The Van Buren press., 1873-03-04
Pope County.

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Pope County,
The Senate of Arkansas have passed
the resolution calling upon Gev, Baxter
to declare Martial Law in Pope county.
Two reports were offered, the majority
was adopted. Senator CARALorr pre-
sented the minority, which is as follows ::
Mr. PRESIDENT: The minority ofthc
committee on militia, dissenting from the
conclusions of the majority, do respect
fully refer to the consideration OF the
character of the testimony presented be
fore the committee in regard to the con
dtion of Pope county, and to the resolu
ton authorizing the committee to make
an investigation of the affairs in this
count.
On reading the following resolution,
Resolved, That the committee on militia
be instructed to inquire into the state Of af-
fairs in Pope county, and report to this body
at an early day the propriety OF requesting
the governor to declare martial law therein.
it w Ii be seen thai the purpose of the
committee was general. 1t was to ascer
tain thc'peaceablcncss or RIGHTEOUSNESS of
The inhabitants Of Pope county in gene
raj; whether the people Of this county
would obey the laws and assist in their
execution as people.
Without reference to the bias Of the
witnesses who appeared before the com
mittec, and the seeming impossbility of
taking down the testimony exactly ms
they delivered it, an examination of this.
even as taken down and accompanying
The report Of the majority. will show
that the committee have failed in elicitng
particle of testimony upon which to
base their conclusions to request the
governor to declare martial law.
Special attention is called to these
points in the testimony of each witness :
Mr.. Spears testified that on the day that
Herriott was shot there were no more
people in Dover than is usual in county
seats on court days; that up to the time
of the shooting, which took place in the
afternoon, there was no excitement and
no disturbance that there was no great
er proportion of mea armed than are
generally to be seen in county towns in
Arkansas; that the court transacted its
business in all peace and quiet, and had
adjourned.
Judge Yonlcy testified that after the
adjournment. and after his leaving the
courthouse. his attention was directed
to the court house by passing citizen,
who informed him that the men quarrel
ing there were fighting characters; that
that three or four men started from a sa
loon toward the court house; that the
two combatants were separated by the
crowd that there did not appear to be
any excitement before this; that there
was no disposition to interfere with the
court; that no considerable number or
the substantial citizens justified or en-
eouraged such acts Of lawlessness
Mr. Robinson, who seems to have been
badly treated, as shown in his testimony,
was very decided in his opinion as to
what should be done in the case, and
gives gloomy coloring to every incident,
but the testimony of an eyewitness, who
at the time was laboring under no excite.
mont, explains how he, unfortunately,
happened to be caught in predicament
which might have happened to any other
person, and not that ne was selected for
an attack
Mr. Fowler, who had acted as sheriff
Of the county q while before the Novem-
ber election, testified Of the general quiet
prevailing in the county aud all the time
up to the shooting on the 10Th inst that
he had not been molestcd in the per.
formance Of his duties that he would
not hesitate. but would willingly go back
to Pope county and perform the duties
Of sheriff; that the mass Of the citizens
were law abiding, and disapprovcd OF all
acts of awlessncss by whomsoevcr com
mitted.
Judge Allen, who went to Pope coun-
ty rs attorney for Mr. Fowler, testified
that there was no greater crowd in town
on the day ofthc shooting than is usual
on court days; that there was no more
excitement than is Usual when important
cases are Icing tried in courts that from
his observation and experience while
there he did not think that the mass OF
the people approved or encouraged any
lawlcssncss; that he would have no ical