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received thirty nine lashes [[illegible]] yet in jail. Having partially investigated this case, I am of the opinion that Thompsons great crime was in having been a union man and having aided Union prisoners who had escaped from southern prisons. Case of Henry Lowry (cold) who is now living in the woods of Robeson County to escape being arrested having been indicted by the Grand Jury of said county for the alleged murder of one James Barnes during the War The circumstances are as follows. Stephen & Henry Lowry who were brothers, together, with a number of other Freedmen, had taken to the woods in Robeson County to avoid being obliged to work on the Rebel Fortifications. They had a Rendezvous for escaped Union prisoners from Florence & Salisbury, and aided number of them. The man Barnes was one of a party engaged in hunting for escaped Union prisoners; there is no evidence whatever that Henry Lowry killed him, and the Indictment was found against him by Grand Jury to punish him for the aid it is now known was given to escaped prisoners. The Father and one other brother of Henry was taken from their own house and killed by a party of Rebels a short time before the end of the war, because they were suspected of aiding Union Prisoners to escape. The above are but sample cases of the number brought to my attention.
 
I am satisfied my own experience that justice will never be done to the white union men or to the Freedmen by the Civil Courts. The fact that a man has been a Union Man, is prima facia evidence of his guilt of any charge that may be brought him in the Civil Courts, which are entirely under the [[illegible]] against those who were active participants in the Rebellion instead of