Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-07-17

Was contending with Wilsot, cooked and
presented his pistol at my breast, and IN
sisted that Wilson and all of them should
go; but on my offering to decide it by COM
bat with him, be declined it, and by this
means they went off swearing. and said that
they were out-generaled.
The next day Col. Mcfarland, with his
regiment came down and offered to defend
the court, and addressed it the court an
swered, and stated that there was no occa-
sion, aud thanked him.
Judge Bryson read paper, stating the
ill-treatment he received, and mentioned
that no fear OF danger prevented him from
taking and keeping his seat; but that he
understood an engagement had been entered
into by his friends that he should not, and
on that account only he was prevented.
The court adjourned until two O'Clock
that day, and were proceeding to open it
with the sheriff, TO wait on him and request
him to walk with them; he returned, and
said the judge would not walk or sit with
Bryson, and addressed Judge Bryson with
warmth, who replied to it in a becoming
manner. The sheriff struck at him, and
sheriff, and commanded the peace, and took
the sheriff's rod from him the coroner took
his place, and the sheriff was brought up
before the court. l moved he might be
committed to gaol, and his mittimus wrote
and signed, and the court ordered the cor
oner and gaoler to take him, and he sub
mitted. The court adjourned. After night
the drum beat, and Holt collected about
seventy Men, who repeatedly huzza'd, cry
ing out, "Liberty or death 20 and he order
ed to rescue the sheriff, but the sheriff re-
fused.
At ten O'Clock at night I was informed
expresses were sent down the Narrows to
collect men to rescue the sheriff Major
Edmiston informed me that the sheriff was
sorry for his conduct, and offered to beg
the courts pardon, and to enter into re-
cognizance. communicated this to Judges
Brown and Armstrong, and requested they
would write TO the gaoler to permit HIM to
come down; they did, and the sheriff came
with Major Edmiston, begged pardon of
every member of the court, and Judge
Bryson, who was not present, and entered
into recognizance TO appear at next sessions.
The next day near three hundred were
assembled below the Narrows, and / pre-
vailed on some gentlemen to go down and
disperse them; and upon being assured that
the sheriff was out of gaol, they returned
to their respective homes, and the court
have finished all business nothing further
requiring the attendance of the grand jury,
the court dismissed them and broke up.
must not omit to inform, that Judge Beale
had declared, during the riot, in court, that
he would not sit on the bench with Judge
Bryson, and that both him and said Stewart
appeared to countenance the rioters, and
are deeply concerned.
/ must now close The narrative with saw
ing, that owing to the spirit and tirmness of
Judge Armstrong, and the whole of the
bar, | was enabled to avert the dreadful
blow aimed at Judge Bryson, and TO keep
order and subOrdination in court and un-
less the most vigorous measures are exert
ed soon, it will be impossible ever to sup
port the laws of the S State in that county,
or punish those who dare transgress.
The excise law is execrated by the ban
ditti; and from every information, 1 ex-
pect the collection of the revenue will be
opposed.
am happy to add, the dispute which
originated by a mistake between Hunting
don and Mifflin counties, is happily closed
in the most amicable manner, without any
prosecution in Miffiin.
/ am, sir, your most obedient,
JOHN CLARKE, by. St. Airy.
To Thomas Smith, Esq, Presiden. of the
Court of Miffiin county
In the same book, another writer writes
of the cause of the riot as follows:
The Governor has lately appointed Sam
uel Bryson, Esq, second Associate Judge
of the Court of Common Pleas of that
county [Nifiiin county, - this gentleman
having been Lieutenant of the county OF
Mifiiin, had excited the determined -enmity
of two men, who were ambitious of being
Colonels of Militia; and against the com
missioning of whom (as unfit persons) Mr..
Bryson as county Lieutenant bad made rep
resentations. Enraged at the promotion of
Judge Bryscn, and unhappily yielding to
the impulse OF the most unjustifiable pas
sions, one William Wilson, brother to the
sheriff Of Miffiin county, and one David
Walker. levied a considerable force and
marched at the head of about forty armed
men, with fife playing to Lewistown, with
the avowed determination to seize upon the
person of Judge Bryson, whilst on the
bench, drag him from thence, oblige him to
resign his commission, and compel him to
march many miles along the rugged Mar
rows of the Juniata.
The new game law does not meet
with the approval of sportsmen.
They believe that the most effective
game law will be one that restricts or
prevents all hunting, and the shoot
ing of game, till it will be late enough
in the season to embrace all and
every kind of game in the woods.
They maintain that as the law now is,
a man may go into the woods and
shoot particular kind of game, but
no other, and the result is that men
are led into the temptation of viola
ting the law by meeting game that it
the shooting season were put off till
it could embrace all kinds of game
there would be no violation of law,