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May 24, 2023
Today in Texas History
By Bandera Spirits of Texas
The Bandera Prophet
On this day in 1869, 24 defendants went on trial in the celebrated Stockade Case. On the night of Oct. 24, 1868, a Marion County mob dragged five liberal Republicans, arrested the previous night after a Republican meeting ended in a gunfight with local conservative Democrats, from the Jefferson jail and killed three of them, a white and two blacks.
After the killings, Reconstruction officials arrested some 35 suspects, and eventually tried 24 of them. The trial involved the testimony of 176 witnesses, and a verdict was not delivered until Aug. 23, 1869.
Only seven of the defendants were found guilty of any of the charges, and it is unclear whether any of them served any time in prison.
After the killings, Reconstruction officials arrested some 35 suspects, and eventually tried 24 of them. The trial involved the testimony of 176 witnesses, and a verdict was not delivered until Aug. 23, 1869.
Only seven of the defendants were found guilty of any of the charges, and it is unclear whether any of them served any time in prison.