The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-06

the SO-CalleO COn1eOeFdLc OedLco, ~
The jail was in Y~anceyville, the same
time where John w. Stephens was
| afterward killed. ct will be remem-
bered tina Mr.. Josiah Turner alleged
in his complaint against Douglas, that
he was confined in the room Wnefe
Stephens had been made away with
and was accused Of numbering hlm.)
Griffith was arrested and brought to
Charleston for trial. He was a typlcal
Southern back-county sheriff, a large
man, more than six feet high, with
broad shoulders. decidedly STOPPING,
very strong with a shutting gait n
was clad in homespun, the roduc OF
his county. He wore an air Of dogged
determination, seeming TO have braced
himself to meet rough treatment.
He came into the Judge advocates
office in the itade accompanied by
Judge Thomas Settle. whom he had
brought as a witness to his good char
acter. This was the first time 1 nad
seen Judge Settle, a man whom all
admired, even his enemies; n l then
little thought he would afterWard be-
come my near neighbor, with premises
adjoining. (Nor did l suppose 1
should ever live in the same neigh
borhood with Judge Tourgee. or ever
see him.}
Griffith, being introduced, I inquired
if he had counsel. Much to my dis
appointment he replied that he was
too poor to employ a lawyer. AS he
had no one to help him it threw upon
me the responsibility Of seeing TO his
defence. lat no injustice was done
him. Had he been defended by an
attorney, the easier task would have
devolved upon me of presenting only
one side. that Of the prosecution.
While it has nothing to do with my
story, I hope it is not improper 10 say
that / have served in very many cases
as judge advocate, in the field, during
the Civil War Dir the Union army. Of
course), and had noticed hat mere
soldiers, without legal requirements,
when serving in such capacity,
thought it their duty to convict and
gave defendants no chance. This
was contrary to my notion Of the du-
ties of the office and therefore I was
always careful to acquaint myself
with a prisoners defense, SO hat it
might be presented to the court for
what it was worth.
On this theory the trial went on.
Griffith was treated as a man. which
was SO unexpected that the hard lines
of his face relaxed and he breathed
more freely. But indeed. he was in
the hands Of gentlemen Of the very
highest character for probity and in
te~ligence; for where can be found bet
ter example of honor and Just man
hood han in the higher grades Of
officers of the regular army Of the
United States?
AS the result of a faithful investi-
cation Griffith was acquitted and Cen
eral Candy, after reviewing personally
all the evidence, approved the FINDINGS
Of the court, which he would not have
done had they not satisfied him.
| had little thought. when I met
y r; fEtL IN - +L$ o,3l
ever see him again; but at spring term
1869, Of the Caswell Superior court,
he was in attendance and Judge Tour
gee was presiding. Among the first
to greet me was Griffith and without
question he was glad to see me. His
friendliness was unmfstakable and was
extended to me because, in Charles
ton l had treated him as man. His
attentions were so profuse as to be
embarrassing. He introduced me to
every man we met and said for me a
good word to every one, and Of course
he knew nearly al the men of his
county When I went into the bar,
he made me known, with flattering
mention. to the lawyers, among whom
I recall Governor William A, Graham,
Col. Thomas Ruffin. General Alfred NJ.
Scales, Col. Junius I. Scales, Hon
John Kerr, and that fine man, John
II. billiard. who for a wonder had no
handle to his name but whose legal
requirements were inferior to none.
My old friend Gas he afterward be-
came), J. r. Bulla, solicitor, was there |
with his kind. brown eyes and bushy |
eyebrows, his brain full of quaint |
conceits. Uncle Jimmy Morehead
had come over from Greensboro by |
easy stages, driving his old sorrel
horse (of the masculine gender, as I
remember). Uncle Jimmy was no,
seeking employment, but came d veri-
table Nestor, among the moderns, be-
cause it was his habit. as every one
knew.
All Of these goOd-hearted men have
passed over the river and have re-
ceiyed their reward; while I am left
to tell the story to such persons as
may desire to know it. Men come
and go and their places are filed bv
other men; and SO it will be to the