Tattnall County GaArchives Court.....Sapp, Elam & Et Al March 1859 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Paul Christensen pchriste@tampabay.rr.com October 14, 2009, 3:56 pm Source: Relataive Of Parties Written: March 1859 [Comment: This is a 7 page document bound together by a ribbon. The backside of page 7 (and probably the outside when the entire document is folded) is labeled as shown. The document is a compilation of testimony given in the case. I’ve tried to transcribe as written, complete with the spelling and punctuation used in the document. In many instances where there are doubles “ss”, e.g., commission, the handwriting uses the old English “commifsion”.] Evidence in the case the State vs Elam Sapp The State } vs } Elam Sapp } Indictment for False Swearing. In Tattnall Superior Court March Term 1859. Testimony given in said case. [Comment: There is a John M. Dasher in Tattnall County in the 1850 and 1860 census. He is a farmer. In 1859 he would have been about 36 years old.] John M. Dasher Sworn. is a justice of the peace in this County. was such on the 17” March 1857, is lawfully authorised to administer oaths, swore Elam Sapp the Deft to an affidavit during March 1857 (in Reidsville of this court in this county) affidavit shown witnesses, identified as the one administered to Deft who came forward voluntarilly, it was not in the course of any judicial proceeding. Deft affirmed to affidavit without laying his hand on the Bible: the time was that mentioned in the affidavit – the oath administered was “that the allegations contained in the affidavit were just and true to the best of his knowledge and belief”. Crofs ~ Held a commission as justice of the Peace. At the time the affidavit was administered to Deft, there were several persons in the house. the affidavit is not in hand writing of the Deft. Witness does not know who wrote it. _____ Original affidavit offered in evidence by the state. [Comment: There is a John Coward in Tattnall County in the 1850 and 1860 census. He is a farmer. In 1859 he would have been about 36 years old. The terms “murrel men” or “murrel lodge” have never been defined. There were two John Booths in the 1850 census for Tattnall. They lived in the same household (father and son) so assume one is the senior and one the junior. They don’t show up in the 1860 census. There are three Thomas Andersons in the 1860 census – only one is old enough to be considered this Thomas Anderson. There are a couple William Cowards in 1860 – anyone of which could the person here. There was an Andrew Lynn in the 1850 census. In 1859 he would have been about 23 years old. There were a number of McCalls’ in 1850 and 1860, but no Anson or any name even close to that. Was not able to find William Salter, but did find John Salter in the 1860 census for Tattnall. There are a couple instances where a word was written and then crossed out.] John Coward – sworn. Lives in this County. Lived here on the 17” March 1857. Never were any gatherings at his house of murrel men nor or men met for the purpose of making arrangements to get money in any way that could be, with the exception of taking life, that neither John Coward John Booth Sr. John Booth Jr. Thomas Anderson Jr. William Coward Jr. Andrew Lynn Anson G. McCall John Salter William Salter neither they nor any of them ever met at the house of John Coward the witness for the purpose of holding a murrel lodge. That Anson G. McCall never was at a gathering at John Cowards house known to be what is called murrel meetings or men that were collected together for the purpose of making money arrangements to get money in any way that could be with the exception of taking life. it was not understood by witness nor any one else that these men met there for the purpose of holding a murrel lodge, Witness nor any of the men named never met at his (witness’) house with the understanding that they had met for the purpose of holding a murrel lodge. Elam Sapp, Deft, was never at the house of witness, where witness and the other mentioned in the affidavit had met for the purpose of with the understanding that they had met for the purpose of holding a murrel lodge. Elam Sapp Deft. never was at the house of witness, when witness and all the others mentioned in affidavit were there. Never knew that at any time that Deft was there that any of the men mentioned in affidavit went into a house, closed the door and remained there until Sapp left. Witness never said, at any time, to Elam Sapp that he witness would tell him what that little house was built for if he (Deft) would say nothing about it. Witness never asked Elam Sapp if he, Sapp, would not like to go into some arrangement to make money easier than hard work. Witness never got Elam Sapp on any night to take the horse of witness and go around the settlement and see if certain men were not at home. There has been no murrel lodges held