The Van Buren press., 1870-09-06
The Van BuIen Press,
VAN BUREN,. ARKANSAS.
OZARK, ARKs., Aug. lltb, 1870.


FRIEND DusHAM -
In my letter of last week ! promised
to furnish you with few chapters of
radical outrages in this country, in order
that the party that is so anxious to re-
construct States and put them under
military dcspotisms on account of imag
mary ku kidk outrages. may find abund-
ant cause to justify themia appealing for
protection from greater evils committed
by their own party, and legalzed by the
action of their own officers. We appeal
not for legislative nor military interfef
ence, hut only ask the right to be permit
ted to exercise the rights of frecmen in
selecting those who are to make and ad
minister the laws. IL these officers are
allowed to be selected by the people, who
are to be effected by them, and they fail
TO inaugurate better state ofafIairs than
that which now exists, they are unworthy
of being free and deserve to be the vic
TINS of that despotism, which dishon-
est and corrupt party has placed upon
them But to the facts:
About three months ago Mr.. Henry
Fricke, q democrat and good citizen,
was brutally and cowardly murdered by
one Edward Hasset, aided by three other
radical accomplices. Before the com
mission Of the murder of Fricke, and
with view to screen themselves from
the punishment due the crime that they
contemplated, one OF the party went be-
fore John II. Meadows of Crawford
county, and swcre out warrant for
Fricke, charging him with The murder Of
a Mr. Ford. Having done this the next
step was to get crowd Of his enemies,
Hassett among the rest, and go to his
house under the pretense Of arresting
Fricke, aud then murder him. lIassctt
was to do the murder and the Others to
swear lies enough to clear him. The
first part Of the plan was carried into exc
cution. at the same time that warrant
was issued for Fricke another was issued
against Mr.. Moss, rs it was well known
that he would clear FIicke. Indeed. no
one for moment believed Fricke guilty
Upon hearing no suspicious circum-
stances, much less direct proof, was ellie.
tied to mplicatc Fricke or Moss. Moss
, was accordingly discharged, but the main
end the murder of Fricke, had been ac.
complished Something must now be
done to shield these ioyol murderers. The
plan was an admirable one. They were
to take lassett before one James Ivey
, for trial, while his associates in crime
would do the swearing, and thus it would
be judicially announced that Iassett was
innocent and another glorious radical
victory would be achieved The friends
of the murdered man employed Col. s.
Boone and Capt. S. l.. Witch to prose
cute the case. Their appearance on the
day Of trial Disconnected the nice plans
of the loyal parties and the case was
transferred to Hon. G. W. Sutherland,
Judge of the County Court Of Franklin
county, who called to his aid Wm. i,
, Ioyle, J. p. Col II. X. Wthcrs, ap-
! peared for the defence. Now commenc
| ed the farce. First the plea of auter .tiois
= acQua was pleaded by defendant To
= prove which the order Of the Justice
a Peace of Crawford county, referring the
] case to the County where the innrder was
G committed, was relied upon A lawyer
can hardly realize that such silly de
!. fcnse was relied on. But it was; and
n was urged with that vehernenec and ap
1 pearance of sincerity that should charac
= terizc preacher when arguing an impor
4 tant truth But The Court, though wear
n ing radical spectacles, could not be gull
i " of such ridiculous absurdity as II
y sustain the plea. The trial then com
$ menced The State introduced three re
i spectacle eye Witnesses that proved {
c clear ease of murder, while circumstance
t aided 10 prove it to be one OF premedita
l. lion. The defense then offered to intro.
n duce the five acconplices of Hassett as
q witnesses, but as they were under arrcs
n for the same crime, and the evidence was
: strong against them, the Honorable
G Court, after dclibcrating, decided to ex
n clude all but one. Upon what grounds
$ the Court admitted that one is hard tc
a understand, except it was intended to us'
t. his false statements about crime which
:, he had helped to concoct, is capital out
: side the Court House, and also to justify
5 the ruling that was ultimately made bJ
a the Court. "Aftet hearing the evidcnc,
and argument OF counsel," and after" du,
: delberation thereon" the Court decided
/ he was not guilty Of murder, but was o
@ man slaughter and held him In the ercos
a sire bond Of five huadred dollars!
Next day was fixed for the trial of th'
II other murderers. AS the evidence hat
been heard before Sutherland and Hoyl'
it was evident that they must hold then
g for trial at the Circuit Court. But thi
y would not do 1t would inlure the part,
L for loyalty to be punished simply TO
numbering democrat, nor would 1t dc
for the same Court TO discharge the othc
|. parties after binding Hassett The cas-
:. was accordingly brought before G..