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[A 45]

Bureau Refugees Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
Hd. Quarters Southern District N.C.
Wilmington N.C.  July 16th 1866

The enclosed papers are respectfully returned with the following Report.

The case of Jeff James, is substantially correct as stated.  I retained Jeff James, in possession of his property until ordered by Genl Ruger to rescind any order I had issued retaining him in possession.  I believe that the property actually belonged to Jeff.

In the case of Stephen Elkins (White) I would refer you to the enclosed Report of Lieut E.H. McQuigg who was Asst. Supt. of the Sub. Dist of Columbus County.  This case of Elkins was reported by me to Genl. Ruger sometime since but was returned to me with an endorsement that there was no cause to interfere with the Civil Law.  The outrages referred to as having occurred in Duplin & Sampson Counties have some of then been brought to my knowledge and I have used such power as I had to obtain justice for the Freedmen.  But with the very uncertain and limited power I now possess no stop can be put to such cases.  I take this opportunity to refer to three other cases lately brought to my attention viz:-

Case of John Thompson of Columbus County a white Union citizen who has lately been convicted on (what I think) a trumped up charge of Larceny, supposed to have been committed during the war, he was sentenced to be imprisoned and to be publicly whipped, has already received thirty nine lashes and is 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 Lowrey (Cold) who is now hiding in the woods of Robeson County to escape being arrested having been indicted by the Grand Jury of said county for