THADDEUS COLLINS,
A RAYSVILLE SLAVE,
ACCUSED OF RAPING A WHITE WOMAN IN 1863
Article provided by Lewis Smith
Bill Tankersley of Appling, GA sent me this on March 12, 2020: “In a court case that occurred at or near Raysville in Columbia County during and after the War Between the States, my great-great grandfather ‘A. B.’ (Augustus Brooks Tankersley) was on the grand jury and was a Justice of the Peace who took witness statements. Basically, a young black man named Thad who had been a slave of Dr. W. A. Collins from Raysville was accused of raping a white woman, Miss Margaret Brown. Thad was exonerated. I got a kick out of it when I saw that ‘Tankersley's Still’ was mentioned as a landmark.”
Exemplification of the Superior Court of Columbia County in the case of this State vs. Thad, a slave, the property of William A. Collins:
State of Georgia, Columbia County
Personally appeared before me, Augustus B. Tankersley, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, Margaret C. Brown of said County who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that a certain Negro man slave of yellow complexion on the 21st day of June instant on her father's plantation in said County on and upon the body of the said Margaret C. Brown violently and feloniously did make an assault on her, the said Margaret C. Brown, against the will of her, the said Margaret C. Brown, then and there feloniously ravished and carnally knew her, and that she has good reason to believe and does believe, that said slave above described is named Thad, the property of William A. Collins of said County.
Margaret C. Brown/Sworn to and subscribed before me the 23rd of June, 1863
Augustus B. Tankersley (J. P.)
Copy of Warrant:
State of Georgia, Columbia County
To George P. Tankersley, Constable, or to any other lawful officer to execute and return. For as much as Margaret C. Brown of said County hath complained on oath before me, Augustus B. Tankersley, one of the Justices of the Peace for said County, that a certain Negro man slave of yellow complexion on the 21st day of June instant on her father's Plantation in said County, on and upon the body of her, the said Margaret C. Brown, violently and feloniously did make an assault on her, the said Margaret C. Brown, and then and there feloniously ravished & carnally knew her. And that she has reason to believe and does believe that said slave above described is named Thad, the property of William A. Collins of said County.
These are, therefore, to command you to make diligent search for the said slave Thad, and he being found, that you bring him before me or some other Justice of the Peace for said County to be examined, touching the premises and to be otherwise dealt with according to law.
Given under my hand and seal this June 23rd, 1863. Augustus B. Tankersley, J. P.
Execute the within warrant by arresting the slave Thad and bringing him to the Justices A. B. Tankersley and J. P. McCord, June 23rd, 1863. The inquiry in the above case was on instruction of Dr. Collins postponed by the Court till Saturday next the 27th inst. at 8 o'clock. A. B. Tankersley, J. P.; J. P. McCord, J. P.
Note: I would here state that Thad was regularly committed to jail by the said Justices of the Peace and the commitment sent to the Jailor (the Jailor has since removed from this place, therefore, I cannot send a copy of commitment). Geo. W. Gray, Clk.
Margaret C. Brown Prosecution
True Bill
Josiah Stovall, Foreman
Montgomery, S. A.
Exemplification from minutes of Superior Court, Columbia County:
Upon motion in open court, it is ordered that the Negro slave Thaddeus, the property of William A. L. Collins now confined in the jail of Columbia County, be allowed bail upon the said Collins giving bond & security in the sum of ten thousand dollars, the same being the double estimated value of said slave. It is further ordered that the affidavits plead in support of the motion be filed by the clerk in his office. (From the criminal Docket)
Sept. Term 1863; The State vs. Thad, a slave the property of William A. Collins
RAPE Cont'd by Deft. -- Sept. 1863 - Cont'd by Deft -- March T. 1864
Deft. Remanded & taken in possession by the Military, March T. 1866
Georgia, Columbia County
Office Clerk, Superior Court
I hereby certify the above and foregoing five pages contain a true copy of all the preceding of Thad's (then a slave the property of William A. Collins) case in the Superior Court of said County as appears of record in said office.
Witness my hand and official signature Seal of office this March 7th, 1866.
Geo. W. Gray, Clerk
Letter from William Collins
Office Agent Freedmen's Bureau; Augusta, Ga. March 24, 1866
Captain,
I have the honor to present for your consideration the enclosed letter. Doc. Collins, the writer of the enclosed letter, was the owner of the man now on trial. Doc. Collins is an honorable gentleman who owned a large number of slaves in the day of slavery and was noted for his uniform kindness toward his slaves; every word he says and particularly what he has in this letter written, you may fully rely on. I have known the Doc. for 30 years, I have yet to hear the first charge against him in any way. I write you this that you may know the character of the person writing, with the hope that it will have the influence the opinion of a good citizen is entitled to.
I am Respectfully, Your Obd. Ser., Jacob R. Davis; Agt. F. Bureau
Attachment from Captain G. R. Campbell, A. S. A. Cmd., March 20th, '66
Jacob R. Davis, Esqr., Agent Freedmen's Bureau; Augusta, Ga.
