Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-10-10

clety ana good government demand
that they should have condemned
such crime and violation of the prin
ciples of humanity.
A peculiar feature clearly develop
ed by the evidence in this case is the
cool and deliberate manner in which
each individual member of good soci-
ETY. goes to work to execute, even in
the most cruel and inhuman way, the
orders of the chiefs or committees oil
the deeds or clans, by torturing and
even taking the life of fellow be.
ing for no higher CRIME than exer-
cislng a privilege gusran teed to him
by the constitution and the laws oil
our common country, for the doing
OF that which they themselves are as
fully allowed to do-that is to vote
for and advocate the election TO of,
flee of any men they may prefer,
and for reasons satisfactory to them
selves. These rights the Fifteenth
Amendment to the constitution of
tho United States intended to con-
fer and does confer upon every
citizen otherwise qualified to vote,
and the acts under which these pris:
oners have been convicted are de-
signed and passed for the punish
ment Of thos, who perpetrate
SUCH FIENDIsH ACTS
as were clearly perpetrated by these
prisoners with q Wow to defeat the
objects Of the amendment. The
manner in which the attack, digni-
fed as they have it by the title of
raid on justice, in some respects
would quite equal the performance
of some of the earlier English knights
of the road A.; but in most cases it was
cowardly, base and devilisb, and es-
pecially does it seem to have been
so on the part of the elder Shotwell,
who seemed to be anxious to pre-
pare himself to establish his inno-
cence, when in fact he was, perhaps,
the most prominent and active of
all the conspirators-and now for
him mercy is asked. If some good
spirit lowering around, or a pious old
father had whispered in his ear the
language of the poet:
Lord that mercy l to others show,
That mercy show TO me.
1t may be that he would not so cool
~ have entered into the conspiracy
for taking the life of II follow being
for such an otfense. Had be been SO
admonished and still conspired to
commit the deed, then he was indeed
as ono lost, No man has attempt
ed TO lmpute anything against yue
tice except that be was Radical
and a man of influence If this is
not case in which it becomes the
duty of the court to punish in such
way as to answer the purpose of the
law, then | confess no case will arise
in which it will be the duty of the
court to punish in an exemplary
manner.
Exceptions were taken by the
counsel for the defendants to the dis
charge of the jurors who were in at
tendance on this conrt for three
weeks in the month of June. For
this the Marshal was directly cen
sured and accused. Those who have
complained of this should know that
the Marshal did not discharge the
jury. If they are under any mis-
apprehension as TO tLat | will inform
them that | discharged the jurors for
the last session Of the court, as re-
member it, with the appreciation of
the Circuit Judge, aud in regard to
the renire for this term, that was or
dered by the Circuit Judge with my
appreciation. AS to the manner in
which jurors were summoned, they
were summoned in the same manner,
under like instruction, as were those
for the dne session, and, with the
exception ofthe former rule restrict
ing the Marshal to the citizens Of
certain counties, were summoned in
the same way in which they have
been since the June torn, 1867. of
this court. The prisoners claim that
the jurors were not Democrats.
They would probably have complain
ed OF any who were not conspirators
like themselves. We believe that
the jurors were honest men, and not
hostile in their feeling to the gov
eminent of the unfortunate parties
accused, and il really any doubt as
to the latter ever existed, with the
counsel, it should be dispelled after
the verdict rendered in the case, by
which the jury have
ACQUITTED THREE OF THE PARTIES,
Against all Of whom was evidence
of such a character as renders il
questionable whether they should
not have found them guilty also.
We will venture the -opinion that il
the gentlemen who took those ex-
ceptions had themselves been Jurors
and not counsel, not more OF the
parties accused would have escaped
than have by the verdict Of the Jury.
For myself | will add that | will not
admit that there is a man in North
Carolina who cherishes a better feel
ing for the lawyers of this court and
of tho State than that entertained
and cherished by me. Few, if any,
l am sure, have ever enjoyed their
intercourse with them more than /
or been more proud of them as breth.
ern, but | state now and here that ]
will not purchase or retain the re.
spect of any man at the high price
Of dereliction Of any official duty
and in this | believe | express the
feelings of my brother, the Circui'
Judge.
THE SENTENCE.
Judge Bond then pronounced thu
following sentences, the prisoners be
ing called separately and in the or
der given: II. A. ShotweIl, ri,
years Imprisonment with hard la
Dor, and a fine of $4,000; Alexande
Defriest, two years and $500 Anne
Evans, six years and So 900, Georg
Holland, two years and $500; VIM
McIntry, two years and $1,000; Wm
Teal, three years and $500; VIM