The Christiana Riot and the Treason Trials of 1851: An Historical SketchHensel, W. U. (William Uhler)
History
The Christiana Riot and the Treason Trials of 1851: An Historical Sketch
Hensel, W. U. (William Uhler)
Christiana (Pa.) -- History; Riots -- Pennsylvania -- Christiana
6. WILLIAM R. SADDLER, farmer, York Sulphur Springs postoffice, Adams
County, aged 41.
7. JAMES M. HOPKINS, farmer, Bucks postoffice, Drumore Township,
Lancaster County, aged 50.
8. JOHN JUNKIN, farmer, Landisburg, Perry County, aged 56.
9. SOLOMON NEWMAN, smith, Milford, Pike County, aged 48.
10. JONATHAN WAINWRIGHT, Merchant, Philadelphia, aged 66.
11. EPHRAIM FENTON, farmer, Upper Dublin postoffice, Montgomery County,
aged 52.
12. JAMES COWDEN, merchant, Columbia, Lancaster County, aged 36.
Average age of jurors: 53.
In opening for the prosecution District Attorney Ashmead defined
the act of treason, as it had been laid down in previous judicial
deliverances, and he relied on the proof that there had been an armed
and organized resistance to the execution of the laws of Congress, in
which the prisoner not only participated, but of which he was a leader.
After he had concluded, Z. Collins Lee, of Baltimore, United States
District Attorney, appeared also for the prosecution. Witnesses were
excluded while other witnesses were testifying. Mr. G. L. Ashmead, who
was a cousin of the United States Attorney, conducted the examination
of the witnesses. The scene was located; Deputy Kline told his story
in detail, substantially as the incident has been related; he insisted
that he asked Hanway and Lewis to aid him in enforcing his writs and
they refused; Hanway sat on his horse during the affray and Joshua
Gorsuch, pretty badly hurt, got behind the horse for protection. Kline
was the special target of severe and sarcastic cross-examination by
Mr. Stevens, as he was the Atlas of the Government’s case. To break
him down on the identity of those who were present at the riot, Mr.
Stevens insisted on the Court allowing the presence in Court of all the
prisoners; and when he accomplished this dramatic purpose he turned
Kline over to Mr. Lewis for further and protracted cross-examination on
the skirmishing movements of the arresting party before the riot. Mr.
Read also took a hand in his cross-examination, which was not concluded
until the Saturday of the first week. His last answer at this session
was to the effect that he did not see Joseph Scarlet at the “action.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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