Dear Sir,
A boy that formerly belonged to me is jailed in your city charged with rape on the person of Miss Brown. The case was removed from our Court to the Military Tribunal of your city about two weeks ago. I never doubted the boy’s innocence, and the evidence will clearly, in my opinion, prove an alibi on his part.
Miss Brown charged 1st that the offence was committed between 9 & 10 O'clock Sunday morning 21st June 1863. In her evidence on the commitment she said between 9 & 11 O'clock; in either case the evidence will not sustain her, as it is proof that the boy was at home some 5 miles from where the offence was said to have been committed until after 10 O'clock. It is in proof too that Mr. Brown, the father of the prosecutrix, was hunting for dogs to run (track) the offender at 9 O'clock and passed Mr. Tankersley and Mr. Garrett's (homes) and at about a quarter after and about ½ after 9 to 10 O'clock was at Mr. Fuller's. You will see all the testimony at Capt. Campbell's office.
The evidence of Miss Brown I thought very unsatisfactory. There was no evidence used, no clothing torn, a little pain and soreness, no blood. I know but little of the Brown family and that is unfavorable. Will you see the authorities and urge on them a speedy trial as the boy has already suffered a good deal. I have now, you know, no interest in the case farther than the promotion of justice and will kindly remember and duly appreciate any thing you may do.
Yours Respectfully,
W. A. Collins; Raysville, Columbia Cty.
Affidavit of William A. Collins
Georgia, Columbia Cty.
Personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace, Dr. W. A. Collins who deposeth and saith that Thaddeus, the boy charged by Miss Brown with rape on her person on the 21st June 1863, was then in his employ and was about home up to 9 or ½ after nine in the morning of that day. That his recollection is that deponent (Collins) saw him (Thad) as late as ½ after 9 O'clock. That the said boy Thaddeus while in his employ was faithful and trustworthy while in his employ.
W. A. Collins/ Sworn to and subscribed before me this 24th 1866.
A. B. Tankersley, J. P.
Affidavit of Thomas M. Garrett
Georgia, Columbia County
Personally appeared before me, Augustus B. Tankersley, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for Columbia County, Thomas M. Garrett, and being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that on the 21st day of June, eighteen hundred & sixty three, Nathan Brown came to deponent's house about 9 O'clock a.m. in quest of dogs to hunt a Negro who he said had committed a rape on his daughter Carrolin on the day above stated, and that he deponent (Garrett) went to F. M. Fuller and got dogs and went to the place where the offence was said to have been committed, and arrived at Fuller's about half after nine O'c a.m., and his best recollection is he arrived at the place where the offence was said to have been committed about 10 or 11 O'c with the dogs, and that the distance from where Thad lived to Brown's, the place where the rape was said to have been committed, in his judgement, is about 4 miles and that in his judgement from deponents (Garrett) house to Brown's is about two and a half miles and from deponents to Fuller's about half mile.
T. M. Garrett/ Sworn to and subscribed before me this March 6, 1866.
A. B. Tankersley
Affidavit of F. M. Fuller
Georgia, Columbia Cty.
Before me, a Justice of the Peace, personally came Frances M. Fuller who after being duly sworn deposeth and saith that on Sunday morning the 21st of June 1863 at or about the hour of ten O'clock of the forenoon of that day T. M. Garrett came to my house in pursuit of track running dogs to hunt up and apprehend a person who had that morning committed a rape on the person of Miss Brown distant about four miles off my house.
F. M. Fuller/ Sworn to and subscribed before me this February 28th, 1866.
A. B. Tankersley, J. P.
Statement of Sam Steed
Georgia, Columbia Ct.
I solemnly affirm that I was at Dr. W. A. Collins’ on Sunday Morning 21st June 1863 (having at that time a wife living there) the day on which it was charged that a rape was committed on Miss Brown and that I saw Thaddeus there, then the property of Dr. Collins, up to ten O'clock or after in the morning, I think it was after 10 O'clock when he left in company of Gabriel Boyd to go to Mr. Tankersley some three and a half miles distant.
Sam (X) Steed/ Witness W. A. Collins
Statement of Freedmen
Georgia, Columbia Cty.
The undersigned Freedmen do hereby solemnly affirm that they were living at the house and on the premises of Dr. W. A. Collins on the 21st June 1863 with Thaddeus, the one which he was charged with rape on the person of Miss Brown, and that said Thaddeus did not leave home until 10 O'clock of that day or after ten, and that he was about home all the morning and when he left, he left in company of Gabriel Boyd. Given under our hands 26 Feby. 1866.
Tom (X) Collins; John (X) Collins; Ed (X) Collins; Ann (X) Collins; George (X) Collins
Test. W. A. Collins
Affidavit of Benj. Bolton
Georgia, Columbia Cty.
Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace, Benj. Bolton who after being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that he was at the house of Dr. W. A. Collins on Sunday morning of the 21st of June 1863 about ½ after eight O'clock of that morning, and there and then saw Thaddeus, a mulatto boy, who was charged on that day with rape on the person of Ms. Brown of this County.
