The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-02-13
The Holden Impeachment-Damag-
ing Testimony.

! The Richmond correspondent OF the
New York Herald (Mr. Cuthbert) who
is now in Raleigh writing up the Inn
parchment trial, says that the first wit
ness examined as to the Bergen-klrk
outrages was F. A. Wiley, ex-sheriH OF
Caswell county, who states that he was
working alone in his tobacco field, in
July last, when he was approached by
six armed men, habited in the uniform
of United States soldiers They leveled
their muskets at him aud demanded his
immediate surrender. He asked per
mission to 60 to his house and change
his clothes, as those he had on were
filthy with tobacco smut. The officer
! of the party (Bergen) said .o-. II
NO, d-n you. COME on as you
are" ..... 49, -',.... .
Wiley then begged to be allowed to
see his family, promising them faith
fully to accompany them.
"No, you're d-dscoundrel, and you
must come along now" Thereupon
Wiley prepared 10 resist, and struck at
the men right and left with his fists,
knocking three down; but with the aid
OF fence. rails he was soon overpowered.
They then placed him on a bare back
horse, tying his feet underneath the
body of the animal, and in that position
of torture whipped him with sticks the
entire distance Of ten miles to Yancey-
Vile. Wiley is one, Of the leading citi-
zens of the county, is powerfully built
and high-spirited gentleman, but groans
were forced from him by the terrible
punishment of that day. When they
reached Yanceyyille the entire inside
Of his legs was wet and his skin bis
tered, for the weather was quite hot in
July. He sank with exhaustion on
the doorstep of the courthouse at Yam
ceyville, but Bergen coming mp at the
time, said: Get up, You ID scoun-
drel; how dare you sit down in my
presence"
He was kept in almost constant soli-
tary confinement, but frequently they
would send six armed men, who would
stand over him in the cell for hours with
their bayonets at the charge on him,
and he was daily threatened with death
by either Kirk or Bergen.
Lucian H. Murray, Of all, is perhaps
the most unfortunate of the victims Of
the tiend Bergen, for beyond doubt
Bergen is combination of everything
vicious, degraded and contemplate.
Kirk was a timid sort of desperate,
who was always in an agony of terror
when engaged in what he well knew to
be an unlawful proceeding. Bergen
was an arrant coward, but a tyrant,
who gloated over the fortunes Of his
victims, and the more intense the latter
the more his joy. Murray is Young
man, of respectable family, residing in.
Alamance county. He was arrested
among nearly one hundred others in
the same county by Bergen. His state
meut is as follows Il was living in
tent at the camp as a prisoner one night
about eleven o'clock, when Bergen
came to the door with light and said,
Murray, is that your said Yes,
it's me- He then went away and re-
manned absent about five minutes, when
he returned without any light and seiz-
ing me by the feet said, Murray, get,
up and come ont here. | asked,
Can pal On my shoes?
mo. Won won't want shoes long, he
replied
| then went out and Bergen con-
Quoted me to his tent, upon entering
which saw three men standing with
pistols in their hands Bergen sat
down on his bed and threw his pistol
beside him.
"Now, Murray, tell all you know
about the hanging Of Wyatt Outlaw,
said Bergen.
81 know nothing about it, | re-
piled.
You're ID liar, and it you don t
confess I'll blow your heart out.
Bergen, as he said this, got up and
cooked his pistol, when the other three
men also cooked their pistols.
"Tll give you another chance. Did
you not see Dolph Moore hang Outlaw
said Bergen.
"No, ] did not, AMI know nothing
about il" | again replied.
Bergen then leveled his pistol at my
breast and the other three followed his
example. lie again asked me the
same question, and ! answered as be-
fore. He then said:
"Rodger and Patton knew nothing
until they were hanged; then they could
tell all about it, Turning to one of the
men he said, Get a rope The man
got rope and tied it round my neck.
My arms were then pinioned, and,
taking hold of the rope, Bergen led me
! TO the woods, about one hundred yards
from the camp, followed by the other
three men, all with their pistols. | was
then placed under the limb of tree;
over which the rope was thrown. "Now
tell me all you know about the hanging
of Wyatt Outlaw, or I'll break your
d-n neck, said Bergen.
81 have told you all know, and that
is nothing" -
Pull him up said he to the men.
The rope was then gradually frightened
until | was lifted of the ground, | was
kept there about one minute and 4 half,
and when lowered was not able to speak
for some time. | waschoked Now
confess, d-n you, OF I'll break your
neck the next time, and TO the men
he said:
"If this iscounife, don't confess this
time hang him and leave him there
until morning, and then bury his. body
right here
Are you ready to confess? he said.
~ have nothing TO confess ] an
swered.
Pull him ND, ordered Bergen.
This time was jerked up suddenly