32

month, that he had been assaulted and cruelly beaten by
James White and a man called B. Watkins, (white,) he the
said Sharpe was peaceably driving his horse and cart along
the streets of Annapolis city, and that he was compelled.
from the violence of these men, to leave his cart and horse
stand in the street and escape. I then, upon this informa-
tion made on oath, issued a warrant for the arrest of the as-
sailants, with a subpoena for Sharpe, directed to Edward
Baldwin, constable for this district, to bring the parties be-
for me, but he, the said Ed. Baldwin, has refused positively
to serve the subpoena and has failed to bring the assailants
before me.

(Signed,) -WM. R. THOMPSON, J. P.

ANNAPOLIS, MD., July 20th, 1866.
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel W. W. ROGERS,

A. A. A. G, Washington, D. C.

COLONEL :—I have the honor to transmit herewith a com-
munication addressed to me by W. R. Thompson, a Justice
of the Peace for this county, residing in this city. Fred-
erick Sharpe, who made the complaint, is a colored man.
He was riding through the street, carrying a bag of meal
which he had been sent for by his employer, when he was
set upon and badly beaten by two notorious ruffians of this
city. Mr. Thompson. promptly issued a warrant for the ar-
rest of the guilty parties and placed it in the hands of Ed-
ward Baldwin, a constable of this.county, with directions to
bring the parties before him. Baldwin, as appears from Mr.
Thompson's statement has failed to do this. Mr. Thompson
also placed in Baldwin's hands a summons to Sharpe to ap-
pear at Mr. Thompson's office to testify in the case, but Bald-
win refused to take the summons or serve it.

In addition to the report made by Mr. Thompson, I would
add that I am informed that Baldwin, when he first received
the warrant for the arrest of White and Watkins, did arrest
them, but they refused to go with him before. Mr. Thomp-
son. They then agreed to go before Mr. Taylor, another
Magistrate residing in this city, but he refused to hear the
case.

Baldwin made no effort to take them before Mr. Thomp-
son, and refused to call a posse comitatus to enforce the law.