN.
MILITARY COMMISSION FOR THE TRIAL OF THE
COLUMBUS (GA.) PRISONERS FOR MURDER
OF G.. W. AsHBURN-sECOND DAY.

MILITARY COMMISSION FOR THE TRIAL OF THE
COLUMBUS (GA) PRISONERS FOR MURDER
OF q. W. ASHBURN-SECOND DAY.
Prom Special Correspondent - ,..o
ATLANTA, Ca, June 3O 1868.
Henry Hewins, Herbert w. Blair, and Milton
Malone whose names appear in the charge and specih
cations as charged with the murder not present. for
the reason that they are in custody. Hewins was
arrested In Columbus but preteXt or changing MS
clothes WAS allowed by the guard 20 90 into back room
for that purpose and Immediately made his escape
Blair and Malone had satisfied themselves before arrests
were made That Columbus was fast becoming insalubr
Gus for them and took cief deS champs. Before pro
ve here for m repy 10 great deal OF loose talk about
voluntarily made by all the prisoners in custody :
McPHERsoS BARRACKS, ATLANTA, June 26 1858
This 70 ecr dung my eouansmentu hs cells Gfth.'s bar
rack. the and soldiers have been universally kind H. Whit
ney Agn has treated kindly indeed show
ng @ all the ,e,Pe dre . % oai & % have 70 b 5S 500 e
4'lO hi, treatment q ny 80 far " ny person..
.n in cells protest in the name Of humanity sod knog
o. % crime an'i fs,, % & ., 90 n, m, % saSes @ % 5 O ms @
We the uui.o-d prisoner, confined In Mcpherson B,afs' fully
the within statement Of our lo" prisoner Dr.
Ksey s BIN poe'. a'' our confinement being guilty Of
no crime agaiust any lAs or ani
81 f;; f;:ssse. III: j Ssss S,:ss: $b $S$; %5s.
far tr,,men, concerned unerssGel fully ia
the within namci ssat,emsRh
a.G.ds RsfsFsT HsT gn! EtoS nas!n1nr II srSTH'S'
Tho hot se aboTe S @ oand D 10 & In by
feet in breadth with fun hight OF II feet The month
Of June In Georgia ia not cool month"; ana II there was
cell cellar In the entire barracks would De more
pleasant n temperature thar the quarters OF any ocer
I'm IT, But there cellars excavations OF any de-
scrptOn the buildings are al erected on raised pes or
pillars OF brick, some feet above the ground. The
ih sUy county iaiI in Georgia and are better than
those occupied by fully half the white people OF Georgia
Complaints such as have been made even true, come
with wretched grace from the people who had Ander-
sonvlo among them On resumption Of the trial TINS
mornng plea OF not guilty was bat IN ot al 'he p'
Charles Marshall was the first witness called He Is q
OF pleasing aspect clear black eye ana black mustaehe
Being duly sworn he states, substantially IN answer 10
~ o9V sergeant Of Company G. 10th Regiment u
Infantry have been In service since 1861 IN Columbus
geant IN April; knew Ashourn; was present at his
death he died violent death on 5Oth March lsGs at
.cev ipolnts out Dr. X about three weeks be-
fore the occurrence met DR. X. Broad-st.; DIR.
Ash6arn out Of the way asked me to be OF IT. Dr. K said
IL would never do me any barm that when le the ser
vice could come and 1--we In columbus ana would Se
all right met Dr. h again about three days before the
murder told me the thing would come on SOON that ne
needed the day OF the received package
wrapped In brown paper, brought me by biaek Doy
found IL 10 contain mask and written noce that the
affair TO of that night, and appointing place OF
OF meeting; l went at the appointed time; mid
night first man met was Henns who gave me an En-,
glish walking coat which put on over my blouse had
black pants and slouched nat rom 20 TO so were
assembled IN an open lot opposite the eIy rouse ABOUT
200 yards from Ashburns we started Tor the house
Knocked at front door we're asked WHO'S there ~
answered Mary Tllnghast we we're told that the door
would not be opened at that Of night; threatened
to break door down; told TO break away, which we
did went IN passed through first and second rooms ;
knocked at door OF third room: when was % AshpHrhs ~
room he asked, who comes there ~ and opened the
door and stepped back As soon as the door opened com
menced firing and Ashburn fell fired from ten TO fifteen
shots Then Hudson advanced ana stopped down 80 as
re him under the table The party IN the door OF
his were Barber, Duke, Hudson, myself, ana,
think, Betz They all fired klrkscey ana Bedel were
In second room; Malone also Bedell ana krkscey came
the door and looked at Ashburn some one said Come
boys, let's go. We were there no time.
In answer 70 the question What induced you 10 TAKE
Citations always had IL nsted INTO my mind in Co
umbus that Ashburn was better out than IN the country
BY associations mean people IN townuC%oLmDuS % All
attended very little TO my duty as shouia
have done. 1 was warned OF II Dy my command-
but failed TO do II, and kept neadong on my course
which brought me where am. Had taken advice l
should have done right instead OF Wrohg am Demo
crat Have received presents OF value IN COnmbus-a
gold watch and chain worth from $500 70 800 Iney were
handed me by Ingmeier clerk OF jewey store at
Presbyterian Church. Barker and Gunby told me i
would receive present before got the watch Wllkns,
Mayor OF the city lent me $780, he took neither note nor
Gross examination personal difficulty with Ash
burn: struck him. drunk that day; threatened once
TO kin him. was active at the election on the Democratic
sIde Opposing adoption OF the Constitution cO6perated
with all these pares-lpOlnts out prlsonersJ -
Question by Counsel tOr defense-Was not Major wilkins
ponents OF that measure express smpathy Win you
because of the treatment had received for the course
you took Z Answer: suppose go
And then the surprise OF all present. the ueiense put
Marshall this question. "Do you not know that the
money which Mayor wilkins let you have was raised by
contributions among the peOpleP Ans-I do not know.
Case 10 be continued tomorrow. Marshall's manner
OF giving In his testimony indicates sincerity and makes
the open badly for the prisoners.