[Trial of Thomas Motley and William Blackledge, 1854 (Colleton County, S.C.)] : [19uu?] ; [holograph].

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[Trial of Thomas Motley and William Blackledge, 1854 (Colleton County, S.C.)] : [19uu?] ; [holograph].

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59282134

Undated and unattributed account of trial, ca. 1854, at Walterboro, S.C., and subsequent execution of Thomas Motley and William Blackledge for torture and murder of Joe, "whose master was unknown," an African-American man, possibly a free person of color, accused of being a runaway slave. Judge John Belton O'Neall presided over the trial, which also included solicitor M[illedge] L[uke] Bonham; Motley and Blackledge were convicted and condemned to hang by a "jury composed entirely of slave holders"; the unidentified author of this sketch notes that this was "first case tried in S.C. after the amendment of the law making the killing of a slave a crime of murder," a recent precedent set in Charleston, S.C. The essay identifies Thomas Motley as a member of a wealthy Richland County family who were neighbors of S.C. Gov. James H. Adams; a rumour spread that Motley's father planned to free his son; Gov. Adams refused to pardon the men, and he deployed the militia to maintain order.

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University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries

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SNAC Resource ID: 7774662

University of South Carolina, System Library Service, University Libraries

Related Entities

There are 7 Entities related to this resource.

O'Neall, John Belton, 1793-1863

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66w99b8 (person)

Author, judge, and state legislator of Newberry County, S.C.; raised in the Quaker faith; educated at South Carolina College; began practicing law, May 1814; espoused Unionist views during the Nullification controversy of 1832; served four terms in the S.C. House between 1816 and 1828, including two terms as Speaker of the S.C. House. From the description of John Belton O'Neall papers, 1815-1953. (University of South Carolina). WorldCat record id: 744565098 ...

Motley family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65n58hv (family)

South Carolina. Governor (1854-1856 : Adams)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63834kx (corporateBody)

Bonham, Milledge L. (Milledge Luke), 1813-1890

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6mw2gfr (person)

Governor of South Carolina, 1863-1865; from Columbia, S.C. From the description of Papers, 1861-1864. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 19276836 Governor of S.C.; Confederate Army officer; native of Edgefield District, S.C. From the description of Letter, 1863 Oct. 2 (Columbia, S.C.) to Col. J[ames] W[ashington] Harrison. (University of South Carolina). WorldCat record id: 704556374 Lawyer, Confederate Army officer, S.C. Governor, S.C. Repre...

Adams, James H. (James Hopkins), 1812-1861

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x360st (person)

Blackledge, William, d.1854.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wh57fp (person)

Motley, Thomas, d.1854.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rj73rx (person)