Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-12-21
THE ADVERTISER.
Edge6eId, S. c., Dec. 2l. 1871.
The Ku Klux Trials.

On our first page will be found the
proceedings in the U. S. Court, up to the
18th, in the Ku Klux cases now being
tried in Columbia.
On Friday, the 18th, the defence closed,
with permission to introduce mate
rial witness hereafter.
One of the witnesses called for the de-
fence was VIM. Bratton, colored man
who had been first Lieutenant of Jim
Williams company in York. The wit
ness testfi ed that he had a conversation
with him not long before he was hung.
He said =" intend to rule this country
I'll KuKlux white women and children,
and if can't manage things then, III
kill from the cradle to the grave" The
conversation occurred at Mr.. Bratton's
plantation, along some timein January.
He was talking in an angry manner.
have heard him make the same threat
over and often at Mr.. ,Bratton's place.
We both lived on that place; we were
much together; i spoke of the threats
to others; 5itwas along about the last OF
January last.
The prosecution introduced number
of white and black Radical witnesses in
rebnttal-among them members OF the
Legislature from York, who, of course,
pronounced Jim, Williams, the negro
militia captain hung, i model citizen, and
the alarm of the whites a mere prereXt:
Argument of counsel will be heard to-
morrow
On Saturday the argument i'll the case
was began, Mr.. Chamberlain opening for
the prosecution. His remarks were
lengthy, aud were directed principally
TO showing the existence of a conspiracy
as defined by the Act of Congress. He
made a telling speech, and harped upon
the clause in the Constitution of@the or
der, which declaredits opposition to Ra :
ical rule-a pointwhicil undoubtedly c. :
He was followed by Mr.. Stanberry. il.
an elaborate argument, which occupied
the time of the Court up to the hour
adjournment.
The Grand Jury found True Bill 3
against some thirty persons, and among
them are three romcn. Comment un-
necessary. $50.
on Monday, in the L. S. Court, (says a
dispatch to the Chronicle d Seatinet) Mr..
Johnson, for the defense, delivered an
able argument in behalf of Robert Hays
Mitchell. indicted for conspiracy. In
commenting upon the evidence, Mr.
Johnson mercileSslv handled AkermanS
5000 Gum, who testified so swiftly for
the prosecution. His argument was elab
crate and eloquent in generalties, embrace
ing within its scope heavy thrust at the
piundering ring of officials who had
brought financial ruin upon the State.
Attorney General Corbin closed the ar
gument for the prosecution, taking up
the evidence step by step, and making
skillful application of the bearing of the
testimony upon the special case ON trial.
After brief and pointed charge by
Judge Bond, OF the Law applicable, the
Jury retired and brought in a verdict OF
general conspiracy, Wit lout stating under
which count found. The Court refused
the verdict and sent the jury back to cor
rect it, The jury was brought out the
second time and instructed, when, after
an absence altogether Of about an hour,
returned verdict OF guilty of the second
count. being the charge of conspiracy to
cause he had voted for A. S. Wallace,
candidate for Congress, in 1870.
Mr.. Stanberry gave notice of move
to arrest Judgment, which may result III
a new trial.
In the United States Court, on Tuesday
the 10Th, the counsel for the other per-
sons indicted with Robert Hays Mitchell,
convicted of special conspiracy against
the negro Jim Williams, asked for fur
ther time to get ready.
DR.. Thomas 3. Whitcsides and John
W. Mitchell We're then placed on trial
The charge against them IS for general
conspiracy to intimidate colored voters,
and special conspiracy against a negro
named Charles Leach. In this case, the
jury consists of three whites, and nine
colored Republicans. This trial is now
in progress.