Trial of the Elmore Prisoners
- Title
- Trial of the Elmore Prisoners
- Source Type
- Newspapers
- Publisher
- Alabama State Journal
- Publication Place
- Montgomery, AL
- Publication Date
- 06/07/1872
- Transcript
- Weekly State Journal., FRIDAY, JUNE 7 BY ARTHUR BINGHAM., Office-Corner of Market and Lawrence., U.S. DISTRIOT COURT.-Trial of the, Elmore Prisoners.-At the opening of, the court yesterday morning, District, Attorney Minnis read the indictment, against Wm. Smith, Wm. Pylant and, Brown Bozeman, charging them with, conspiracy, murder, etc. The witnesses, were called and put under the rules., Bird Blake, colored, sworn for the, prosecution. By District Attorney Min-, nis: Was living in Elmore county on the, 18th of March; on night of 18th was at, Andrew Jackson's house; went there, about 8 o'clock to see about some hogs at, Jackson's; carried a gun to go hunting, next morning; put my gun near the fire, place; Jackson was away, but came home, about 10 o'clock; I still stayed there and, remained there, Jackson's wife preparing, a bed for me; after I retired to bed I was, awakened by an alarm at Jackson's door;, men were knocking the doors down, ask-, ing who was in the house; after getting, off the bed, I went to the door and saw, one of the men's faces; heard the floor, ripped up, saw Jackson go under the, floor, and I followed him under the, house; we were shot under the house;, crawled up towards the hearth, laid down, on the ground; raised my head to see who, was coming, and was shot through the, head; Jackson crawled beside me, and, commons rod struggling aa if his throat, was out; the men said we were dead un-, der the house, and they rushed in the, house; one of them opened a bottle of, spirits of turpentine and poured it on, the floor; Jackson's wife commenced to, scream and begged them to let her get, out of thouhouse, but they wouldn't do, it; while the men were under the house], ran out and got away, after getting a, short distance, I looked back and saw, that Jackson's house was on fire, heard, several shots at the same time; heard, Jackson's wife screaming as the fire was, burning; heard the screams until they, ceased, and heard the fire roaring; the, man who put his head in the door was, William Rylant; I know him well; recog-, nized among the voices those of William, Smith, William Pylant, John Holley and, others; the woman called Smith's, Py-, lant's and Holley's names while she was, begging them to let her get out of the, burning house; I am well acquainted, with these men, having known them five, years or more; was acquainted with, Blackman's voice also; I was shot in the, ankle in the first place, next place under, my knee, next place through my left eye. Cross examined. By Gov. Watts:, Was not as well acquainted with John, Holley's voice as with the others; am not, as certain of Holley's as I am of the oth, ers; don't remember swearing .that I, knew it was the voice of Holley; only saw, one face, that of Wm. Pylant; am certain, it was Pylant's face; heard Pylant say a, great deal; heard him say, "There they, come, shoot us;" he said that-frequently, during the shooting; heard several voices, before I saw Pylant's face; couldn't rec-, oguize any voices before I saw Pylant's, face; heard Mr. Holley say, "There they, come, shoot 'em, boys;" heard Smith say, the same thing; heard Blackman say the, same thing; heard voices that I did not, kuow; set up about a quarter of an hour, after Juckson came home; the men came, to the house about an hour after I had, laid down; did not notice the moon's, position; the moon was shining tolerably, bright when I ran away from the house;, I pulled off my white shirt to prevent, detection; there was a little difficulty be-, !ween myself and Jack, but we had made, friends long before the burning; I lived, about two miles from Jackson's house;, my house was three miles from Central, Institute; Green Jeter's house was about, one mile from Jackson's house; it was, about half an hour from the time I heard, the Loise until I got away from under the, house; I run away on my tip toes, and, hen with all my might; I had gone about, 200 yards when 1 pulled off my shirt; 1, stopped and looked back when about a, quarter of a mile away; this was when I, first discovered the fire; heard screaming, HS I stopped, and heard them as I kept, going on about three-quarters of a mile;, I carried my shirt on with me when I, pulled it off; I was afraid I would be seen, on