Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1872-01-05
Sentences.

i b.. . a
We take the following from the proceed.
ings of tho United States Court, at Columbia,
On the 28th December, as appearing in the
! Rhoeit;r : ~ .o1aas . I,~eJ at B
Mr., lCorbin proposed that tho eourtydsivor
sentences upon theiprisoners, Sherod Childers,
rom arxg tsRa to TIE
before o iaya oours.
The charges in the indictment we're that the
prisoners were members of q general conspira!
cy TO interfere with aud prevent the free OK.
eroise Of the right of voting Of divers citizens
OF African descent, and that the prisoners en-.
gagged in a special conspiracy against Amzi
Rainey, to injure aud cypress him, because
of his having voted. The counsel for the
prisoners submitted affidavits in extenuation
of the offence of the prisoners. While the
court was considering these affdavits, the
jury returned, aud rendered q verdict of gull
ltyagaiust John s, Miller. t.u -s,.
|! Sherod Chlders was then called up to the
bar Of the court, and Intercepted by the
court as to what he could say In mitigation
Of his punishment. The prisoner was rather
a stupid looking fellow, aud had to be quos
toned pointedly by tho court. He stated he
was twenty.three years Of age; had wife
and one ohildJ had voted the Radical ticket,
and was forced into tho order that he had
no Intention Of injuring AMI Roiney, aud
had not gone up to the house, nor taken any
part in the outrage
! The court stated that, in consideration that
the prisoner had pleaded guilty, and thereby
showed measure Of repentance; the punish
ment should be only $100 fno and eighteen
months imprisonment. 'nNnr .GnH
! aWm. Montgomery was next called. He
statcd that he was nineteen years old could
read but not write, and had not served in the
Confederate army that he had stayed With
4 the horses, aud had not taken part In the
whipping of Rainey; didn't know anything
about it, Z ' .f va. ig~.
| The court delivered the same sentence II
| ltEvans Murphy was next called. He sta
ted that he hnd wife, four children and two
sisters'in law dependent upon him; that he
was,a farmer, and could read and write little,
and That he was only on the one raid, aud
1'haus stSken no iMmediGso haud In the whip.
pingy .&r aa 8 t'1
| The court sentenced him to tho same term
of Imprisonment, aud inflicted the same fine.
Hezekiah Porter received the same sen.
tenoe. la8 ~
| Robert Hayes Mitchell was then called. The
court oyor.ruled the motion for new trial and
in arrest Of Judgment, argued by Mr.. Stan.
berry. yesterday. The prisoner stated, in his
own behalf, that he had never engaged in
any raids except the one when they went to
McConnelsville for the guns, and on which
jim Williams was hung, and the little ride
around when they made Charley Russell
dance. That he knew nothing of tho inten-
tion to hang Jim Williams, or injure any one,
aud was not with the party that did the hang
ing. 'aa q
The sentence Of the court was tho same as
the others. s..4
Mr.. Corbin next asked that the court
would pass sentence Upon S. G.. Brown. r
| The prisoner was called to the bar, and
stated that b. desired to secure the affidayits
of certain parties, to show why he had been
ut tho meeting at Sharon Church, which was
the only connection he had with the khan.
| The court said that if the defendant pro.
posed to make clean breast Of the matter,
and tell all he knew about tho Klan, and of
the connection of persons of his class with it,
he have till tome crow, at 10 clock, to make
| his statement.
John w. Mitchell was next called. He
stated that he was married man, had eight
children and decrepid mother dependent
upon his labor; that he joined the khan under
apprehensions for his own safety, and had
controlled thon in oil instances from intend,
cd aots oflviolence. .s .,,.,,,...,'
Judge Dopd stated that, oh aocotnt Of his
(the prisouer's) age and influence in the com.
munity, of his prominence in the khan az
chief, aud Of his failure to inform tho OWL
aa.horit;ss, or taks sny steps to restrain the
violence Of those who wefa greatly under his