Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-11-06

exhibition of official incompetency
and depravi;y began on Tuesday
with the trial of Peter Hamiin, of
Surry county, charged with the
removal Of unstamped tobacco. The
only witness for the government
was one j. E. Philpot, Deputy
Marshal, whose evidence would
have convicted the defendant had
his REORGANIZATION not shown
that he left Danville, Va, TO avoid
Indictment for blockading whisky !;
that he played cards with Pete
Allen, a negro, on Sunday in Dob>
son, and lost money and his coat
thereby F; and many other rascally
! transactions too numerous to men-
ton. Mr.. Hamlin was promptly
acquitted. Four other men from
Surry we're indicted for the same
offence, with Philpot as informer
and witness for the goyernment.-
On Thursday morning Mr.. Bost,
one of them, was tried and acquitted.
Philpot's testimony in his case
proved him to be most uncon-
scionable scoundrel. Fl VS. S
ordered by the court in a custody,
and the attorney was Instructed TO
send bill to the grand jury for
perjury. The other three cases
were nolled. If Lusk had ordered
Philpot from the court house on
Tuesday after his rascally perform
ance, and then dismissed the other
cases, he would have saved the
Judge and himself from shame, the
government from heavy cost, and
the people from foul outrage.
The government VS.. w. B. Stipe
was the most important case that
was tried during the term. AS
usual, the officials cut a very poor
figure, and the defendant was ac-
Quilted by the jury with great
alacrity.
Deputy Collector James Martin
and cX-Deputy Marshal McGomi;k
were the witnesses in the Siipe
trial !; Martin for tho prosecution
and Mccormick for the Getcnse.-
Martin, in substance, testified as
follows:
On account of information re-
ceivcd he and Deputy Marshal
Mccormick, on the 3D. Of Noveln-
Der, 1871, searched the cellar of
Stipe's house. They saw Stipc be
fore they went into the cellar and
asked him for the key. He told
them he would see Winstead and
get it. About that time Winstead
came mp ard said Tuck had it and
he would hunt it up. After wait
! ing fifteen minutes for him to re-
turn they broke open the cellar
Stipe told him after they searched
the cellar that if he did not mind
he would hurt some of his MAR
tin's) friends. In the cellar they
found 27 barrels of unstamped rec
titled whisky, ten barrels (empty)
that conta;nd high wine used in
rectifying whisky ard some vinegar.
There was a wholesale rectifying
establishment on the same lot with
Stipe's house ; it was about 60 feet
from Stipe's house. This estab-
lisnment was run at one time by
, Brooks (his name was over the
! door) soon after by Angler and
| then by johnson. According tc
general representation during these
5 times Winstead and Tuck owned
the whisky establishment. They
! searched this house on Monday
!. searched the cellar Saturday be-
S fore ; found nothing. He had heart
. that whisky was hauled from thi
<. house the night before it was seize'
n TO Winstead's farm. McCormicl
+ did not say to him immediatel.
b after searching the cellar that the.
c had struck the trail and should Q
:, into the wholesale house. He di
o not see "W. and r." or the hig
II wine barrels. Tuck was appointe
e deputy collector some time in til
&c January or February following, al.
'e is one to-day.
j Mccormick for the defense
e, Stipe told them they could scare
s. the cellar and be Id, that he ha
~ no control OF ii; Stipe said
( Martin before the cellar was ell
.. tered that il Martin did not min
~ he would hurt some of his Nal
. tin's) friends. The witness test
. mony describes the cellar and COZ
~ sent inst as Martin did, with lib
- - important difference: The tv
~ high wine barrels, he sw"re, we
g from Cincinnati, and mai ked 81
oe & L. )" that be told Martin th'
no had struck the trail, aud would
: at ouce into the lectifying esta
co lisbment that Martin said th
zee had done enough that day, a
hSs would wait awhile, he had
'es right to go without warrant, /
me that Martin did have. he s.