The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-04-28
FROM THE CAPITAL.
CHARLESTON, April %.

JOllrI uTdnu Jury GOOIl pe'"eeh N'
shall Slack and Judge Ferguson, fore
man of the Jury, has been the general
topic of discourse ever since It's occur
renee. Instead of subsiding, public
interest has increased from the COM
mencement of the trouble, and now that
the Marshal has been indicted and a
speedy trial directed by the Court the
excitement is intense. Under the cir
cumstances / deem it my duty to avoid
all appearance of establishment in mar
rating the facts of this case. The record
will bc adhered to closely and accurate
".
The many rumors in circulation with
regard to the lawless condition of affairs
in this region, and particularly the fact
that soldiers had been declared neces-
sary to serve legal process in Lincoln,
led the Grand Jury of the Federal
Court now in session toinquire whether
there exists in Lincoln county or else
where any organization having for its
object resistance to the laws, the pur-
pose Of the jury being to bring to jus
tice any persons who might be found
combined for that object 1t soon be-
came known that the investigation
was i'll progress, and a good
deal of conjecture as to the
result was called forth On Wednesday,
after the adjournment Of the morning
session il transpired that some very
emphatic and reliable evidence from
Lincoln county witnesses, had been
given the Grand jury, proving that any
process Of any Court could be served in
that county 10y any officer without dan
ger or trouble, and in general that the
people were peaceable, and that no part
Of them meditated resistance to the
laws. This state of facts being Ell
tirely inconsistent with the theory upon
which the troops were brought into
this valley, viz: that they were
necessary To aid the L. S. Marshal
in serving process in Lincoln, that
officer felt that an effort was being made
to throw blame upon him, for his course
in calling for the military. With this
preface, submit the following state
'mcnt Of the unpleasant affair in the
Grand Jury room. 1t is given as | get
it from one Of the Grand Jurors and is
fully coroberatrd bv the record:
Soon after the Grand Jury reassem-
bled in their room on Wednesday after
noon, Marshal Slack came into the
room uncalled for and unlimited, and
stated that he had learned that an in
vestigation was being conducted before
the Grand Jury, which was prcjudicial
TO his official character, and calculated
to reflect upon hia prudence and care in
calling for United States troops, and
that he demanded that some witnesses
whom he named be summoned and
heard Judge Ferguson, the foreman
of the jury and several members of the
Grand Jury, assured the Marshal that
such was not the case: that the Jury
was cndcavurimg to ascertain whether
there was IN Lincoln county or else
where any combination of citizens To-
resist the execution OF legal process,
with a view To the Indictment and pun
ishmcnt Of the guilty parties that the
action of the Marshal, and the presence
of troops in Kanawha county, had
nothing to do with the matter. The
Marshal declared that the investigation
was "onc-Sidcd. Judge Ferguson de-
MED that such was the case Marshal
Slack again affirmed that this was "A
one-,idcd investigation, and Ferguson
said it was untrue. Slack then said to
Ferguson, You are a Id liar, and
made menacing gesture, as though
about to draw Il weapon from his breast
pocket. Ferguson said, II will report
YOU Slack said; Report and be
id Soon after he left the room,
protesting that he would not apologize
to Judge Ferguson, though he apollo
gized 10 the rest Of the jury for the
hasty and improper language he had
used.
Upon returning to the Court room in
the evening, Judge Ferguson made
of the circumstances in open
Court, and WAS sworn rs to their truth,
when Judge jackson directed a rule
of Cont to ISSUE against Slack, retIrna-
bic the following morning, to show cause
why he should not be punished for CON
tempt of Court
On Thursday morning Judge Fergu-
son submitted an additional affidavit,
reciting some circumstances not EN-
braCcd in his original statement among
which was that relating to the Marshals
motion TO draw a weapon, upon which
Judge Jackson directed the Grand Jury
TO make presentmcut Of the facts with
Il view 10 the indictment Of the Marshal.
Presentment was accordingly made, an
Indictment prepared and returned a
true bill by the Grand Jury on Friday.
The Indictment charges the Marshal
with unlawfully obstructing and intimi-
dating the Grand Jury, and the general
impression seems to be that he has got
himself into rather tight place Judge
Jackson, at the time OF making the
order, stated that the trial should take
place at the present term, though it has
not vet been called up The Court this
afternoon expressed desire to have
the trial commenced tomorrow morn
inc. II. :. W.
From the Parkersburg Times, Republican,
For Next Congress.
An editorial in the Wheeling Ltellt-
geacer and correspondence in another
paper suggest General n Golf, jr., of