Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1888-03-28
A FRIEND OF THE REDS.
Gen. Beni. F. Butler Writes Remarka.
BE Letter to Capt. William
P. Black.
The Csnviction Of Spies ct al. Compared
With the Persecution Of Massa-
chusetts Witches.
IChioaro spsciaL.l

The following letter from Gen. B. F.
Butler 70 Capt W. P. Black il given to
the public through the columns Of the 10.
cal pres:
Il ana very much obliged to you for your let.
ter and am also thankful for the receipt OF
your argumsnt to the jury in the case Of Spies
Ut al. ~ what will be known in the long history
~ the anaxchist csse.
Our 1leasAnt acquaintance under tho most
unpleas4nt circnmstances-the joint uusuo-
cesa141 ndtngeCy Of life for men who were un-
ewedflS 3t96sd and unwisely sxscuted-has
sssa ~ nsts Isso ouf f9H5 isss saa
ing one, at least on my side.
Il had not believed IL possible that palpabls
judicial murders could again prevail in this
country. They cnce did in what We have been
accustomed to regard as the best and purest
days OF the colo iies. 1t is less than two centu
ries since seven men Of the highest standing. .
majority OF whom were reverend gentlemen,
clersymen, as good and pious men as ever
lived, as exemplary In every relation of life as
II was possible for men to De. sat in So
called court Of Justice each morning session
whereof was opened with ferrent prayer to the
divine source Of all knowledge, grace. and
power to direct the actions OF his servants as
were arraigned day after day poor, miser-
able, broken-down, superstitious women and
children upon the accusation that they had
commerce with the devil and used his power
ns a means of spite upon their neighbors, and
as one OF the means Of infiicting torture be-
cbiSe IhefeOI tne devil Ahd empowered tnohe
poor creatures to shoot common house pms
from . distance into the flesh of their neigh
bors children, by which they were greatly
afflicted. Being put into the bar to be tried.
they were not allowed counsel and, thank
God, our profession vas not disgraced, because
the attorney general was q merchant. The
% and sometimes % not ruilty but In % either s eysnt
they were found guilty and executed. and the
pins which were produced in evidence, can
now be seen among the records Of that court.
of a t,aaey.
Massachusetts.
And beyond all this that court enforced,
worse than the tortures of inquisition. dreadful
wrongs upon II prisoner in order to accomplish
his conviction. Giles Corey old man,
50 years OF age. He had u daughter some AZ
years OF age. simple minded, not auie to earn
her own living, and a small farm, pece OF
land and house thereon which he hoped to
leave TO his daughter at his then impend ing
death. Giles WIS accus ii OF being wizard.
His life had been blame less in everything
except his supposed commerce with the devil
Upon ex parte testimony he was indicted for this
too great intimacy with the evil one, and set to
the bar t, be- tried for his life
Giles knew that II he pleaded not guilty he
was sure T. lie convicted be ;ause that was the
pleaded guilty no would be senten ICED TO death.
and in either case the fa, m would be forfeited
to the king But, if hs did not plead at all -
such was the law-then he could not be tried at
all, and his property could not be forfeited to
the king and ken from his daughter. 30 Giles
stood mute and put tho court at defiance
sorted to a method TO make him plead which
had not been in practice in In. land for two
hundrt years and never here aud poor Giles
was tcken and laid on the ground by the side OF
the court house ON his back, with the flashing
sun burning in hi; eyes aud q sing cup OF
water from the ditch OF the la;l with o crust OF
bread was given him once in twenty-four
hours. and weights were placed upon his body
until at last the lie was crushed out Of him.
but not the father 8 love for his child. He died,
but not until his parched tongue protruded from
the old mans fevered mouth. 1t WAS thrust
back by the Chief Justice with his cane. The
cherished daughter inherited.
what good mon will do when they are either
frightened for their souls or their bodies, 1t has
not been to me source of SO much wonder as
it might otherwise have been how the law was
administered in frenzy in Chicago Years
hence when you and have passed away the
cases Of Giles Corey and the witches and the
cases Of tho anarchists will be compared by
just-minded men more than they are now.
hope there NAV one fact follow in the an
arehists' cases that followed iu the witches
cases. Judge Sewail, a reverend clergyman,
one of the judges Of the witches, before he died
learned how greatly he had erred and sinned
before God, aud he repented in sack k.cloth and
ashes, literally coming out in the face OF his
congregation and standing In the broad aisle OF
the church excaming. while his written con.
fsss0n Of his ns and o n the witches
on me- for what have done
Il hope you will live to be present when one
of the judges before whom you argued will find
it his duty to take q like step: but fear that
while he has had tho incredible folly of Judge
Sewall in the treatment of his prisoners, he
won't have the piety Of Sewall In publicly ap-
pealing to his God for mercy as an example
against all others offending in like ulanner.
"A learned and upright judge writing the
judicial history OF witchcraft in this country,
sums up as follows: If the popular cry is to
be the standard OF what 10 right, the security
OF property is at an end, personal liberty is no
longer safe, and the blood OF the innocent will
often seal the triumph Of popular admins
tration OF Justice, i'll the triumph of popular
vengeance.
some later writer on judicial proceedings,
comparing the judicial murder Of the witches
with the trial Of the anarchists. will close by
saying Alas how surely from age to age doth
history repeat herself. One further fact. which
I send to You for your comfort: The determined
action of single member Of our profession
standing up against this craze brought 1t to an
end. lcok for like fruits to come from what
you have DONE