Year: 1878

They found an overcoat. which several
said was mine, but did not think So and
would not take it. They tried to pursuade
me to do so, but told them l would not
wear another mans coat as long as [ could
buy Que for myself The shawl was net
there, aud one of the party was about to
seize saddle blanket in place of it, but |
stopped him, and made him leave it where
he found it, l told them that the officers
had not stolen anything of the kind from
mo, and would have nothing but what |
knew was mine. / kept them from taking
{. away several other things, and took no.hips
at all myself The court met few days
altar this, and'a bench warrant was issued
Tor me tor stealing the two overcoats :"


JUDGE MACKEYs PART.


l have been informed by an officer Of,
the Court of Pickens Coun.y that when
the charge was preferred in court against
Redmond, of having led this raid and of
having taken the overcoats, the grand jury
examined the witnesses aud, finding no
proof against him in either matter, returned
to the court room and handed in a verdict
of "No bill d" Judge Mackcy at once sent
them back with other witnesses, and again
they returned with the same verdict He
sent them back the third time with the res4
!, mark, 81 suppose, gentlemen, you have not
had enough Witnesses" and seeing that he
was determined to have it, they returned at
last with an indictment The proceedings
In grandjury room arc, Of course, ,.secrct,
CD but it is said in Pickens County that
the evidence upon which this one based its
final verdict was two. fold, to wit: First, that
two overcoats were taken by party of men
from Hendricks house second, that Red
mond was seen at Pichcns Courthouse ncrt
day with the Same party On this alleged
evidence "tho Court issued its bench war
rant, ordering Redmond to be brought into
its preincts dead or alive. A posse was
accordingly sent after hiE, they found him
at work in his field, and ordered him to
halt and surrender. Not knowing who they
were or what they wanted, Redmond re.
fused to obey, and they fired upon him and
continued firing until he obtained shelter
in the woods. Possibly being just men
they did not try to hit him-we may hope
sslsAsasss@eus- -sssass ffsYhSsrrvnax.a.---
had taken place on the Saturday, the 10Th,
preceding the Intellectual raid after Gary,
which took place Monday, the 11th, and of
course Redmond, who did not lead the Gary
raid, led the jaifbreakers also. OF course
he did no such thing. Tn point of fact, he
was across the limo in North Carolina when
the Jail was broken, and knew nothing of
it until he was informed of the occurrence.
There arc plenty of witnesses to prove that
he was in North Carolina at the time, and.
it this is not enough, Sheriff Mauldin is
ready to testify that he was not in the party
who rescued the prisoners from his keeping.
But the tinlorous revenue officers declared
that Redmond and his gang of forty or
fifty men, had chased them across the
country for two days and until they found
safety within the walls of Easley Station
ssofhe one had evidently stolen their sacred
overcoats from the (sometimes) inviolablej 4
sanctuary Of a private dwelling; Judge
Mackey and all the mighty revenue depart
ment were excited for the fate of the
country, and an example must be made of
somebody! Who so suitable for the sacri
flee as Redmond-the official revenue scape
goat-the raging ram presently to be caug ght
in the thickct!


THE BATCH OF WARRANTS.


| understand that at the same time the
aforesaid bench warrant was issued for Red |
mond four others were issued for certain
revenue officers who were also charged with
sundry crimes and misdemeanors. That
one against Redmond, as we have seem was
very nearly put into fatal execution, and
still hangs over his head the others, l am
informed, were recalled before the court
adjourned Why wero they Issued, and
why and when recalled do not know.


ANOTHER BIT OF HISTORY.


And while am off my subject, let me
inform the public of another bit of revenue
history. do not propose to defend those
who broke into PickehsSjail, but it may be
as well to know, for the first time, whom it
was they turned loose on that occasion-
The rescued prisoners were three in mum
ber; ono man named Beascly, who was
caught in an illicit still house; the other
two were father and son named Stansill.
The father was 60 years Of age, and the
son 16. Both were arrested at their homes,
handcm6cd, carried to Pickcns and there
lodged in Jail to await trial. Their neigh.
bors released them, and they returned to
their homes and resumed their daily labor
on the little farm from which they had been
l. \