Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-10-25
Some interesting Records
Resurrected.
GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS
IN THE SPRING OF 1860.
Republican Rule in Missouri and
What We Got Under Tin
dictments for Teaching
School and Preaching
The Gospel.

a quarter of a century, have arisli
to tell a story of oppression unde
Republican rule in Missouri tina
is a hard one to believe. The kline
of civil and religious treatmen
that was dealt out to law-abidinl
citizens of this, as well as othe
parts of Missouri, during the year
Immediately succeeding those o
the war, by Republican courts tina
should have been courts of justice
is almost enough to make the hail
of the present population stand or
end. Imagine an indictment of {
grand Jury with this caption: "ln'
dictment ofJohn Brooks for preach
ing the Gospel" Hard as it is te
think of a legal document under
such a title, it nevertheless existed;
and not one alone, but dozens OF
these pernicious affairs were
ground out in Audrain County dur.
ing the April term of Circuit Court,
1866.
The grand jury at the spring
term of court, 1866, was under the
foremanship of Thomas Il. Musick,
the man who is making an effort to
beat Dick Bland for Congress in
the Eleventh Missouri District.
The grand jury did an immense
business that term. 1t indicted
preachers of this community for
preaching the Gospel without hav-
ing first taken the oath Of loyalty;
it indicted young women school
teachers who committed the grave
effense of teaching the young idea
how to shoot, without first have
sworn loyalty; and the best citizens
were arraigned and indicted for
"perjury' because they had not
taken an oath be loyal.
The Indictment Of John T.
Brooks, a preacher ofthe Gospel,
father of the Prohibition candidate
for Vice-president, and widely re-
lated to the best families in this
section. reads as follows:
STATE OF MISSOURI,
COUNTY OF AUDRAIN.
In the Circuit Court, April term
A. D., 1866.
The grand jurors of the State OF
Missouri, for the body of Audrain
county, empannelled, charged and
sworn in and for the body of Au.
drain county to inquire and true
presentment make, upon their oatf
aforesaid present that one John T
Brooks on the - day of, A. D.
1856 at the County of Audrair
aforesaid unlawfully then and Their
did teach and preach as a clergy
man of a certain religious sect o:
denomination, without first having
taken, subscribed and filed in tn
office of the Clerk of the Count,
Court ofthe county of his residence
to wit, the county of Audrail
aforesaid, the oath of loyalty a
required by the constitution of tn
State of Missouri.
\ W. M. BoULWARE,
Circuit Attorney.
+ Endorsed by Thomas S. Musiek
foreman Of the grand jury, nov
candidate against Bland in thu
Eleventh Missouri.
This indictment is only one o
a bunch. Elder John Smith, bet
ter known as "Raccoon john" wal
indicted for preaching the Gospel;
also, James Dudley, who is wei
remembered by old residents.
INDICTED FOR TEACHING.
Following is a copy Of an indict
ment against Andrew Cauthorn,
school teacher, now employed il
the Missouri State University a
Columbia
STATE OF MISSOURI,
COUNTY OF AUDRAIN.
Ia the Circuit Court, April Term
A. D., 1866.
The Grand Jurors of the Stat,
of Missouri, for the body of Au
drain County, upon their oath
present that one Andrew Cauthorn
on the 18th day of April, A. D.
1866, and at divers other time
since the 4th of July, 1865, an,
prior to the finding of this indict
ment, at the County of Audrain
aforesaid, unlawfully then AM
there did act as a teacher in a schoo
keep in the town of Mexico. Coun
ty of Audrain, without havin.
first taken, subscribed and filed Il
the office of the Clerk of the Coun
ty Court of the said Audrain Coun
ty, the oath of loyalty as require'
by the Constitution of the State O
Missouri.
!. w. NJ. BoULwARE,
II Circuit Attorney.
Endorsed by Thomas H. MI
sick, foreman, who now aspires t.
, be Congressman from the Eleventh
Missouri district
Among the others indicted 70
O the same offense at this term 0
. Court were: Emma Cauthorn
= Lizzie Street, Almeda Cant, Do,
Gentry and Alice Gatewoed.
,t MORE CIVIL LIBERTY.
The old rusty till contains man,
saffron eolored relics besides tn
ones mentioned. Bound in fade
red tape are indictments agaips
n leading citizens for perjury.
L Among those so arraigned for faiI
urs to take the oath of loyalty a
prescribed were: john P. Beatt,
e father of the present postmaster !,
this city, F. NJ. sallee, Hard
Hurdle and r. G. Gibbs.
In each of the cases mentione