account of the moon shining against, my shirt; I heard the woman call Hol-, ley's name in the house; also Smith's,, Pylant's and Bluckman's; I made a state., ment to Mr. Judkins on Saturday after I, was wounded; there was a light in the, house that night from a small pine knot, in the fire; saw Pylant's face from the, moonlight; saw no disguise on his face;, I ran rather a south course from the, house; first told who the parties were that, did the shooting at the trial before Jus., tices Williams and Edwards; remember now what I swore then; Green Jeter was, the first man I saw after running away, from the house; stopped at bis house;, did not tell him who did the sbooting;, told him I knew who did shoot me, but, gave him no names; when I got home, the moon had disappeared; was friendly, with Holley, Pylant, Blackman and, Smith at the time; never had anything, against them that I now remember;, did not say that the reason I was, afraid to come out from the house was, because I heard the voice an enemy;, thought that Smith might have been my, enemy; would have known the voices of, the men if I had not heard their names, called by the woman; remember of four, voices that I knew, and heard others that, I did not know; am not well enough 80-, cquainted with Bozeman to tell his voice;, do not know where Blackman is; set my, gun near the fireplace, by the safe, as I, went into Jackson's house; Jack's gun, was near the bed, on the north side of, the house; there was but one door to the, room I was asleep in; the hole I went un-, der the house through was in my room,, and Jack went in before me; went in the, hole after Isaw Pylant's face; went to the, door, and saw no chance to get out of the, house, and went under the house; fol-, lowed Jack under the house immediately, after seeing Pylant at the door; had lived, in that Leighborhood about four years;, did not know Bozeman as well as I did, the others; knew Holley well enough to, tell his voice any where; knew Pylantane, Smith better than I did the others: could, tell their voices any where; Jack had some, difficulties in the neighborhood; once, with Henry Satinders, but they had made, up and were ffiends; did not know any, difficulty with a woman about the house, Jack lived in; Susan Parker had lived in, the house, but did not hear her make any, threats to burn Jack's house down. Redirect: Susan Parker stayed at my, house the night of the burning., James Wideman (white) sworn for the, prosecution: Was abont two miles from, Jackson's house the night it was burned., fox hunting; saw the light of the house,, and went to it; woke up Henry Saunders, on my way to the house; rode up to the, house, and did not see any person ; a few, minutes afterwards heard the voices of, children near the house, and asked them, where their mother WAR: they said he, was burning up; the children said some, white men put them there, and that Jack, had ran away; looked into the burning, house and SAW the body of a human be-, ing; SAW Jack's body under the sleepers,, about three or four feet from the fire., place; examined the place, and found that, the woman was between the sleepers; it, was about midnight when 1 got there at, the house; I heard no shooting; went, back next day and examined some tracks, -one barefoot and some shoe tracks:, shoo tracks looked like No. 5 to No. 7;, the tracks were fifty yards from the house;, followed the tracks about forty yards; could not tell whether the shoe tracks fol-, lowed the barefoot or not; Mr. Smith told, me he wore No. 6's; was at Mr. Smith's, store a short time before the burning, and, saw some disguises; Smith said he was, astonished that I should let such a man, as Mobile Jack (Jackson) live BO close to, me; I said I could not help myself, and, he said yes I could; saw some boys in, Smith's store putting on faces; after the, boys went out, Wm.' Smith said he could, show me a better disguise than any I had, seen; he went behind the counter and, took out a bad looking disguise, and told, me that he did not care for many persons, to 800 that face; never had any other con-, versation with Smith about Jackson., Cross-examined, by Gov. Watts: The, moon was about two hours high when I, first saw the fire; think it was setting; I, was about two miles from the house when, I first saw the fire; James McBrear was, with me; the top of the. burning house, had fallen in when I got there, and the, floor was falling in; left Sanders at the, house to look after