SC1896_FF1_075

73
and from my conversations with them, & other information,
I had become satisfied, that they were not guilty
of the offence charged, altho' they had acted imprudently,
& engaged to defend them. They were much
alarmed & were not willing to surrender themselves
at that term of the Court, for fear that they could
not give new bail, that would be accepted by
the Circuit Judge (Montgomery) who they expected
would be very hostile to them, in which they were
not mistaken. The conclusion was to try the man
in jail first - make an experiment upon him
as men according to the womans account, he was less
guilty than the others. Many of my good Wayne
County friends, were sorely vexed at me for attending
undertaking their defense, tho' they continued to treat
me, as they always had done with civility & kindness.
I never saw a community more inflamed. The Judge
& Attorney General both resided in Stanford 50 miles
distant, & arrived at Monticello on Sunday evening.
The woman was at a private house in town, & the proprietor
waited on the Judge & informed him, that he
did not think she was safe at his house, as the
persons were desperate men, & altho' the feeling of
the community was against them, they had friends
and he was fearful she would be murdered or kidnapped.
It was said at the time, & no doubt truly
that the Judge & Attorney General both stayed at the
house where she was that night, under pretense of
guarding her, but no doubt for the purpose of increasing
the excitement against the persons charged.
Immediately after the Judge had charged the Grand
Jury on Monday, he sent the Sheriff for the woman
as a witness before the Grand Jury, with directions to