The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-09-19
TENNESSEE.
THE GIBSON COUNTY TROUBLES.

s.g.. IENNESSEEs
THE GIBSON COUNTY TROUBLES.
NASHVILLE, Sept 1S.-Gov, Brown, Of
tennessee, sent the following message
this afternoon to General Grant:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.,
NAsHYILLE, TRIM, Sept IS I
To His Esceleney u S Grant, Presiden,
Of hs United States. Washington:
There were sixteen negroes committed
to the all OF Gibson county, in this State,
charged with conspiracy 10 take The
lives Of the white citizens Of their neigh
borhood. On the night Of the 25lh Of
August, 1874, q party Of disguised meu
entered the al and took these prisoners
iorcibly from the }silor and killed ,ou,
and wounded two. the remainder escap
ing and being now at large The mex,
day 1 offered q reward of five hundred
dollars each Tor these unknown offenders,
The State Court, being then in session,
took immediate cognizance OF the out
rage, and the labors Of the regular and
special session resulted In the detection
and Indictment OF iorty.one Of the guilty
parties, the majority Of whom have been
arrested, and the remainder will be II
they have not fled the country. They
are indicted under the second and third
sections Of the act OF the General Assem-.
bly, OF Tennessee OF 1S60-70, passed on
the 3Oth Of January, 1870, entitled San
Act TO Preserve the Public Peace" and
which is in full force. The sections are
as follows:
SEC 2. Belt further enacted, That II
any person or persons, disguised or 10
mask, by day Or by night, shall enter
upon the premises Of another, or demand
entrance or admission into the house or
enclosure Of any citizen of this State,
1t shall be considered prima facie
evidence that his or their intention ia 10
commit q felony, and such demand
shall be deemed an assault with an intent
10 commit ielopy, and the person or
persons 30 offending shall upon conyic-
tiop, be punished by imprisonment Ia the
penitentiary not less than ten years, nor
more than twenty years.
SEC. 3 Be IL further enacted, That IL
any person or persons so prowling, trav.
cling, riding or walking through the
towns or country Of this State, masked or
in disguise, shall or may assault another
with a deadly weapon, he or they shall
be deemed guilty OF an assault with an in.
tent TO commit murder in the first de-
gree, and on conviction thereof shall suf.
Ter death by hanging, provided the Jury
trying the case may substitute impris-
onment In the penitentiary for
period OF not less than ten years nor more
than twenty.oue yeara. The State su-
thorities have manifested the most earn
est desire to enforce the law against the
guilty parties, and have demonstrated by
these indictments and arrests not only
their disposition but their ability to en-
force the law and protect all citizens
without regard to race, color or previous
condition OF servitude. These efforts, l
can answer you, will in no sense be re.
lsxed until the majesty Of the law Is fully
Notwithstanding these efforts,
with the result stated, the United States
Marshal and Commissioner ior the West
ern Division OF Tennessee, with the
aid OF detachments from the government
garrison at humboldt, have arrested and
are continuing to arrest citizens and con-
veying them under guard 10 Memphis,
nearly one hundred miles distant, to an
swer for the same oftense charged against
them by the State Courts.
As Governor OF Tennessee | do most
respectfully but earnestly protest against
this exercise Of Jurisdiction by the United
States Commissioner and Marshal with.
out reference to the question whether
the otfenses are proper subjects of
cogniz4uce by the United States Court,
bat alone upon the ground that the peace
of society will be more certainly pre-
served and the rights of citizens as well
projected by concediug Jurisdiction to
the State courts; and l therefore respect
fully ask Your Excellency TO order that
no further arrests be made by The Mar.
shsl, and that the parties already III bis
custody be turned over 10 the proper
local tribunals for trial and punishment.
/ undertake to assure Your Excellency
that no effort will be spared 10 enforce
the laws and protect the citizens by the
officers Of the State government through.
out the borders Of this State, and l be.
lieve the local authority is ample to pro.
tect the people of every race and condi.
tion in lilc. An early reply is respect
lully solicited.
tSignedl JOHN @. BRowH,
Governor Of Tennessee.
TRIAL OF aIDaoN COUNTY PR1soNRRs.
MEMPHIS, TENN. Sept. 1s,-The per.
sons arrested in Gibson county and
brought here and released on bail some
time since, had hearing today. Four
ofthe negroes who escaped the maskers
testified against them. About twenty.
five witnesses were examined. The pris.
oners proved an abb. The case will be
concluded tomorrow: