Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-05-02


States Circuit Court met at half-past 10
o'clock, Judges Bond and Bryan, presi-
ding.
A. J. Martin and Jas. A Sanders, Of
York, Indicted for general conspiracy,
under the first section of the Enforce
ment Act. were arraigned and pleaded
guilty.
w. D. Barnes, of York, indicted for a
similar offence, also pleaded guilty.
David Ramseur, of York, was arraigned
on an indictment for conspiracy and muir
der. The first count in the Indictment
charged. q general conspiracy, the second
and third counts the murder Of Tom.
Roundtree, and the fourth, fifth and sixth
counts conspiracy. The prisoner pleaded
guilty to the conspiracy and not guilty
to the murder counts.
The District Attorney stated that the
defendant had played so small a part in
the murder, that he would discontinue
these counts against the defendant; and
the jury were then sworn, and returned
averdict of guilty of conspiracy. Mr..
Corbin then stated, that as all the persons
who were to have been tried had pleaded
guilty, there was no further business for
the Court, unless the Court would go on
with the case of The United Staiesivs.
Ragins, which had been appointed for
Thursday. The examination of the Gov,
ernment witnesses would probably oc-
cupy all day, and it would save time, as
the defence could go on inthe morning.
Colonel Hamilton, the counsel for the
defence, stated that he could not commit
himself to such acourse. The defandets'
had sent for his witnesses, and they had
not yet arrived. -
Judge Bond. 1t can't besdone unless
the counsel for the defence consents.
The case was accordingly continued
until the day regularly assigned for Its
| trial.
The Grand Jury returned no Bill
against n. T. Ferguson, for conspiracy
under the Sixth Section Of the Act OF
May S1st, 1870.
On Thursday, the 25th, in the U. s.
Court, U. NJ. Fulton, of York, charged
with general conspiracy to violate the
first section Of the Enforcement Act' was
arraigned and pleaded guilty. Thecase OF
the United States vs. Robert Ragins, in
the absence of the witnesses for the de-
fence was postponed until Monday. Col.
Hamilton for the defence.
The case of Thomas Gallman was post
poned until Monday
The case of William Owen and Thorn
as Zimmerman, charged with conspira
cy and murder, was postponed until Sat
urday.
We make the following extract from
the Charleston Courier:
| On motion of the District Attorney 60
van Black, ]. n. Wright and VIM. Little,
now confined in Charleston Jail, were Or
dered to be transferred to the Jail at Uni
on county, and be allowed to give bail
in the sum of $500 for their appearance
at the November term of the Court in
Columbia.
Robt. Williams, Simeon Pearson, Ky.
>uber; J. A. Campton, ]. ]. Adger and
NJ. M. Beaufort, confined in Columbia,
were ordered to be transferred to the
House of Correction in this city.
J.T. Craig, Antony Mark, VIM. john
son; B Murden, Elisha Young, J. A.
Fritz, R. r. Blakely and G. W. Danasin,
confined at Columbia, were also ordered
to be transferred to the House of Correc-
ton of this city.
The Grand Jury returned no bill in the
case of the United States VS.. Jerry Mo
Arthur, indicted for conspiracy.
The following occurred in relation to
the case of the United States VS.. Robert
Ragins, referred to above. The Courier
reports:
Col. Hamilton, the counsel for the
accused, stated that the Marshal had in
formed him that the subpenas for the
| defendants witnesses had not yet been
fetu Epead, asga- -he- .hesafore moysd for a
Mr.. Corbin urged the case to trial.
MIR. Hamilton replied. thathe did not
complain of the non attendance of the
witnesses, but Of the fault of the officer
of the Court. The Marshal's deputy had
not made return to the subpoena.
The Attorney General still pressed the
trial on the ground that the counsel had
lone nothing to ensure the attendance Of
the witnesses.
| The Court stated that the counsel had
nothing to do with the serving of the
process.
Mr.. Corbin still urged the trial.
Judge Bond. It is beyond all reason
to press the party to trial in the absence
of his witnesses.
The District Attorney. We are in the
hands of the Court, with some fifteen or
twenty witnesses, waiting at the expense
Of the Government.
Judge Bond. Would you have the
Court do an injustice to save expense?
Mr.. Corbin. We don't think that any
injustice can be done in this case.
Mr.. Earle, the Assistant District At
torney, read the affidavit of the defendant,
,tating that he expected to prove by the
witnesses, that there was great alarm and
trepidation in: York County on account
of the State militia who had committed
great depredations in the County, and re-
called the apprehension of a war between
the races, and that Jim Williams was a
dangerous man who had threatened to
destroy the whites; also that the defend
mt was very much alarmed for his own
safety and that of his family.
He made the point that this evidence
could not affect the guilt of the prisoner
,r palliate the crime of murder.
Judge Bond. The party is not charged
sith murder, but with conspiracy, and
| nat in the execution of that conspiracy
murder was committed. If he was on
rial before the State Court for murder,
his affidavit would not avail him. But
il does in this case. Colonel Hamilton
stated that the witnesses could not poSsi-