Staunton Spectator

Alex W. Greaver, who has been confined in the jail of this county for some time past, on the charges of stealing corn, oats, meal, &c, from Jacob Baylor, Esq., and a lot of hogs from Mr. Franklin Koiner, has had his case thoroughly ventilated before Capt. Tukey of the Freedmen's Bureau at this place, under the orders from Gen. Terry. It was represented to Gen. Terry that the prisoner was a persecuted Union man, and, in consequence of this false representation, he was allowed the privilege of a thorough investigation of his case before the Freedmen's Court. The points endeavored to be established by the counsel for the prisoner were, that Greaver was a Union man, and that he could not get justice before the civil court, neither of which points were very clearly established, he (Greaver) having voted for the ordinance of secession and was in the service of the Confederacy for a long time, and nearly all the witnesses concurred in the opinion that a man's political sentiments would have not influence on the minds of the civil court of this county. In contemplating this case we are reminded of the story of the Irishman who was, on one occasion, arraigned before a court of justice for some grave offense, against which proceeding he raised very serious objections, and, on being told that he need not be afraid, he should have justice, replied -- "Faith, and that's what I'm afraid of."

There was a large number of witnessing examined, and the papers in the case, which were very voluminous, have been sent to Richmond for the inspection and decision of Gen. Terry. If the Union is to be preserved by such men as these, and civil authority to be trampled under foot by the military, our prayer is -- Good Lord deliver us.

The examination was conducted by the James Bumgardner, Commonwealth's Attorney for this county, and David Fultz on behalf of the prisoner. The examination of witnesses occupied three days and occasioned considerable interest.