Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-09-28
Texas Correspondence.
For the Spectator.

JEFFERSON, TEXAS Sept lst, 1869.
Nessrs. Editors That grand farce, the Mil
ltary Commission, which met in this city on
the lst OF June, to try twenty-three citizens of
jefferson, charged with the murder of Geo.
W. Smith (alias niger Smih) has just COM
pleted Its work. Near two hundred witnesses
were examined in the case, and although every
means was resorted to by United States detec-
tives and officers outside of the Commission,
such as bribery, threats and actual torture, yet
not single one of the prisoners could be iden-
tilted by any reliable witness
Several OF the prisoners who turned States
evidence afterwards threw themselves on the
mercy of the Court, and confessed that they
had perjured themselves, but said they had
been threatened by the commanding officer,
with severe punishment if they did not make
statements which would convict some of their
fellow prisoners.
The Commissioners with one or two excep-
tons have deported themselves In most gen
tlemanly manner, much to the dlspleasure of
the p01ers that be, and an order is reported
to have been issued at one time prohibiting any
member Of the Court from having any inter-
course with citizens, but the Court decided by
majority of one that they were not bound to
obey such orders. One member, Col. Gordon,
was removed from the Commission by all order
from Gen. Reynolds, and placed under arrest,
on account OF reports sent by radicals from this
place, to the effect that he Was too intimate
with the families and friends of the prisoners.
Whereupon the counsel for the defence peti
toned the chairman, Gen. Hatch, to remove
Col. Starr, who was known to be too much
prejudiced against the Southern people gener-
ally to do any one Of them justice, and ON that
ground it has been asserted he was placed on
the Commission by Reynolds.
The praVer Of the nrISnnarS was Drantad and
Col Starr was removed. Starr had been bu-
reau agent near here for some time and rem
dered himself generally obnoxious to the white
race.
Nothing is yet known of the final result, but
no civil Court could do otherwise than release
the accused What this Military Commission
will do, remains to be seen. But however it
may result the whole thing is most disgraceful
on the part of the government, or those officials
who had charge OF the case.
Most of those men were arrested In Decem-
ber 1868, and have been confined in stockade
ever since-their families neglected and their
business ruined, when all law and justice de-
manded that they should have had trial at
once or have been released on bail And still
they are confined In climate where the ther-
mometer has stood at from 970 to 9S0F during
the last weeks in the shade and under the
most favorable circumstances
Now let US look at the other side. Last win
ter one of our best citizens was shot down in
front of his own gate by United States detec-
tive, whose only excuse Was that he shot him
through mistake, and was set at liberty by a
radical judge.
About six months since man by the name
of Robinson, who was sentenced to the peni-
tertiary in Georgia for a term of years. broke
Jail and made his way to jefferson, where he
was put on the police force OF the city by the
military mayor, where he soon distinguished
himself by his general brutal treatment to all
prisoners who fell into his hands. But finally
he was dismissed for having assisted his miss
tress to whip his wife, who had followed him
! to this CITY, This seems to have been sufficient
| qualification for radical office; accordingly
| when detective arrived from Georgia with a
| thorities here took him into their employ and
refused to give him up. A few weeks since he
| shot citizen down in the street without any
| proyocation whatever. He was arrested, car
ried before a justice, refused bail and sent to
| prisou-the next day he was brought before
Judge Garland, Massachusetts carpet Dagger,
| and although he was proven to have committed
murder in the first degree, the judge agreed
to turn him loose on a bond of ($IOOOJ one
thousand dollars; this he failed to give, so the
| military took him out of the hands of the civil
| authorities, furE1SneU ulM Il morse ana turned
him loose.
Quite number of citizens whom the mill
| tary intended to arrest, were informed of the
fact through some mysterious agency and made
good their escape. Among that number was
Mai. j. H. Pratt, a prominent merchant of
this city, who was recently arrested by the mil
itary in New York and released by the civil
authorities.
Mai. Pratt is a native of Powhatan county,
Va. and commanded battalion of artillery
during the late war, and distinguished himself
on several occasions. He was severely wound
ed near the close of the war, from which he
has never recovered ball having lodged in
the sacrum from which there is constant dis
charge and great suffering. He is cne of our
most peaceful, law-abiding citizens, but we see
| from New York papers that the radical who
was sent there to have him arrested, represen-
ted him as having been the leader of desper-
ate band of robbers, but having been captured
with part of his band, and put in prison,
they broke jail, killing q. W. Smith aud two
niggers in the Jail yard. as they cut their way
out. So much for radical veracity.
The days of military power and carpet-bag