East Mississippi times. (Starkville, Miss.) 19??-1926, 1912-03-08

TsSgAf ts:E EASsJIigs others to the
O0i~7G-= number of 26
were arrested at the instigation of
Mclaughlin and carried to Holly
Springs. These arrests of course
created intense excitement. Some
of the more desperate spirits medi-
tated a cross-country expedition
for the purpose Of disposing finally
of Mclaughlin who was teaching a
negro school in Holly Springs.
The counsel of wiser heads again
prevailed. The committal trial
was held at Holly Springs. No
trouble was had in securing bond
for the accused, as bondsmen went
up from Starkville and ihe most
prominent citizens Of Marshall
county We'd with each other in the
effort to sign the bail bonds.
The accused men were arraigned
before Judge R. A. Hill, at Ok,
ford lat the next succeeding term of
the Federal court. Judge Hill, q
very fair and impartial Judge,
showed his sympathy for the ac-
cused men, but there is no doubt
that as Ku Klux they came very
near at one time making trip to
the Federal prison at Albany. In
this time of need Powers, the re.
publican leader in Oktibbeha coun.
ty showed himself the white mans
friend. He used his influence
with those in authority and de
clared that not a man was under
arrest in Oxford who had beer
concerned in the raid on the Nc.
Laughiin store. This assurance
coming from such a source had
great effect. The prosecuting at
torney of the Federal court in ses-
sion at Oxford was a carpet. Dagger
named 6. Wiley Wells. Many of
those on trial were old soldiers.
Armed and absolutely fearless they
were ready for any desperate enter
prise. AT one time they seriously
considered attacking and claiming
ur G, Wiley Wells ard the trial
judge and all republican officials
and escaping across the country to
Texas. AS it was, in @ spirit of
of bravado they would shout
G. Wiley Wells after the fashion
of court crier at all hours of the
night. One night all the accused
draping themselves in sheets par
ticipated in a mock Ku Xix pa
rade to the door Of &. Wiley Wells
room. Knocking thereupon they
cried ir stentorian tones for G..
Wiley to come out and view them.
Needless to say he did not emerge.
Really misunderstanding the
the nature of the men with whom
he was dealing, and realizing that
they represented the real voice of
the people the case was postponed
by G. Wiley Wells and the other
republican Federal court officials
and never came up again for trial.
Soon after the postponement F. S.
Pate, a republican lawyer of Ok,
tibbeha county made the PROPOSE
tion that he would eXtricate all
from the trouble who would pay
him $4,000. George Gillespie
aud Hub Saunders had been ar
rested and arraigned in Starkyille,
but had not been carried to Oxford
with the others, Nevertheless
they were very uneasy. Gillespie,
who was at the time a man of
means, states that when he heard
there was something in the air, and
that there was q possible way of
escape, he took the NJ. & O. train
and rode it continuously for a
while from Corinth to Meridian
looking for the hole. " He final
~ found it and paid for himself
and friend Drake and several
others, Saunders and all of the
others who could raise the money
also paid. They had a wholesome
respect acquired in the war for the
United States government and
wished to be very certain that this
matter should never turn up again
f. y, Pate the republican lawyer
who opened the way of escape was
n native OF Lowpdes county, Miss.
lie secured the appointment as