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counsel were employed to aid Capt. Moore. The prosecuting Attorney- But if such counsel is not procured — and Tate himself is not able to procure it — then I believe he will be acquitted. If so I shall report the facts of the case in detail to you. A young white man named Ellis was tried at the late court term for a most brutal murder of another white man - He was acquitted by the jury, and the community was outraged and bitterly denounced the acquittal. While conversing one day with Judge Brockenborough — who was one of Ellis lawyers — he remarked that the citizens of Lexington were a singular people — for they had heartily approved the acquittal of Dr Watson for a deliberate killing — done in cold blood — and now they made a great hue and cry because a poor, half-demented youth had not been hung for shooting, in a moment of fear and passion, a man from whom he had reason to fear his own life was in peril. This incident may give you a better idea of one phase of Freedmens affairs here than many paragraphs I might write. I have heard many gentlemen condemn the acquittal of Dr Watson, and I do not think that now, under similar circumstances, he would be acquitted, but then there is such a thing as a public opinion gathered from the loose and inconsiderate voices of boys and foolish woman which, though not representing the sentiment of the weighty men in a community has sometimes a good deal of influence with a weak magistrate or jury. Whenever a difficulty occurs between a white and a colored person the charge of insolence is almost always
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Reopened for Editing 2024-04-30 13:42:50
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Reopened for Editing 2024-04-30 21:46:20
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Reopened for Editing 2024-05-01 11:06:15