New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-29
A sAMpLE CoNsPIRACY TRIAL.

A SAMPLE CONSPIRACY TRIAL.
ruprp LEADING REPUBLICANS ARRAGNED IN
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. WITH ATTEMPTING TO
INTERFERE WITH THE CoUNT-THE DECISION IN
A RDICULOUsLY WEAK CASE PosIfoNi-D
GRAPHIC DETAILS OF TIE TRIAL.
IFnoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
OR,NGEBURG S. c., Nov 22.-Orangeburg is one
of the most attractive villages on the line OF the
south Carolina RAILROAD. between Columbia ana
Charleston. Situated on high ground with good
natural drainage the air is dry and pure ana inc
climate as bealthful as that of Aiken while lts sur
roupdings are even more delightful. BY the display
of little enterprise and cordial, hOspitahe treat
ment of Northern people who come here elther 10
spend the Winter or to settle, this town might DO
made a favorite health resort for at least one
half of the year. 1t is especially fortunate VI
being the seat of Clafin University, an institution
in which many benevolent people OF New-Englahd
and the Middle States feel strong personal inter-
est from having contributed to its endowment ana
support and which would draw many VlAtors 10
This noint rather than to others IN this State. But
the utter lack of accommodations such as Northern
people are accustomed to find. at the cheapest
and worst-kept watering-place hotels beyond the
Potomac. and the neglect of the people to show to
Northern visitors those civities which gentlemen
and ladies are accustomed to receive. have made a
Winters residence here anything but agreeable 10
people from a distance unless they have been Tor
tunate enough TO get into one OF the two OF three
Northern families who have settled IN orange
burg comfortable hotel and a few OF
those delicate social attentions which add so
much to the comfort and pleasure of strangers,
while they cost very little TO those who extend them
would be the making of this place As 1t is, tits
likely to remain for a long time a One-horSe South
ern village of 200 inhabitants, about quarter of
lid tow IF a.
ton and fewer natural advantages.
arrived here at about IL o'clock on Wednesday
morning. and within half an hour heard that an ex-
animation was then in progress of a case growing
out of the late election. Such an opportunity to
witness the dispensing of justice by the State au-
tbor1ties when political question is involved was
not to be neglected and inquiring my way TO the
courtroom turned down an alley leading from
the mann street and found the place without trouble.
1t was in low wooden building erected many
years ago, and was reached by single step from
the street. The room was small destitute OF paint
or plaster and meanly furnished with two pine
tables seven eight plain chairs, some wooden
benches without backs, and a small box stove,
apon which the constable III attend ance
sat during part of the examination.
One corner of the room was fenced off for private
office by plain board partition which did not
reach the ceiling. thought 1t was "cage" in
which prisoners awaiting trial were locked mp. The
fOOr of the room and the walls up to about three
feet above the floor were of a nasty brown color
having apparently been stained with the tobacco
Juice of several generations.
At table in one corner of the room sat the Trial
Justice this name was 0Caln) writing out the test'
mony of witness He was an OrdinarY-looklng
Southerner, who did not make a bad impression
upon me in spite of the unmistakable marks which
L. e. -cIa xfTAOr On
immense quid of tobacco almost as industriousy as
he was writing the juice of which he squirted from
his mouth in an intermittent stream. At another
table sat the representative of the State who was
conducting the prosecution, counsel for the accused
persons and two of the prisoners. The
witness sat at the end of the table
on which the Justice was writing. He occupied an
old-fashioned chair which was tipped back against
the wall at an angle of fortyGve degrees; his feet
were on one of the rounds OF tie chair, and his
knees about on a level with his chin. The chairs,
benches and standing-roOm were occupied by
dozen white men and as many negroes. who were
interested spectators of the proceedings.
hHttle incident which occurred during the ex-
animation but which did not witness. being out
Of the room at the time, characteristic OF this
mart of the South If not of its courts of justice The
magistrate and the attorney for the State left the
room for few minutes the proceedings IN the case
being in the meantime suspended. When they re-
turned the officer III attendance forgot to remove
his hat and the justice remarked TO him that being
there for the purpose of preserving ORDER he ought
not 70 transgress its rules himself. The officer re-
piled that he was not aware that the Court was in
session. as he had seen il 20 ont only few minutes
before to take drink. At this there was general
laugh, in which the justice himself joined heartily
When entered the room and took vacant chair
-, v.furtf half
in the proceedings. The justice got mixed up with
his testimony and the witness forgot where he left
off. No one knew me, and was informed afterward
that nv unexpected appearance caused great excite
ment and much discussion after the adjournment
for dinner No one could tell who / was, and
although some one suggested that might be gam
bier who had come to Orangeburg to attend the
county fair which had opened that morning, 1t was
finally concluded that must be Deputy United
States Marshal or a detective. My attendance dur
ing the afternoon session not at all Teassuring
But the stranger who travels in the country In South
Carolina must expect to be stared at and gosslpped
about and is fortunate if he does not have to
answer a thousand and one questions about his
private business.
From the testimony learned that three leading
Republicans of 0rangeburg were accused of conspir-
acy to interfere with the counting of the votes on
the evening of the last election. The first Of the
prisoners was Mr.. Eugene A. Webster. the Deputy
Postmaster. He is young man of excellent char
acter and habits, Of the Rev. DIR. Webster,
Presiding Elder of the Charleston Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church ana himself gradu-
ate of a Northern college. He has been an active
Republican, although he has rarely held any State
.office, and his record is untarnished by any com
plicity in fraud or dishonesty. The second was Mr..
Livingston, the Sheriff of the County. He is ma
tive of this State, the owner of more than 5000
acres of land in this and adjoining countless besides