Political Legitimacy and Local Courts: "Politicks at Such a Rage" in a Southern Community during Reconstruction

Abstract

ACCORDING TO THE TESTIMONY OF TWO WHITE WITNESSES--TAKEN DOWN in late May 1871 by a justice of peace in Anson County, North Carolina--Jim Coppedge, a fifteen-year-old freedman, said that on Saturday night, twentieth of that month, his stepfather, Ned Myers, came Coppedge's house, woke him up told him come on. The two then house, gate at road, and there met Coppedge [Jim Coppedge's brother also Ned Myers's stepson] Chambers. Then they all come down road got over fence into orchard. From there four men walked to corner near an aspen tree stood there until every person Store. The general store, located at a crossroads called Whites Store in southwestern Anson County, was owned by Townley Redfearn, of area's largest merchants, was operated by James W. Redfeam, probably of Townley Redfearn's relatives. Only other person was employed in store--Jim Coppedge. (1) Then behind well[,] Ned behind Stable[,] in corner of fence near Shoe Shop [Jim Coppedge] at other end of Shoe [shop[ near fence. After Mas Jim [James W. Redfearn] fed his horse started back Store, testimony, George & advanced on him at same time. Lewis got him rather first struck first lick, Jim Coppedge said that he could not be certain but thought that Chambers struck Redfearn too. Whatever case, Redfearn cried out Oh: when he was first hit struggled briefly before dying. Coppedge Chambers then searched his pockets, Coppedge searching the most. Shortly afterward, Jim Coppedge along with Chambers went into left [Ned Myers] outside. The three young men searched house for taking nothing out of Store but money, a tin box some clothing tobacco. Sometime later that evening, they store, went into a gully near Store looked over money. Pop took a little--George a little; they gave Jim Coppedge one dollar; Lewis took off most of money. They then parted company, Jim Coppedge went home bed. (2) The following month this testimony was used convict Coppedge his stepfather, Ned Myers, of murder--as well as Jim Coppedge himself somewhat later. Although general outline of Jim Coppedge's story was later confirmed by a confession from his half-brother, Coppedge, there were a multitude of things wrong with evidence in this case, most seriously, circumstances under which confession by Jim Coppedge been exacted. This information was widely known in Anson County but was never introduced into any court proceedings. According Ralph P. Buxton, superior court judge who tried case, the prisoner Jim, after he was sentenced, on night before I Wadesboro [the county seat] sent for me see him in his cell. The judge expecting hear a confession, but he [Jim Coppedge] asserted most solemnly that he was not guilty, whereupon Buxton reminded him of confessions he made witnesses, who testified in his trial. Jim Coppedge then indicated that confessions were not freely made, but extorted thro fear, that he was in chains in fear of his life in an angry crowd, who insisted he was guilty would not hear contrary. (3) Later Jim Coppedge's lawyers confirmed from other sources in town that, in lawyers' words, young freedman had been apprehended on suspicion, chained by neck a tree, kept under strict guard, carried off a pond there threatened. Moreover, lawyers found that many of details in Jim Coppedge's testimony been supplied by members of crowd. Information on movements of Redfearn's attackers outside store on articles taken during robbery, for example, been forced upon Coppedge by a man in crowd named John D. …