Wilmington journal., 1876-01-21

| charged with the muruer of the negr,
, Upon the hearing cn the 18th Jun
, Moore ordered the prisoner jackson
) to be put in Jail, without bail, to ava
trial before the Superior Court to a.
swer the cn arge of murder. In acco
dance with this order jackson wa
/ confined.
, The next day, Moore made applica
ton to the Sheriff, S. Il. Manning fo
the privilege of taking the prisoner
, Jackson, out of the jail and takin
him into the presence of the dead bod
stating that if he was guilty the bloc
would flow flo ON the wounds, who
would be proof positive. The Sherl1
refusing, Moore subsequently too
advantage OF the Sheriff's absence ant
againsi his will, proceeded to the dc
putty Sheriff, A. II. Morris, and de
manded of him the prisoner, unde
the pretence that he wauted to have
further hearing in the Case. Unde
this pretense he did get possession O
Jackson, and had him taken to th'
dead mans house and made to touch
his body that the accusing blood O.
the victim might flow from the
wounds.
When the m tier was called to the
attention Of Moore, when he had the
accused before HIM for re-eXamlu.
alton, by gentleman, he showed in
JlstItic alton Of his action an iliustra-
ted paper which contained picture OF
d scene in which prisoner was forced
| to Icy his hands upon the dead bod Y,
and stream of blood WAS pouring
from the wounds.
The JOURNAL at the time resented
this outrage to Law and to civilization
by exposing the conduct Of Moore and
| calling the attention of the Grand
Jury thereto. The following is copy
of our article published the day fol
| lowing:
| HUMILIATING AND OUTRAGEOUS.
1t bas already been ated in these
columns that on Saturday last, two
| officers, acting under the precept, Cor
whatever name the authority may be
| called, for we know of no such writ or
process in the law of our colored
Solon, Bill Moore, went to the com
mon Jail where Burgess and jackson,
were confined for the homicide of
Charles Jackson, coiored got possess
ION of their persons, carried them to
where the dead body had been laid
out and compelled them to touch it
with their hands, under the supersti-
tlous belief prevalent among the ig-
norant blacks, that if they were the
murderers, blood would run from the
dead body when it was touched.
This is a revivor of relict of Afri-
can barbarism winch we thought had
been extinguished ages ago and could
only be found among its native jungle
on the head waters OF the Nile.
This man Moo and those offisers
who acted under his commands have
committed grave offence against the
persons Of these prisoners, be they
guilty or innocent of the crime where
with they are charged and we conf
IDENTIFY expect the action of a court
which is competent to punish all such
acts of lawlessness.
That any community of American
citizens can still be cursed with the
existence of such 80 called, courts of
Justice, is endeed humiliatIng and out
rageous ; and to the good people of the
Cape Faer section we can truthfuliy
say that 1.-The heather have come into
thine Inheritance
Moore was subsequently indicted
and the case camo up for trial yester-
day. The State was represented by
Solicitor Norment aud Ex-Judge Rus
sell.
Messrs Empie, Holmes, w. s. &
D. j. Devane and Cantwel appeared
for the prisoner.
The jury was composed of four
white men and eight balck men.
8. 81. Manning, sheriff of New
Hanover, was sworn on the part of the
State. He testified that pre- nous to
the trial before Squire Moore, he came
into the Sheriff s Office and asked for
an order to take the prisoner, Jackson,
out of Jail to see if he could recognize
urged it saying that ii he could get
him to touch the dead body, the blood
would flow from the wound if the man
was guilty. He replied that he had
never heard of such thing, but be
still refused, for if it was true, there
existed no right to compel Il man to
manufacture evidence against himself.
Upon the cross examination, Gen.
Manning repeated, with emphasis, that
it. was Squire Moore himself who used
the words. He was impressed with
the remark at the time as he had never
heard Of such thing. He was Ger
tain that it was Moore who made the
remark.
VIM. t. Jackson, the prisoner, was
next examined. He was taken out of
Jail on the 18th June last, aud carried
to the house OF Chas. Jackson. he was
told, in rep.y to an inquiry, for the
purpose of identifying the body. He
was questioned as to whether he knew
bIm, and when he had seen him last.
Officer Strobe put cotton in the ears of
the Gead man, aud told him (Jacksop)
to put his hands upon the forehead of
the corps. This he did, leaving it
there for half minu e. Strobe then
took the cotton out of the ears of the
dead man, and exhibited to persons
standing aroun I, acting as if they were
a Jury. Strobe remarked, as he cx-
eIbited the cotton, that he saw moth,
ing wrong about it. He put his hands
on the dead body because he was in
the power of the officers, and was
obliged to do SO.
Upon cross examination the witness
said he did not see Moore present
when he laid his hands upon the body.
Chas. Strobe examined. He had
charge of the prisoner Jackson wher1
he was taken down to the
dead body. He was acting under Or
ders from Deputy Sheriff Morris. Had
a paper from Morris. He was directed
by Moore, to take jackson down to see
the dead body.
Cross Exarnination-Took prisoner
ont of Jail under orders of Mr.. Morris.
TIE purpose Was to see ii Jackson
could recognize the body. This was
hefo.e the examination, before Moore.
There were others charged with the
murder, and we was trying to arrest
them. Moore never gave me any Or
der to have Jackson touch the dead
| body. He heard in the Sheriff IS Office
a remark about the blood flowing from
the wounds. It was Daniel Howard
who made it, at least he thought SO
Didn't charge his memory. Regarded
the matter as so foolish. did not recol'
lect much about it. (Tke witness fal
tered greatly in giving in his testimony
and made several apologies, because
! he did not reccollect now.