Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-12-07
The Ku NIux Trials.

The prellmlnarleS are conciuuel, anu
the Ku Klux trials are now fairly under
way before the U. S. Circuit Court in
Columbia. Judge Bend, L. S. Circuit
Judge presides, assisted by District
Judge Bryan. Corbin, US District At
torney, is assisted in the prosecution by
Chamberlain, Attorney General of this
State. MessrsJ ohnson and Stanberry for
the defence, have associated with them
F. w. Tickling Esq. OF Columbia.
The objection of Mr.. Johnson to the
assembling Of new Jury, having been
oyerruled by Judge Bond, the new Jury
was got together on Friday last, and the
necessary oath administered to them
This oath is to the effect that they have
never directly or indirectly counselled.
advised or voluntarily aided any COM
bination or conspiracy against the pro.
visions of the Enforcement Act, com
monty called the Ku kluX Law. The
grand Jury consists of twenty-one MEM
bers, six of whom are white men, and
the rest negroes and mulattoes. The
foreman is B. F. Jackson, q strong and
active white carpet-bag Radical. The
only man from Edgefield on this Jury is
Augustus Harris, colored.
The panel of petit jurors consists Of
SO, of whom 90 are white and 81 colored.
After the swearing of the jury and the
charge of the Judge, on Friday, the
Court adjourned until Saturday. On Fri
day however, true bill was found by
the grand jury in the following case:-
The United States VS.. Allen Crosby,
Sherod Childers, alias Burch Childers,
Sylvanus Hemphin. Banks kell, Heze-
kiah Porter, William Montgomery and
Evans Murphy, for conspiracy against
Anizi Rainey, and for burglary.
On Saturday, Mr.. Corbin stating that
the government was ready to proceed to
trial, submitted motion that q bench
warrant be issued to bring into Court ne
men named above.
Messrs Stansbcrry and Johnson stated
that they had rot been furnished with a
copy of the indictment, and asked for
further time till Monday to prepare for
trial, summoning their witnesses, &c.
Mr.. Corbin opposed the granting Of time,
but Judge Bond granted the request OF
Messrs. Stanberry and Johnson, and tx
ed Monday for the day Of trial.
On Saturday also, the grand jury made
the following returns: The United States
vs.. James Rufus Bratton, Chambers
Brown, Sylvanus Shcarer, William She
arer, Hugh II. Shearcr, James B. Shear
er, Robert higgins, Hugh Ken, Henry
Warlock, Robert Hayes Mitchell, Napo-
leon Miller, Alonzo Brown, VIM. john
son, James Neal, Addison Carroll. alias
Ad. Carroll, Miles Carroll, Harvey Gun
ming, Pinckncy Caldwell, Rufus McLain,
Robert Caldwell, Bascom Kennedy, Hol-
brook Good, John Caldwell, Richard
Bigllam, Eli Ross Stewart, alias Alley
Ste wart, Samuel Ferguson, John. j.
Bratton, James William, Avery, Josiah
Martin, alias Joe Martin. Conspiracy
against James Williams, alias Jim Raj
nsy, and murder. True bill.
On motion of the district attorney, a
bench warrant was issued to bring the
prisoners before the court.
The court then adjourned to Monday,
at IL o'clock.
On Monday, the 4th, Mr.. Stanberry be
gan the proceedings by moving to quasll
tho Indictment against Crosby and 9TH
ers, upon these among other grounds
That the name of the persons injured
are not mentioned in the indictment
that the grand jury had decided as to tho
law instead of the facts; that the indict
ment was defective in stating the depri-
walton of the right to vote as taking
place ct future date, as the United States
Constitutiomand law does not secure tt
any citizens theright to vote, and that the
State and not the Federal Courts mus
redress such personal grievances as those
complained of. Stanberry argued two
hours in support Of bis objections. Cor
bin, for the Government, asked for time
and said he would reply on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the 5th, the time OF th'
Court was consumed by Corbin ant
Chamberlain, in reply to the motion ant
argument of Stanberry, on Monday, tt
ouash the indictment against Crosby ant
others, from York. Mr.. johnson an
noupcet. that he would deliver an argu
ment in favor OF the motion on the th'
following day-Wetnesday.
In our next issue we will take UP til,
proceedings in these important and ex
citing. trials, and follow them aup from
,eyednes;day the6th to Wednesday 1ath