The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-07-01


near Bellevue, and by her was told of Ash
burns death. .T 4. al 4
One of the officers then asked him about
Cliff Grimes chararter- Deponent said: He
was a perfect gentleman: did not know any
thing else about him He treated deponent
very kindly. 5f. ij5~r .saa>f.I.
After several questions and cross questions
to same effect by said officers, Captain Wills
told deponent that .fall this lying would do
no good; F'that he CWills) knew all about
this matter, and was determined to get the
truth ont of deponent, and he might as well
own up"
Deponent again asserted he knew no more
than he had stated, when Wills asked him
if he could write his name Answer: 81
can." Wills; ''Here! write your name on
this sheet of paper, so I can know you tell
me the truth, at thesame time giving him
pen, ink, and paper Depohent said he was
too sharp to write his name to d blank pa
per; bat taking. the pen, wrote Captain Wills
name Wills: FFYou are sharp, Mr.. Nelson"
Deponent: "I am not sharp, but am hon
est " Wills: s1'n have the truth out of you
sir" That deponent was kept in guard
room under the Courthouse all that night, /
with nothing to eat; that on Tuesday Cap
tain Wills and the same three officers visited
him in his cell and propounded substantially
the same queries as before, with the same
result as before. This was about 10 A. NJ.
They left him again; he was locked up, and
kept there without one mouthfu of food,
and none was offered him by the guards
An old negro woman named Mary brought
him some food, but it was not allowed him
by the soldiers.
That he was so guarded and kept till
Thursday morning, when Captain Wills came
again to see him, and asked about the same
questions, with results as above, and as he
was about to leave deponent asked leave to
go to see his sister, Nancy Nelson; he was
allowed to go, under promise of returning
again that afternoon. He went, and report
ed back at about five P. M. same day. The
food he got at his sisters was the first and
only he received during his confinement, from
June to June 4.
1Adb nC was again NuCStIOnCu ny w lllS
same as before-same results-when Wills
said Che wonld have the truth out of him."
again he was put in guard-house, where he
stayed till Friday morning, 9th inst, at about
seven A. NJ, when he was, released, Wills
saying: ''Mr. Nelson, you may go; believe
you are an honest man"
SANDY NELSON.
Sworn to and subscribed before us this 9th
day of June, 1868.
WIN. A. GUERARD.
D. P. ELLIS
R. J. MOSES, jun, Notary Public.
GEORGIA, MUscoGEE COUNTY:
Before me personally appeard Abner Grif-
fin, who, being duly sworn, deposes and
says that on the Wednesday, the third day
of June, 1868, in the county and State
aforesaid, being then in the employ of Col.
E. T. Shepherd, on his place in Wynton,
3! Georgia, he was arrested by two Federal SOL
:, diers and taken under quar- to Captain Wills
llead- quarters; that he was kept prisoner
there from eleven A. nj. 70 six P. NJ; that
ilC WAS cAdIIA4Cu ny tmO LAC1i, O1O III bhC
uniform of the United States, and the other
in citizon's clothes, with military cap; that
he was asked what time DIR. Kirl1sey came
home on the night of the murder of George
w. Ashburn, and he replied, between seven
and eight, and that then one of the officers
called him damned liar, and THAT they wo'd
send him to Fort Pulaski with shaved head
and q ball and chain on him; that he was
greatly frightened, and in exceeding fear of
his life. Deponent testified that he got the
Doctors horse the next morning; did not
notice anything different about the horse.
f. The harness and buggy were in their place
where they had been put by deponent the
night before. and that he was not then al
lowed to go out of the room; he was kept
there all day, and before leaving he was
again called in and asked the same questions
over again, TO which he gave the same an
swers, He was then told he might go, if he
would be at his place when they, sent for him
again. Deponent promised, and was then
permitted to go home. Deponent further
says that he did not know any cause why he
should be arrested, and asked, but no in.
formation was given.