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Sebastopol, Greene Co Ala
October 29th 1867
Maj C W Pierce
Demopolis
Dear sir: As one of the counsel of Capt. HG Claus charged with killing Altman I have taken the liberty of advising him for the present to return to Demopolis and if possible remain in the custody of the military authorities and to seek a trial before a military commission. My reason for this advice are numerous the principal of which are that at present Judge Cobbs the only Judge in this county, having juridiction to award a writ of Habeus Corpus is absent at Pickens County Court & will not be at home for every days. In the Second place, whilst, I am sure that Capt. Claus has many good & influential friends in this county, I have grounds for believing that some predjudice exists against him & this might have its weight in inducing the Judge (without himself knowing it) to require of him a higher amount of bond than could be given & in that event, the defendant would be forced to go to jail & remain there until the trial next spring. It is a difficult matter to give good & reliable securities on any thing like a large bond, for the reason that so few persons are solvent & the disinclination of persons to bind up their property in this way. Even for old friends & acquaintances