The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-02
THE KU-KLUX TRIALS.
A HEAVY LIST OF SENTENCES.

4 HEAVY LIST OF SENTENCES.
Robert Higgins Convicted Of Conspfra'
CT but Acquitted OF Murder-Probabl'
Termination OF the Trials To-Day.
The United States Circuit Court assembled
at ten o'clock yesterday morning, and thu
trial of Robert T. Higgins, of York County
charged with conspiracy and murder, was re
sumed. The witnesses for the defence hat
not yet appeared, and Colonel Hamilton stated
that, being unable from this circumstance tt
pursue the line of defence that he had in
tended, he would endeavor to show by suct
witnesses as he could find at hand that the
whole upper section of the State. and especial
IL hat portion of York County where the al
legged outrages are said to have been com
mitted, had been, during the summer ant
fall of 1870, in a state of great excitement
and that the white people were living con
.tinually In dread of arson and murder, caused
by the parades and hostile demonstration o.
the State militia, composed wholly of eoloreo
men. He would show that this caused grave
alarm, and from this he expected to prove the
inference that the organization or conspiracy
into which the defendant had been drawn was
not caused by the political relations between
the two parties, but rather blythe apparent ne
cessity for some organization to secure con
cert of action for protection and self-defence
By the laws of the State it was unlawful fol
any organization to exist except by the per
mission of the Governor, and many applica
lions had been made to the Governor to allow
militia companies to be organized among the
white people as well as the colored people
but these applications were invariably refused,
He had hoped to have witnesses to prove the
threats made by Jim Williams against the
white people, but his witnesses had not been
brought to court, although subpenas had beer
issced for them.
Colonel Hamilton then called Mr.. j. 4. Moro
30 as the first witness for the defence. Mr.. no.
roso testified that he was in Chester In August,
1870, as the correspondent of the Charleston
Courier; was present at a meeting, which was
broken up.
Here the witness was interrupted by the
district attorney, who said that the same ties.
timony had been ruled out in Columbia.
Colonel Hamilton said he expected to show
that, on the day after the meeting in Chester,
the militia were paradlng about the country,
under arms, and causing alarm and excite
ment =; that a company of militia from Ches-
ter came across the river and invaded the
town of Lancaster-breaking up a Reform
meeting being held there, and that the so
called Ku-Klux conspiracy was the result Of
theEonstant repetition OF such outrages.
Judge Bond. If you can prove that this
particular conspiracy was the result of that
state of affairs, the evidence will be allowed.
Colonel Hamilton. 1 cannot prove it by Mr..
Moroso, because he was not a member of the
conspiracy.
Judge Bond. You can prove 1t by other tss-
timony.
Colonel Hamilton. I have no witnesses to
prove that this conspiracy resulted directly
from this condition of things, but I desire to
give the jury grounds for drawing such an in
ference.
Judge Bond decided that the testimony was
inadmisslble, and the witness was ordered to
60 down.
Colonel Hamilton then called G.. A. Hover
ton, the keeper of the jail In Columbia, and
stated that he desired to show the good con-
duct OF the defendant while In prison, and
that at one time, last January, when an escape
had been attempted by some prisoners, the
defendant co-operated to prevent 1t; but this
testimony was also ruled out.
The defence hsvino no further witnesses,
Colonel Hamilton began his address to the
jury. He said: MAY 1t please the court and
gentlemen of the jury, I congratulate you upon
the fact that you have arrived at last at the
end of a case in which the testimony has been
voluminous, and which, I am convinced, has
been a wearlsome trial to you. I congratulate
you also for the reason that I believe you have
coutsto the trial of this case with your mind
relieved of much of the prejudice which has
surrounded the general circumstances OF this
case. I believe that the mists Of prejudice are
beginning to rise, and that the fires of hatred
which have been invoked In the progress OF
these cases now burns less 1ercely. I can
very we'll understand the existence of this
prejudice, If the horrid stoIies that have been
made current all over the country are to be
believed. 1t has been alleged, and in high
quarters of the government, that this
grand conspiracy was "a new rebellion"
but I think that by this time you
are convinced that this is no such thing. 1t
has also been cincumstantially told that this
was q resuscitatIon OF the Confederate army
In secret, that it was thoroughly organized
throughout the country, with generals and
other officers, and 1t has been a great disap.
pointment, no doubt, to find that this was all
q fable. 1t Is proven now that the Confeder-
ate army Is not In It.; that the organization,
whatever 1t is, is composed of young men In
the humblest walks of life. : 1t Is a very sig-
niacant fact that after all this labor of the
government, after all this force and treasure
have been employed, after millions of dollars
have been expended, the highest nan In the
community against whom ls found any posi-
tive evidence is Mr.. Jim Bunch, a barkeeper
In Union County, who had been a private SOL
dielin the Confederate army, and who is a
man In the humblest walk Of life! The
stories of the extent and organization Of this
conspiracy are shown to rest or suppositions
alone, they are myths, they are untrue,
they are disproved. You understand