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Office A.S.A.C. B R F & A L 2 Div 6th Dist.
Bowling Green Carolina Co Va
October 21st 1867

Bvt Lt Col James Johnson
Sub Asst Commissioner

Colonel

I have the honor to report.  That at the October term of our County Court, four Freedmen named John Chew (or Fitzhugh) Reuben Wright, Cornelius Morris & Robt Wright, were tried charged with the offence of highway Robbery and Riot, in going to the farm of Trice armed with sticks guns, sabres & pistols, and extorting from the said Trice his due bill for fifteen dollars, and forcing his hands to attend a political meeting held at Reedy Mills, in this County.

Trice was first witness examined.  he testified in substance as follows.  On the morning of the 26th Augt, he was told that men from a Meeting at Reedy Mills were coming to his place to make his hands attend the meeting, he was getting out oats at the time and very busy.  He intended to be out of the way when they did come to avoid any difficulty with them, but while at dinner he saw a crowd of men coming down the avenue leading to the house.  When they got to the yard in front of the house they turned in the direction of the cabins.  One of the hands named Sam Benjamin ran into the back part of the house the crowd following crying "bring him out, him or his head one"

They then came in front of the house and called him to come out.  He came out on the porch, and the prisoner John Chew told him he wanted Fifteen dollars.  Trice asked him twice what for, and each time he said he wanted fifteen dolls, that he had two claims one of fifty and one of fifteen dollars, but he would let him off for fifteen.