The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-12-22

TEE LAURENs PRISONERS. Columbia
correspondent OF the Charleston. Courier gives
the following succinct account of the arrest,
imprisonment and reiease of the Laqfens prison.
ers. HiseMeEis dated Dec 18th
The chief hpic Of interest at the capital for
the past few days has been the; proceedings in
the cases of the Lanrens prisoners: A short
resume of what hascbeen done will best display
the malicious, diabolical and regengeful spirit
with which the prosecution has been urged
The prisoners were first arrested under charge
of violating the Act to enforce the Civil Rights
Bill, and to prevent their giving the proper re-
er, either in Laurens or -Newberry, as they were
abunGantly able to do. They were hurried off
in the night 10 Columbia and lodged, like igno-
minious felons, in the county jail Every de-
vice 'was attempted before the Commissioner
hereto defeat the effort made te efeeta;re,easa
on bail The amount of bail was not in ques-
tion-the prisoners being both willing and pre-
pared to give security to any amount.
But this was not what Joe Crews and the
friends Of the prosecution desired: "A proper
and thorough Judicial; investigation Has the
Last thing wanted, for with it must come an acl
quittal ofathe accused. H,,however, number
of respectable citizens of the Reform party
could be held incarcerated fog a length of time,
ia filthy dungeons, it would serve to crafty the
mean spite Of Joe Crews, and to- retaliate fog.
the tremendous fright he hadreceived, though
it fall, upon the heads offinnocent parties.A
When the efforts in: this respect proved futile,
other warrants were issiled upomthe. .ihforrna-
tion and belief" Of Hubbard, charging several
ofithe same genslehehowith murder, and again
confniIg them to prison. Bills were' next
handed out in. the cases of the others to the
&c L., Tyrs%
jority of whom. were Republicans. Upwards
strongest case-as the prosecution conceived
that Of DR.. Richardson, presented for investiga-
tien..;,; y.foiitn. ~ ~
A most thorough and searching enquiry vas
had, yaud, after mature deliberation, verdict
of "No Bill'' was: rendered. The other cases
were then withdrawn, and the parties re-arrest-
ed and thrown in Jail, under similar charge
as the; last mentioned. Writs of Hd6eas; Corr:
pus were then sued out by.thesattorneys for tho
defence before;J Judge Vernon, and served upon
the Sheriff of Richland County. As the Sher-
if, in obedience to these writs, was in the act
Of escorting the prisoners to Laurens, he re-
ceived summons at the depot, at seven o'clock
in the morning, from Joe Crews, signing him
self Chairman of n special committee, and or
deripg him to appear before the committee at
ten o'clock that day, thus actually suspending
Habeas Corpus in this mighty age of progress
and Republican liberty. =
An attempt was made on the part of the de-
PENDANTS to have them brought before Judge
| Moses, or Judge Willard, on Hd6eas Cd7pus,
on Saturday, but the former had,to leave for
Sumter, he claimed, and the latter treated the:
the matter as a jest, and Thought it am amusing
proof of Mr. Crews astuteaess-; I'm this wsy
tho nrfsoners have. lees,. Eent in iail until IN
day, when they were released by order of Judge
Vernon, upon giving five thousand dollars bail,
much: to the chagrin Of their prosecutors, who
trumped up resolution in the House to i'm
peach the Judge for. high crimes and misde-
meanors in office, and had notice Immediately
served upon him in the hope of suspending
him from the discharge of his official fanc-
:tion, aud thus defeating the release. expected
But the notice was disregarded, and the prison.
ers freed Some have left for their homes i'm
Laurens BY private conveyance this afternoon.
in fear Of being again arrested Tomorrow
Others are determined to remain and let their
enemies co their worst.1. - o..