B. T. Bolton/ Sworn to and subscribed before me this Feb. 28th, 1866.
E. A. Shields, J. P.
Affidavit of William Kinebrew
State of Georgia, Columbia County
Personally appeared before me, Augustus B. Tankersley, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County, William Kinebrew, a Freedman, and being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that on Sunday the 21st day of June, eighteen hundred and sixty three, he saw Thaddeus Collins, a Freedman, coming from the direction of his home to where he, William, then and now resides, to wit, Mrs. Margaret Tankersley's, about twelve or near twelve O'c of the day, and after staying a short time, he returned back in the same direction in which he came, and that Gabriel Boyd, a Freedman, was with him (Thad) and returned with him, and that Mr. Garrett had passed his house with the dogs some time before Thad had come by.
William (X) Kinebrew/ Sworn to and subscribed before me this 6th day of March 1866.
A. B. Tankersley, J. P.
Affidavit of Sarah A. Collins
Georgia, Columbia Cty.
Personally came before me a Justice of the Peace, Mrs. Sarah A. Collins who deposeth and saith that Thaddeus, a boy charged with rape on the person of Miss Brown on the 21st June 1863, was then in the employ of deponent and was about home, she thinks, as late as ½ after 9 O'clock or later, that the boy was kept about the house generally and was faithful and trustworthy.
Sarah A. Collins/ Sworn to before me this 24th Feby. 1866
A. B. Tankersley, J. P.
Affidavit of William B. Tankersley
State of Georgia, Columbia County
Personally appeared before me, Augustus B. Tankersley, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County, William B. Tankersley, and being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that on the 21st day of June, eighteen hundred and sixty three, and about 12 O'c noon of the day he saw Thad, a Freedman, going in the direction of his home from Deponent’s mother house, viz., Mrs. Margaret Tankersley, and that Mr. Nathan Brown passed about 9 O'c a.m. going after Mr. Fuller's dogs; and that his best judgement is that the distance from where Thad then lived to where the offence was said to have been committed is about four miles; and that he (Tankersley) lived about half mile from Nathan Brown and between him and F. M. Fuller and that he (Tankersley) had a conversation with Caroline Brown, the prosecutrix, in the case and (she) told deponent (Tankersley) that the rape was committed on her about or between 8 and 9 O'c a.m. of the 21st day of June 1863, and she did not know Thad and had never seen him before, and that her description of Thad was very vague and unsatisfactory.
William B. Tankersley Sworn to and subscribed before me this the 6th of March 1866.
A. B. Tankersley, J. P.
Affidavit of Gabriel Boyd
Georgia, Columbia County
Came before (me), one Gabriel Boyd, about 20 years old and after being duly sworn, saith that he left Dr. Boyd's where he lived & went to Dr. Collins' on Sunday before the trial and had arrived at Mr. Rick S. Neal’s place about an hour after sunrise. Then he waited till Thad got ready to go which was nearly 11 O'clock in the morning before they left. He was in company with Thad from Dr. Collins’ to Mr. Tankersley's Still house and was in sight of him all the time till they returned back to Dr. Collins’. They were separated not over 15 minutes when he stopped to pick plums on the way. When we got to the Still Thad got a small bottle full of liquor & came off. We met Ambrose Ham near Mrs. A. B. Tankersley’s, also Hannah Tankersley at big oak tree near the back of Mr. Tankersley’s house. Those two was all the persons we saw on the road going & returning. I know positively that Thad could not be guilty of what Miss Brown charges him with on that day, as he (Gabriel) was with Thad at Dr. Collins’ till they left & after they returned was with him till near night. It was about four miles from Dr. Collins’ to Tankersley's still.
Gabriel (X) Boyd/ Sworn to before me this 27th day of February 1866
S. Crawford, Agt.; Bureau F. R. & A. L. for Columbia County, Ga.
Said in presence of M. McDaniel
Affidavit of Celina Tankersley
State of Georgia, Columbia County
Personally appeared before me, Augustus B. Tankersley, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, Celina Tankersley, a Freed woman, and being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that on the 21st day of June 1863 between eleven and twelve O'c a.m. she saw Thad Collins & Gabriel Boyd, Freedmen, cross the big road near Mrs. Margarett Tankersley’s and coming from the direction of his, Thad’s, home and there he stopped about 15 minutes in the road talking to Hannah and then went on in the direction of Mrs. Tankersley.
Celina (X) Tankersley/ Sworn to and subscribed before me this March 6th 1866.
A. B. Tankersley
Report on his investigation of the case of State of Ga. vs. Thaddeus Collins
Campbell, Gen. R., Capt. & A. S. A. Comr.
Augusta, Ga. March 26, 1866
Captain,
I have the honor to report that that I have fully examined the case, the State of Georgia vs. Thaddeus Collins (col.), formerly the property of Dr. Collins of Columbia County, charged with ravishing one Margaret C. Brown of said County on the 21st day of June A. D. 1863, and find that he, the said Thaddeus, not guilty of an assault upon or ravishing the said Margaret C. Brown as charged, and he is therefore discharged from custody and will not again be arrested or tried upon this charge.
I Am Very Respectfully, Your Obdt. Servt.
Geo. R. Campbell, Capt. and A. S. A. Comr., Dist. of Augusta