The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-06-01
South Carolina.
THE ELLENToN CONSPIRACY TRIAL

IRE COSSflRACI IRlALs
CHARLESTON, May 31.-The argument in
the Ellenton conspiracy case in the United
States Court before Chief-Justice Waite
closed tonight, and at the opening Of the
court tomorrow, after charge from the
presiding Judge, the case will be given to
the jury. :,
The accused are eleven white citizens
Of Aiken county who are charged
spiracy to interfere with the politi-
cal rights of David Bush (colored). Some
$50 or 800 whites from the same county
have been arrested and held to bail on q
similar charge, but only these eleven have
been brought to trial as test case. The
evidence adduced on the trial on both sides
shows that from Friday, September Is, 1876,
to Thursday. September 2lst, in the south
western portion Of Aiken county, border
ing ON Barnwell county, and in the neigh
boring part of Barnwell county, number
of acts OF violence were committed by both
whites and blacks, and the people Of both
races were in state Of great excitement,
especially from Sunday morning to Tuesday
noon. n-.. ,..s -. fH.-..g.- ..5e-r go.
The theory of the prosecution is that the
violent acts OF the. whites were in pursu-
ance OF q general plan to .intimidate colored
voters, and that several defendants having
at various times and places been more or
less connected with bodies of men, some of
whom committed these various violent acts,
are themselves responsible for all of them ;
and one Of these acts was the killing OF
David Bush. A general conspiracy was in
ferred from these general acts, which be-
comes constitutionally special conspiracy
against Bush and the defendants, and they
are as responsible as il they seVerally and
Jointly had combined for that particular
purpose. -. -,
The theory of the defence is that lawful
attempt on the part OF the whites to arrest
q man who had assaulted q white woman
caused resistance and excitement on the
part Of the blacks; that the consequence
was the assembling and riotous conduct OF
the armed negroes, their threatening Ian
guage and demeanor, and their actual way
laying and killing Of white men,; burning
Of property, and, iwrecking OF railroad
trains, rendering it necessary for the
white people in self-defence, and whatever
acts Of violence were committed on the part
of the whites grew naturally out OF 9
quasi war Of races thus inaugurated. The
number of witnesses examined on either
side has been large, and the progress OF the
trial, which has occupied the. Court con.
tinuously since 1.-The 18th instant, has ex.
cited much feeling. The case Is being
treated by the prosecution as an effort tc
visit deserved punishment upon deliberate
and systematic violators of the political
and personal rights of the blacks; and
by defence as political persecution, In
which, defeated Republican. candidates are
using the machinery OF the Justice to graz
lily their personal spleen and to rekindlf
| enmity between the races, now almost en-
tirely allayed. The charge Of Chief-Justlct
Waite tomorrow is looked Tor with grea
interest. The jury is composed OF twenty
ixwhite and six colored men, with Georg'
w. williams, wealthy Charleston banker
as foreman. The general expectation !
that they will beaunable to agree upon
| verdict. =