Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-05
KU-KLux.
Close of an Absurd Yet Cruelty Win.
dtetive PrOsecutIOn-The Defendants
"NOt Guilty"
AswKARING n HYhN-sINGINa DARBY

SAOnt VI an ADAGE4 ACA (AnCh 0AAA
dtctive PrOsecutIOn-The Defendants
"NOt Guilty"
AsWEARING AND HYMN-sINGINa DARBY
ON THE STAND.
The alleged Ku-Klux case was again
taken up yesterday morning before
United States Commissions Garrett. The
testimony was chiefly as to character.
George Williams, very colored, being
placed on b stand, swore that he lived
on Robertsop's place, near Salisbury.
He knew Chapman and Smalley, the de-
PENDANTS; remembered that one evening
last spring they came to his house, while
himself and Dinah his wife, were sitting
at the "doa' singing; they, Chapman and
Smalley, were disguised, one side OF each
face being black; they told me
to come out; they brought me into
the swamp about half g mile; they said
1 had to Ego up" that night; both had
guns; Chapman told Smalley to shoot me
ii I attempted to stir; they talked to me
about Robertson and Brock; 1 know they
had one half their faces blacked; l was
sitting on a stump when they told me to
hurry M and say what l had to say, and
1 had better do It quick (they used Oaths)
as l had to Ego up" pretty soon; 1t was 9
bright moonlight night last spring; l
lived on Robertson's place five years; l
was tried twice for hog-stealing; Robert
son swore he sold me the hogs; Chapman
and Smalley brought me half 8 mile from
the house into the bottom; l was singing
when they came,
Q.-What song were you singing9
Ave were singing, my wife Dinsh
and me, "a dismal sound from the
tombs, hsrk!" that's what we were sing
ing; we SUNG two songs; my wife Is sorter
pert; she is a swearing woman.
Q.-Uses strong language2
A-Yos. sir.
Dlnah williams, wife of the previous
witness, was placed on the stand. She re-
membered the night that she and her hus-
band were sitting at the door singing,
when Chapman and Smalley came with
their faces blsckened snd took him away
into the woods. We were singing.
Q.-What were you singing when they
came?
Ave were singing "Angels come and
change my name"
Dinah admitted that she was in the
habit of using strong language. She used
some that night.
A. J. Sneed, n of the two parties who
were said to have been made away with,
WIS placed on the stand by the defense.
He said: Robertson and Brock told me
that Ira Red had made threats against me,
and told me if / would come and swear
that BOwden and Red were KU-Klux, he
would give me $3.50. They offered me
a mule also. l have been lying out in
Wolf river bottom. Neither of the defend
ants ever offered me any money to stay
away. l was at home all that night that
Garrett is said to have been hung. The
conversation with Brock and Robert
son occurred n day before the
arrest of Bowden; Brock came to me
and said, 81 will have those boys in hand
cuffs before shutdown Tomorrow" he
further said, before Thursday night
I ill -aa1rN III -1aI- a~O--1 Ga,,1.kr--
stink" l understood him to mean with
the csrcasses of those boys here; I did
not tell him / had been paid money to go
to Wolf river bottom; one day l was buy
ing a mule and Robertson said he would
stand up to me; if I'd swear as he wanted
me he would give me q mule. / did not
stay because / was unwilling to be a wit
ness, but because 1 had been away from
family some time and wanted to stay
with them awhile; I had q falling out
with Red before that.
COunsel-State what Brock said to you
in that conversation you refer to.
Witness-Brock said to me, if 1 would
swear that Red and Bowden were Ku-
Klux he would pay me $3.50; / reckon
that 1 had taken two or three drinks at
the time, but I wasn't under the influence
Of whisky.
L. V. Suggs testified to the general
of MI. Smslley upon the point
Of profanity; meyer heard him use any
language.
Colonel Gay was again Intercepted as
% the swearing habits of Mr.. Chapman.
said that he never heard Chapman
wear in his life; l had q falling out with
once; he was very mad.
Odd he swear then?
A.-No, sir, he did not; l never heard
lin use profsne language.
At this point 1t was agreed by the cOun-
81 on both sides that they would rest
heir case here as far as testimony was {
oncerned.
The prosecuting attorney, Mr.. Craig, /
aid he would be extremely brief in rep
ssenting the case for the United States.
lie would confine himself to q few au- {
~horities. I
Colonel McRse, for the defense, thought t
here was not much necessity for any (
.9ngthened arguments, and he was quite c
nxiOus to get through with the tedious S
art of the business, as soon as possible. c
The our adjourned to half past two
t
DISCHARGED. t
In the afternoon the case was argued by q
prosecuting attorney and Colonel Nc 4
The point sought to be made by the =
rOsecution was that the testimony of .
,Obertson and the colored Williams and :
is wife had established the fact that the =
were engaged in ku-KluXism y
to the laws of the United States =
such cases made and provided. Colonel =
[cRae ably commended for the defense that !!
le testimony of Robertson had been !
)mpletely overthrown by the vast array 2
respectable men of his neighborhood '
no swore they would not believe him on .
It'll. COMMISSIONS Gsrratt, as soon as q
10 arguments were closed, immedistel Y 3
scharged the prisoners. They walked u
1t of the Court with their counsel like v
who had realized a weIl-founded o.
,pe that justice would be done them in D
States Court, j.
COPYRIGHT. ii
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