Year: 1874

second souad who told him the same thing. bis mule
having thrown him, he concluded to turn back. He
does not say that any one forced him to turn back
or that no was In any way interfered with. But
even If he had been stopped by the Sherifs posse,
and made to return because his going on would
have thwarted the officer in the performance OF ms
duty 1t would have been no oense against the laws
of the United States, unless the men who did IT
were at the time acting outside Of the law or con-
stituted an unlawful assemblaRe. The - "conspira-
tors were released on nominal bail.


think can now explain why the AZ men arrested
last week were released bail 30 disproportonate
to the gravity of the crime Of which they are
accused. Among those who served on the Sheriff 9
posse which went to Belmont was young man OF
this place named CObbs q son Of the candidate for
the Cbancellorship of this district. He also was
arrested on the same accusations and was examined
before United States Commissioner Wayne OF this
town. The result 0f the examination was that Mr.
Hester who conducted the case in person was
unable to show probable cause for holding the
prisoner and he was uncOndtiODaly discharged
Now all Of the AZ were just guilty as he was, and
no more so, and believe that the detectives know
ing that if an examination took place 1t would az
once be demonstrated how utterly weak their case
was, and that the entire political effect OF the
wholesale arrests would be lost, preferred to have
no examination until after the election. The whole
animus Of the proceeding is shown by the fact that
the Associated Press Agent at Washington learned
that AZ men were arrested in this county Tor ku-
Kluxing and interfering with the mail. but was not
told that they were all released on mere nominal
bail.


MARTIAL LAW SUBSTANTIALLY DECLARED By DEPUTY


MARSHAIS.


From this Dlain statement of facts 1t may De
Judged how far the deputy marshals have been usti
fed in the course they have pursued. They have
not confined themselves to the detection OF crime
but have In effect declared martial law I'D the
county, and generally conducted themselves IN SUCH
manner as to leave no ground for doubt that their
operations have been directed not for the interest
of Justice but to affect the election in this district
The first arrests were made in Democratic con-
vention, when the warrants might have been better
and more successfully served at the homes OF the
prisoners, for none of them had at that time at
tempted to escape; and. when the first Democratic
meeting was to be held in the county, the chairman
of the Executive Committee was arrested on his
way to it. He has been taken to Mobile for exami-
nation and as shall be there to attend 1T post
pOne comment until then. 1t Is becoming very
serious question for the people OF the State whether
every time they obey the legal summons OF Sheriff
to assist him in the performance of his duty they are
liable to be prosecuted. undethe Enforcement act IN
the United States courts for conspiracy The people
of Sumter County and of Alabama desire to abide
by the laws and to crime of every sort speedily
and severely punished They have had many things
to put up with since the war of which the Northern
people know nothing, and have borne the misfor-
tunes that have been heaped upon them with
patience that has been heroic. Is it the policy OF
the Government to provoke them unnecessarily by
subjecting them to arrest frivolous or imaginary
accusations. and by forcing them to answer in a
strange city hundreds of miles from home, in order
that man like Charles Hays may msrepresent
them in Congress for another two yearsf z. L. w.