at the house of witness, for four or five years previous to March 1857. There never were any held there. Witness never told Elam Sapp that the words “what do you believe in were words to find out who were of the clan and that the answer was a fast horse and a black rider. Never heard any of the men mentioned in the affidavit tell Sapp so. Never showed Sapp any signs called Murrel Signs. Never knew any of the men mentioned in the affidavit show him any. Witness has heard affidavit read. It is false throughout. every allegation is false there is not one word of truth in it. There is another man named John Cowart but that witness is the only John Coward in the County and was within three or four years previous to March 1857. Witness understood that he was the party named in affidavit. The affidavit was shown him before it was shown to by Sapp. And he was told by Mr. James Tillman that he (witness) was the party meant in it. Crofs~ Deft has often been to house of witness. Witness does not recollect hearing any conversation with Deft at any time in regard to murrel lodges and particularly at night – Several of the men mentioned in affidavit have been at the house of witness at one time, possibly as many as three or four. Witness has sever small buildings in which they could hold meetings. has a small building near the … house. has no seats in it. is a smooth open building, is just acrofs the wa_. the building just road is between this house and house of witness. Some of the parties have been at house of witness, Sapp may have been there at the time. these men could have made such intimations to Sapp without knowledge of witness. Witness may at some time have had some conversation with Deft in regard to murrel men or murrel lodges, but does not recollect such conversations. State resuming Witness understands what is meant by murrel men and murrel lodges. John Coward [Comment: This is different handwriting – probably John Coward signed his testimony.] Anson G. McCall Sworn. Witness knows John Coward, witness never was at the house of John Coward with other men composing what is called a murrel meeting nor with any men collected there for the purpose of making arrangements to get money in any way that could be in any way that could be with the exception of taking life. Never saw the men named in the affidavit at any such meeting at the house of John Coward. Witness never was at the house of Coward with the men mentioned in affidavit, when it was understood that they had met for the purpose of holding a murrel lodge. Witness has not been at any murrel lodges at the house of John Coward during the last four or five years nor at any other place. Never told Elam Sapp that the words mentioned in affidavit were to discover who were murrel men. Never showed Sapp any murrel signs. Has heard the affidavit read. It is false. Witness believes it all to be false. Crofs~ Has been in the habit of visiting the house of John Coward for the last six or seven years. Has seen several of the men mentioned in the affidavit at his house and some of them he does not recollect to have seen at any time. Has been at the house of Coward during Coward’s absence. Anson G. McCall [Comment: This is different handwriting – probably McCall signed his testimony.] William Coward Jr. Knows John Coward. Never met at the house of John Coward with the men mentioned in the affidavit or with any of them for the purpose of holding a murrel lodge, neither did he understand that they had met for that purpose. Nor did they meet for the purpose of making arrangements to get money in any way without taking life so far as witness knows. Never Witness may have told Sapp what he (witness) had heard that a man in Florida ___ ___ murrel signs, remembers hearing told Perry Collins, that the words used with affidavit were murrel signs, and may have told Sapp so. Never knew of any meeting at John Coward as murrel meetings within the last four or five years if there had been such meetings would likely have know it. Is brother to John Coward. [Comment: This kind of suggests that there was such a thing as a murrel meeting.] Crofs~ Has been in the habit of visiting the house of John Coward for the last four or five years. Has heard of such an organization as murrel lodges has heard of their signs, has mentioned the matter to different individuals probably to Deft. Has met several of the men mentioned in the affidavit at the house of John Coward. Has heard ever since his recollective that such a clan as the murrel clan existed all over the county. Sapp was frequently at John Cowards house. Witness may have been at the house of John Coward during his (Cowards) absenses. William Coward Jr [Comment: This is different handwriting – probably Coward signed his testimony.] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/tattnall/court/sapp819wl.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 10.3 Kb