The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-11
.rHE KU-KLUx TRIALS RESUMED.

-- t.rs
Arrival of Judge acknowledgements
Found to Order by tho Grand Jury,
but Abandoned by tho Prosecution.
The announcement that Judge Bond had ar
rived. and that the Ku.Klux cases were at last
to be taken up in the United States Circuit
Court, was sufficient TO crowd the courtroom
yesterday morning with a large and eApec,
tant audience. The grand jury, winch nau
been out since Monday noon, returned lnolce-
ments against Walker Dawson, waiter e
Antony, Joseph Lackey, VIM. RAMSEY my
Donald Thompson, Chas. Sims, Galofaith
Hambrecht. Gideon Long and John Rogers,
charging them with conspiracy and murder,
but on motion of the distrlct-attorney 1t was
ordered that the charges of murder In the nrst
five cases be discontinued. In the case OF
John Rodgers the defendant was released
from confinement upon giving his own recog-
nizance for ten thousand dollars, to attend Inc
court from day to day and not to depart from
Charleston without the order OF the court.
Walker Dawson, Walter P. Antony, Joseph
Lackey, William Ramsey and mcDonaiu
Thompson, pleaded guilty to the general
charge OF conspiracy, and the latter was e3-
SAAA SS
amIned at some length by Judge Bond as 10
his connection with the Ku-Klux Khan. he
stated that he had been on two raids. On the
first occasion there were thirty or forty per-
sons In the party, who had been 10
attend by a man from Jonesville, who brought
intelligence that an effort was to be made oy
thsfriends of the negro prisoners confined IN
Union Jail to release them, and that the people
who were guarding the jail were worn out
with watching. Nothing was done by the
party that night except riding to the Jail and
returning from 1t. The next raid tnat ne
stated he had been on was the one IN Wnicn
the negroes had been taken out Of the jail and
hung, He said that they went to the jail,
took the prisoners out, led them to an ola
field and hung them upon the limbs OF the
trees. He supposed there were ten or Twelve
persons killed that night, but he denied any
active participation In the killing.
Mr.. 8. P. Hamilton requested from the court
an order In the cases of William Hardwick,
Butler Hardwick and others, charged with
conspiracy, that the district attorney furnish
him, as counsel for the accused, q list OF the
witnesses on the part Of the government to
be used on the trial, but the order was re-
fused by Judge Bond.
There being no cases ready for trial, the
juries, both grand and petit, were discharged
until to-day, at ten a. NJ, TO which time the
court adjourned.
The Inferior Court
was opened at the usual hour yesterday morn
ing.
The sheriff was ordered to summon four ad-
dltional grand jurors to complete the grand
iury, which will serve for one year. Stephen
Brown, A. A. Asplnall, Edw. Weathers and
BENT. Hernandez were summoned.
The following cases were disposed OF, B. 8.
Tharin, Esq, acting for the solicitor.
Dhn Mcpherson, assault and battery and
resisting an officer. Attachments were Issued
against two Of the witnesses.
Henry Baker, assault with intent to Kill and
assault and ~battery-two cases. Verdict, not
guilty in both.
Henry Page, assault with intent to Kill and
resisting an officer. Continued.
Samuel Smalls and John Parker, grand lar
ceny. Fixed for trial on Thursday morning.
Mary Jones, petty larceny. This case occu-
pied the court up to the hour OF adjournment.
Under instructions, the jury brought In a seal
ed verdict, which will be opened this morn
ing.
The grand jury found true bills against Claus
Locker, Aston Barton and James Grant Tor
assault and battery; James Mcdowell and Jno.
Mcclure, for robbery; and W. e.. Harrison and
John Lee, for grand larceny.
No bills were found against VIM. Pinckney
and Reuben Hudgins, charged with assault
and battery, and Nelson Davia, charged win
grand larceny.
At $40 P. NJ, the court adjourned until 10
O'Clock this morning