the children, and I, left; think it was after 12 o'clock the, next day when I examined the tracks;, there had been a great many persons there, before I examined the tracks; the tracks, were going in a southwest course; the, barefoot track was running; saw three, boot or shoe tracks; these also seemed to, be in a run, being about four to six feet, apart; there were several with me when I, examined the tracks; when I remarked, that the tracks looked to be of the size, of 5 to 7, Smith said he wore a No. 6; this, was after Smith was under arrest; I saw, Smith walking on the ground where the, tracks were on the same day; did not hear, any guns that night; Henry Saunders, came to me a short time before this to, lend him a gun to shoot Mobile Jack. By Judge Rice: Haveknown Mr. Boze-, man about fifteen years; lived apart, about two and a half miles; Bozeman's, cbaraoter is good for peace and quiet., Green Jeter (colored) sworn for prose-, cution; by Col. Minnis: Live about four, miles from Central Institute, in Elmore, county; was at home the night Andrew, Jackson was killed; Bird Blake came to, my house that night about 1 or 2o'clock;, did not hear any shooting that night;, went to the burning house next day; ex, aimed some tracks that were about the, premises; there were five small tracks of, boots, as I thought; did not know the, tracks, but thought I knew Mr. Smith's, track, because I had been used to it;, Smith's right boot track bore in; he had, on such a boot the next day; the track, looked about No. 6; once heard William, Pylant and Mr. Kerby in Pylant's store,, and Pylant said to me that the negroes, were fools, that they were all afraid of, Jack; Pylant said something about Jack's, wife; Kerby said if Jack was up about, Nixburg he would be rode to bell in a, little time; Mr. Pylant said when he went, for Jack be would move him, and took, up a pistol., Cross-examined, by Governor Watts., Don't remember what I awore before;, Did not tell about Pylant and Kirby be-, fore; knew it then, but was not asked, about it; several have talked to me about, the case, but did not tell me about what, I was to swear; among them were Messrs., Wildman, Winyard and others; I live, about three-fourths of a mile from the, burned house; I told Pylant and the man, from Nixburg that I was afraid of him;, no one else was present at the conversa-, tion in Pylant's store; it was eight or ten, days before the burning; I think it was, between one and two o'clock at night, when Bird Blake came to my house;, moon was not quite down; I went to the, house in the afternoon of the next day;, several persons were there; I followed, three fiue boot or shoe tracks; I saw a, barefoot track, and tracked it to my, house; Blake told me he knew who did, the burning, but didn't tell the names;, the tracks indicated that he had run a, part of the way; I was asleep and did not, 800 the burning; moved to my present, place just before Christmas; am well no-, quainted in the neighborhood; have, never noticed the tracks of the people in, the neighborhood; Blake remained at my, house about three-fourths of an hour,, and then I sent a little hired boy home, with him; he had on a shirt when he, came to my house. Henry Stacey, sworn for the prosocu-, tion.-Live near Central Institute; saw, Pylant on the morning before the burn-, ing; Mr. Davis was with me; Pylant told, us to tell Bozeman to come there and see, bim on business that evening; I told, Bozeman; don't know where Bozeman, was that night., Crose-examined.-It was Henry Davis, with me; it was about 10 or 11 o'olock in, the morning when I saw Pylant., Smith Bozeman, colored, sworn.-Live, about three-fourths of a mile from Cen., tral Institute, Elmore county, on the, place of Daniel Crawford; was with, Browne Bozeman on the day of the, burning of Jackson's house; word was, given Mr. Bozemun in the evening to go, to Central Institute; a gentleman told him, that Mr. Pylant sent word to him to, come down that night-be wanted to see, him; Bozeman said he would go;, saw him about ten minutes after, that, and not until two or three days af-, terward., Cross-examined.-It was Mr. Stacey, who told Browne Bozeman that Pylant, wanted him to come down to Central In-, stitute., Justice A. C. Edwards, white, sworn, for prosecution.