sels were not to prevail, however,
and on the night succeeding that upon which these prisoners had been
committed to the county authorities for safe keeping, a large body of men
(estimated at from two to three hundred), disguised as Ku-Klux, rode into
the town, and laying siege to the jail, soon effected their object of
taking from thence the alleged insurrectionists. In view of the formidable
force employed, no resistance was offered, and the prisoners, being tied
securely on horses, which had been provided for that purpose, were placed
at the head of the column and conducted six miles from Trenton in an
easterly direction. Here a parley was called, and some dispute arising as
to what disposition should be made of the prisoners, they were commanded
to make their escape, and at the same instant fired upon, the volley being
repeated twice. Of the company of ten who were commended to this terrible
fate, two were killed outright, two were badly wounded, and the remainder
(disappointing the wishes of their captors, it is thought), made good
their escape. The news of this event spread rapidly, and as it met with
almost universal condemnation, a vigorous pursuit was organized, and every
effort which a thoroughly aroused and indignant community would be likely
to employ, undertaken to discover and arrest the perpetrators. Knowing
that disaffection had existed among the raiders, and a large portion, if
not a majority of their number, had refused to participate in the
massacre, this clew was adopted by the authorities, and a detective force
employed, which it was thought could not fail of success. Several days
were consumed in the pursuit and investigation, and at the end of that
time it was announced that one of the party had become "State's witness,"
and that a full expose of the affair would follow.

The faith that was reposed in this story shows how unequal was the
estimate which the State authorities placed upon the resources and
influence of their secret enemy, and how illy adapted to the ends in view
was the machinery of prosecution employed by the courts in this and
similar causes. The party who had professed a willingness to betray his
associates in this affair could only be prevailed upon to embrace a very
small number in the accusations he made, and, at the subsequent trial,
completely failed to sustain the points of the indictment which had been
founded on his sworn admissions.

The arrests were made, however, and af