The Van Buren press., 1879-01-14


of the murdered for the issue Of rewards for protection
to the lives of witnesses the part of the prosecutions
for offers of amnesty the usual conditions. certain
ties fugves from justice who supposed possess the
clue to the whole series of homcdes perpetrted The friends
OF parties suspected and the of the
ectg portion of the community appealed for the suppression
of popular violence, which threatened directed
Colonel commanding the militia of the county hold himself
in readiness promptly call by the local author
ties large body of mennot desperate characters alone
but am informed in part composed of citizens till then
accustomed respect the whad assembled
put end the of affairs long existing the county
seat and proposed is stated destroy the and
put to death numerous parties whom suspicion had been
fixed These latter for the part identical with the
persons afterward examined before the magistrates
The County authorities called upon the militia to as
posse several arreSts-of regular criminal pro-
made the lives of the accused and their property
were protected by the militia acting under the direction of the
Sheriff officers and the examinations proceeded in due FORM
according to the of the law. Public
ung and outbreak between rival factions having pre-
vented only by the resolue conduct of the
militia the Sheriff, by authorized, made requson
directly the military authorities of Franklin County for
an additional force which promptly furnished caused
be taken through my staff officer present. pro-
the reduction of the militia posse the lowest number
consistent with the preservation of oer and relieved from
time to time, such of the mperayely called to
their homes by the necessity of attending their crops AL
though the militia called into service solely upon the
requsiton of the Sheriff whose authority in that regard
unlimited inquiry made, time to
time, the actual necessity of their presence. The
magistrates urged the retention of the force of
necessity for the protection of the the
gared indispensable the safety of the
and the prisoners, through their COUNSEL insisted upon
their safety against violence. .-..='.s. ..F
In fact the Of the authorities appeared
veral eommendaon until upon the notion and in accordance
with the recommendations of the proper legal officers, well
upon the earnest entrety of friends of parties murdered
consented with the usual pledges of indemnity
on to the admission, States evidence of of the per-
charged with participation in of the murders pepe
ted Several arrests ensued and series of examinations
began which occupied weeks As be expected
where the parties accused and influential an
attempt made to affect public opinion by complaints
of grievance from the pursued by the the
Government; but careful inquiry satisfied fully, that for
these complaints there existed not the ghtest foundation With
the proceedings of the before remarked
tive Department concerned Some of the
held await the action of the Grand Jury but all
eventually released AT the close of the legal proceedings
militia withdrawn.
That the employment of martial law which was warmly
urged by leading citizens, only of Scott but adjacent
counties, and popularity regarded the only adequate
remedy for the disorders long existing might have proved
Immediately eicacous than the tedious always
effective of procedure the COURTS doubted
but while the Government always ready exercise
of necessity and did assume the fullest
authority clearly granted by the Constitution and laws, did
feel justified i'll avalng myself of power conferred by
statutory provisions of doubtful constituonaty, of
remedy which may well be regarded terrible, in
ultimate results, than the evil which undertakes
There to regret that mder and regular
course pursued since many months have elapsed
without further capital crime fresh outbreak
ported the best authority, that peace public conf
dence, and with them prosperity, restored and likely
remain unbroken and that these results directly
the pursued by the Government.
The slight expenses of the first militia to Scott
and of the guard furnished to prisoners Unon
paid from the militia fund of the State In the second
arising in Scott County, the employment of militia posse
purely affair of the county authorities the State merely
supplying organization and by law required. did,
toward the close Of the period during which authorities
considered the Of militia posse Waron necessary
and in to the appeal of the commanding officer the
effect that the credit of the exhausted and the
likely suffer- be dsbanded, for supplies guara
the faith of the State for payment of limited quantity of
supplies for short period, the county should
make the good As the latter question not as vet
been decided the matter does not call for
When the serious dangers Of 1878 in Scott County,
the credit OF the county undoubtedly gone. day
tons could not have been furnished The peril imminent
and did feel disposed had been my power as
under the law, nterpose any obstacle the
ercse, by the Sheriff. of his Rev Stat Sees. 566O-
to make requston for militia at the expense of the
there was merely nominal appropriation my command t
became to supplies and provide
future payment OF the officers and by mourning
edness for which certificates have been issued Auditor
and to this deficit appropriation will be necessary
cannot speak in too high terms of the fidelity duty shown
by the citizen sodery who upon the law
their great os left their crops and patiently endured for
weeks MONTHS without pay the dseomors
ant their seryiee of the farmers who
trusting the honor of the State voluntarily and cheeuly