Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-03-29
The Aurkpille Guqnirer
YORKVILLE, s. G.. =:
THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 20, 1883.

THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 20, 1888.
THE POLITICAL PROSECUTIONS.
In Columbia, last Saturday, United States
Commissioner Bauskett rendered his decis-
ion in the cases of the Fairfield political
prisoners, the testimony having all been
heard, and argument of counsel for the
Government and the defense concluded on
Thursday. The argument for the Govern
ment was made by ex-Judge Willard, and
Col. Haskell appeared for the defence.
Willard was to have had the closing argu-
ment, but declined to speak after Col. Has
kell closed. OF the seventeen prisoners, on
ly two were bound over, the charge against
them being conspiracy. Seven others were
discharged, and the cases against eight were
discontinued, there being no evidence
against them. Those bound over for trial at
the April term of the U. S. District Court at
Charleston, are Thomas McGill and James
Heron, and as showing the nature of the
charges against these men, we quote the
Commissioners words in rendering his de-
cisiOn:
sMr. Thomas McGill, Jr., is proved to
have waved a board and ordered the crowd
| to stand back. There is no proof that he
struck any one. But it was an overt act,
which would bind Mr. McGill over II ne
were charged distinctly with violating Sec
ton 5,511 of the Revised Statutes.
"Mr. James Heron was active in press
ing the crowd back. The testimony is that
he waved knife, pressed voters off the box
in front of the polls, and holding a knife,
chased a man through the crowd. Any
force under the Statutes would be in viola
ton of Section 5,511. Now, was there con-
cert of action between the acts of Mr.. McGill
and those of Mr. Heron Did there appear
to be a combination between these men
The only matter before me is whether there
was probable cause to connect the action be-
tween these two men in committing overt
acts at the polls. / think there was, from
the opening of the polls at o'clock P. M.
"The decision of the Court, therefore, is
that Thomas McGill, Jr., and James Heron
be bound over for appearance at Court, and
! that all the other defendants 60 hence with
out day, so far as this warrant is concerned"
The bail for McGill and Heron was
fixed in the sum of $500 each, and it was in
stantly given. The commissioner discharg-
ed the witnesses in the case and announced
that they were to appear at the April term
of Court in Charleston.
The cases from Clarendon county have
collapsed for want ofevidence againstthe ac-
cused. The hearing Of these cases was be-
| gun on Friday, in Charleston, before COM
missioner Gayer. The hearing was adjourn
| ed until 10 o'clock the next morning, at
which hour an important witness fsr the
prosecution was expected. The witness not
appearing, the hearing was continued until
P. NJ, at which hour the witness still not
appearing, the Commissioner said that While
he knew that the Government had done all
| in it's power to secure the attendance of the
missing link, he saw nothing left for him
but to dismiss the case and discharge the
defendants without bail, and heso ordered it.
In regard to some other cases pending
| against citizens of Clarendon, MIR. Rhame,
their counsel, asked that the hearing be had
at some convenient place in Clarendon coun-
! ty, to which the Commissioner assented,
stating that he would notify the counsel and
the defendant of the time and place, which
are yet to be appointed.
Of the workings of the outrage mill in
Chester county, the Columbia correspondent
of the Charleston News and Courier. tele-
graphs from the State Capital, under date of
last Sunday night, as follows:
| No sooner is one prosecution ended than
another is begun. Messrs. R. j. Dye, James
Gayden and H. J. Gayden, managers of the
Congressional election at Rossville Precinct,
Chester county, were brought here this even
ing by Deputy Marshals Kennedy and
Smith, of Charleston, for examination by
Commissioner BauSkett, on charge OF OBJ
structing supervisor of election. Mr.. Dye,
who is an old gentleman, was arrested while
at church yesterday evening. The prisoner
had no other warning than that contained
in this correspondence of impending arrests
in Chester county. Accompanying the pris-
oners is the Hon. Giles J. Patterson, State
Senator, who will represent them with some
member of the Columbia bar. They are
stationed at the Hendrix House and will
appear before Commissioner Bauskett, by
whom the warrants were issued at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning. 1t is under
stood that w. B. Cash has been getting up
the information on which these prosecutions
are based, and that Kennedy and Smith will
return to Chester county tomorrow for an
other batch. It is reported also that fifty
other arrests are to be made in that county.
AS room for the examination of Chester
prisoners had already been engaged IN their
county town, the bringing of them hundred
miles here is an evidence of pure vindictive-
ness on the part of the prosecution. Cash
returned here last night.
After these prisoners were arrested and
taken distance of twenty-five miles to
Chester, they were conveyed from that town
by rail to Columbia, where they were SIM
ply bound oyer last Monday to appear be-
fore Commissioner in Chester for eXamina-
ton. Yesterday was the day appointed for
the examination. Commissioner Bauskett
will 60 to Chester, where he expects to spend
week hearing these and other cases. The
affidavit upon which Mr.. Dye and the
Messrs. Gayden were arrested, was made
"on information and belief" by II. j. Sher-
rer, a clerk of Snyder, District-Attorney
Melton's legal assistant. They promptly
gave bonds in the sum of $3.50 each for their
appearance at Chester, Senator Patterson
and Col. MeMaster being the sureties.
DEATH OF THE POSTMASTER.GENERAL.
The Hon. T. O. Howe, Postmaster-Gen-
eral, died suddenly at his home in Kenoshe,
Wisconsin, on last Sunday at 2.2O P. M.
He contracted a severe cold week before
his death, at Green Bay, and returned to
Kenoshe, where he continued very ill until