Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-10-21
From the Robesonian.

Colonel Sinclair, who seems to have
constituted himself the special friend
of the band of outlaws in this county,
and who has assumed to himself all the
powers. real and imaginary, of the
township court for this purpose, is
which eclipses in its baseness everything
that his most bitter opponents have
charged upon him during his eventful So
lSourn among the people of Robson
When at the late election be was elected
justice of the peace for this unfortunate
township he was heard to remark that che
now had the power in his hands, end God
help this people" and he will evidently
not scruple at any assumption of power
necessary to make good his words.
On Monday morning last, two young
men from other counties, who were on
their way to school at Qpeensdaie Academy
In this county, aud who had stopped over
to visit relative in this town, were ar.
rested by him, without warrant or precept,
and compelled to remain over till yeeter-
day without knowing anything of the
nat0re OF the charge against them, or the
causs Of their arrest, when he had them
brought before him, and compelled to give
bond in the sum of 81, 900 to appear before
him nex5 Saturday to answer to the charge
of numbering or shooting some of his
friends in Scuffietown. These young men
are now compelled to procure the attend
ance of witness who resides some thirty
miles from this place, to prove that they
were twenty-five miles from the scene at
the time the offense is alleged to have been
committed.
In the afternoon of the same day, not
satisfied with what had already been ille-
galy done, Mr.. John Taylor, a gentleman
of the highest resi- reliability and great
moral worth, who had been repeatedly
robbed by this band of fiendish OUTLAWS,
and to whom they had sent through his
teamster. whom they arrested last Saturday
morning, threat of being murdered, and
who had, with his wife and child, fad 10
this town for protection and security, was
arrested by Township Constable Holloway,
at the instance of Esq. Sinclair, and
appeared. he was informed by the Magis-
trate that he was accused as accessory to
the murder of Malcolm Sanders, a mulatto
recently found dead near Moss Neck, and
that he should commit him to Jail without
bail or main prize. Col. n. A. Mclean,
counsel for Mr.. taylor, demanded to see
the precept on which Mr.. 7. was arrested.
This paper was found to have been issued
without the affidavit Of any witness. Col.
Mclean then demanded TO know the names
of the accusers. This dem and was refused,
the Magistrate declaring that he would
take the responsibility of any irregularity,
and the constable was perem ptorily ordered
to commit him (Mr. T. to Jail.
The constable, though g colOred man,
was convinced that he had no authority
without precept from the magistrate au-
thorizng the commitment, and declined
to obey the order. Subsequently Mr.. T.
was with evident reluctance GA the part
of the magistrate) admitted to bail in the
sum Of $4,000 for his appearance before
him on the a1st inst. for preliminary ex-
animation. This is denounced by all of
our white citizens and many of the colored
as the most diabolical outrage that has
ever been committed in our town by one
pretending to exercise the functions of an
officer Of the law.
The a1ainaus of the Court may be under
stood from the language used by him
towards Mr.. Taylor during the absence of
his counsel and friends from the court room
for the pourpose of procuring bail He
was heard to address Mr.. Taylor in the
following language: II have evidence to
hang yQn, and go~ shall Aangf'- This
language we heard ourzeif, ana must con-
fe5s that we were astonished to hear such
language from even such source.