-Live one and three., fourth miles from Central Institate; saw, Jackson's house about 11 o'clock the day, after it was barned; examined some, tracks near the place; one WAS a track, I, thought, of a negro going ata rapid pace:, it was a barefoot track; saw another, track going also at a rapid pace; this, track looked like a small boot or shoe,, which seemed to follow the barefoot, track; noticed no other tracks; never, heard defendants make any threats, against Jackson; never heard the shoot., ing or barning at night., Cross-examined.-Am a justice of the, peace; was told that tracks had been, found. and I went and examined the, tracks, which were distinct; the tracks, were about thirty or forty yards from the, house; the boot track did not seem, to be going at a very rapid pace; the boot, track seemed to have been run down on, the inside; Wm Smith came after me to, go and hold the inquest; Mr. Smith did, not examine the tracks with me; have, lived near the Central Institute all my, life; know that Pylant is of good charac-, ter, but Mr. Smith was looked upon as a, wild young man; Mr. Bozeman enjoys a, good reputation as to charac e. Elias Peavy, colored, sworn for prose-, ontion.-Live - about one mile from Con-, tral Institute; was at home the night, Jackson's house was barned; heard of the, burning next day; heard Mr. Pylant say, before the burning of the house, that, Ku Klux would go to Jackson's house;, Jackson said be could whip two or three, Ku-Klax, but Pylant said the first thing, Jackson knew he would go up; this was, about two or three weeks before the, barning; heard Mr. Blackman say, on, Sunday before the burning of Smith's, grocery. that the negroes ought to clul., together and get Jack out of the way;, also said that a crowd was after Jack now, who would put Jack out of the way., Cross examined.-This conversation, occurred near Smith's burned out gro-, cery; this was about a week before Jaok's, house was barned; Aaron Hardy was, with us, and we were walking along the, road; do not know where Blackman, lives, he lived in the neighborhood then;, the conversation between Pylant and my-, self was at the Institute; WAS before, Smith's grocery was barned., Aaron Hardy, colored, sworn for pros-, ecution.-Live - about one mile from, Central Institute, Elmore county; never, heard either of defendants threaten, Jackson; Blackman asked myself and an-, other man, on Sunday before Jackson's, house was burned, why we didn't clnb, together and get Jackson out of the way:, heard ten or fifteen shots the night Jack., son's house was burned; the shots were not all fired at the same time., Cross-examined.-Was - about half an, hour after I heard the shots before I saw, the light of the burning house; was . "har, 12 o'olock, I think, that the guns were, fired; knew Mr. Blickman well; lived, near his house for several years; have, seen Mr. Blackman since the shooting;, saw him after the last court, as I was go., ing by his place of business; his-family is, also gone; they are not at Blackman's, former place of residence., Allen McGruder, colored, sworn for, the prosecution: Live at Central Insti-, tute, Elmore county; was at home the, night Jackson was burned in his house;, did not see either of defendants that, night; the night Smith's grocery was, burned, Pylant told Smith that Jackson, burned his. grocery down; Smith said,, "If Juok burned my grocery down, I, mean to kill him;" Smith asked Pylant, what made him think Jack burned his, grocery; Pylant said Jack had been or-, dered to getaway, and Jack said when he, got away they should all!hear of it; this, was the night Smith's grocery was, burned, which was Thursday night;, Jack's house was burned on Monday, night thereafter., Cross-examined: The conversation was, between Pylant and Smith; I was about, fifteen feet from them out of the house;, they were standing not far from me, and, they walked into Smith's store and sat, down; Mr. Pylant spoke about Jack first;, Mr. Smith asked Pylant if he thought, Jack had burnt his grocery; they walked, off then and ant down in the store., William Thomas (white) sworn for, prosecution: Saw Smith the day after, Jackson's house was burned; I said to, him that it was an. awful affair; Smith, said it was an awful affair, but the worst, had not yet come., Cross-examined; This conversation, about 10 o'clock on the day after Jackson, was burned; Smith said the worst bad, not yet come; do not remember the ex, act time between the burning of Smith's, grocery and Jackson's house., After the examination of the last wit-, ness, the court adjourned until this morn-, ing at 10 o'clock.
Part of Trial of the Elmore Prisoners