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sixty years, who, from going on the place of a Mr "John Henry Smith"- white- to ask him for a trifling sum of money which she claimed he owed her, was, to the best of my knowledge, without any cause whatever, beaten by him, quite severely. This woman by my direction complained to "Mr William W. Semonis", J.P. He did nothing more for her than to warrant Smith for the amount claimed as being due, and give Judgment for a still less sum. He took no notice of the assault, but advised her to go before the Grand Jury when it met. This she did on the 15th of this month, I having seen her sworn in Court so to do. The Grand Jury, however took no cognizance whatever of the offense. I was afterwards told by one of the body that himself and another Member were in favor of indicting Smith for the deed, but others, living in the same neighborhood with the Accused and Plaintiff, represented the character of the latter as being "very bad" and so would not consent to a presentment, and thus the matter dropped.  Now, I do not, in the first place believe the womans character to be as represented; in the second place, since I have been here there have been several complaints in regard to this man "Smith" beating freedmen; by which it would seem that his character is by no means the best; and in the third place, it was not the womans character which was at stake; and even if it had been, it was not the province of a Grand Jury to try it: the bare facts were, the woman swore she had been beaten, and it was the duty of the Grand Jury, not even to take evidence in the defense, but to indict the offender, and let the Court investigate and dispose of the case.

The Grand Jury having adjourned, I advised Plaintiff to call on still another Justice of the

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