The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-27
TIE MONTICELLO CASES,


to an end. Three weeks ago the par
tics charged appeared before the Unit
cd States Commissioner for prclmi-
nary examination. The Government
produced several witnesses, and after
all the pumping that Judge Willard
could do, ii was found that thcrc was
no evidence to authorize the Commits
sioncr to bind over any Of the accused
for trial. The prosecution then moved
Tor continuance, i'm order to get the
evidence of one Dave Scrcvcn, a negro
circuit-ridcr. Tho continuance was
granted, despite tho protest Of the de-
PENDANTS counsel. On tho 20th inst.
tho defendants appeared again before
the Commissioner. Meantime The
efforts Of the Government attorneys
were directed to hunting up evidence,
amt about twenty negroes appeared in
Columbia, ready to do all tho swearing
that was wanted. The examination
and the arguments were all concluded
on Thursday afternoon, but tho Com
missioner reserved his decision until
Saturday morning-takinG holiday for
Good Friday. Ills decision is given
elsewhere.
The proceedings in these cases have
been oppressive and disgracciul
throughout. n large number of rcpu-
table citizens arc dragged from their
homes at time vixen their presence
on tEcir farms is especially necessary.
The Government cXhausts its first effort =,
and there appears no ground to hold
amy Of the accused for trial. Time is
granted, and the Government, ailcr
securing. the county fer ready Witness
cs, succeeds III inducing Tic Comms-
sloncr TO bind over two OF the accused
for trial. Against these two there was
hardly enough evidence to induce an
ovcr-cautious officer 10 hold them
further. In common justice they
should have been discharged along
with The others. We have no doubt
that they will easily succeed in cstab-
fishing their innocence before any fair
jury. Against the other parties cllarg-
cd, there was simply no evidence
whatever. This fact was apparent
throughout, and had tho Government
been represented by a reputable attor-
ncy, he would promptly have consent
cd to the discharge which the Comms-
sioncr was compelled to grant. SO
much for one case.
There were three other cases, i'll
volvinG some only Of The parties charg-
cd in the first. 1t was plain on the
face Of the proceedings that the parties
should be dischargcd--plain TO the
Commissioner and equally plain to the
Government counsel. Vet the gentle
men charged were compelled to stay
around Columbia, day after day, at
great personal Inconvenience, TO be
told at last that they had been dragged
away from their homes and rul 10 all
this trouble and expense Oh clarS cs
entirely groundlcss!
These cases throughout have all the
elements Of sheer persecution under
tho forms OF law. With the utmost
rccklcssncss, the Government officers
have caused the accused TO be arrested.
With Il vindictivcncss that is. a dis
grace to common dcccncv, the Govern
mcnt attorneys have used their utmost
efforts to comfort the vague talk Of
irresponsible witnesses into pyi,,u-
.fucic evidence Of crime. At no stare
OF the proceedings has there been any
sign Of II Willingness on The part Of the
Government to do the accused thc
barcst justice. The proceedings
throughout have been high-hanlcd,
oppressive and disgrucciul.
District Attorney Melton has re-
maipcd in the background. Well
skilled in the dirty work expected OF
him, he has contcntcd himself with
marking of the field Of operations and
leaving the. details Of the work to
be performed by his willing under
lingS, Snyder and Willard. These
lWo arc mere hirclings-Snydcr Phil
adclphia shystcr, and Willard typical
rarpct-ha92cr, each ready for any lob
that turns up anywhere. Had either
OF the three puppets Of brewster been
lmbucd with small sense af Justice,
they would frankly have admitted, at
an carly stage of the inquiry, that rs
TO most of The defendants, at all events,
there was no evidence ot crime and
they should be discharged. This, how
ever, would by no means have served
the purpose of, the dclcct,.blc tria
whom Mr.. Brewster has Go,,na so will
ing to do the dirty work in which he
is the chief. They must earn their
money, and to do this thcy must have
the cases appear as grave rs possible.
Jicnce, innocent citizens must, be do
tanned in court day" after. dsv, 10 be
finally informed that the Governments
case is failure. For this sort OF Der.
sccution there is no redress. and
against it, rs the Government IS now
controlled, there is no protection.
brewster, Willard, Melton and SNYDER
have their rewarl-in money that they
work for, and in the contcmpt thcv