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Island Plantation under warrant charged with "Killing four oxen for their hides": When the Deputy Sheriff made the arrest, he stated that they were arrested for not paying their Taxes, he took them off and the freedmen became alarmed, for fear they had been "Ku Kluxed" (to use their own phrase) and a party of fourteen went in search of them.  They met the Deputy Sheriff having them in charge and taking them to his home in irons for safe-keeping as the trial had been postponed, there being no lock-up in Hempstead.  The freedmen inquired as to the cause of their arrest, the Deputy Sherriff, as he himself confessed to me, informed them that they were arrested for nothing and that he wished to get rid of them, and that the prisoners had had nothing to eat he then took keys from his pocket, unlocked the handcuffs and told them to take them and feed them. I am satisfied that, had the Deputy stated the real cause of arrest, there would have been no trouble, but his statement