Supposed enemy.
--On Saturday last,
Theodore Woodall, charged with being a suspicious character-- "a man of evil fame and reputation, from
Baltimore, aiding and abetting the United States Government in hostile action against the
Commonwealth and citizens thereof, and against the
Confederate Government"--was brought before
Judge Meredith on a writ of
habeas corpus, he having been committed to jail for ten days by the
Mayor to await an examination.
Woodall was brought from the jail to the State court-house about 11 o'clock, when
Mr. Gilmer appeared for the petitioner and
Mr. Tazewell for the
Commonwealth.
The petition set forth that the allegations in the commitment of the
Mayor were untrue, but that, if true, the
Mayor had no jurisdiction over them.
Mr. Gilmer stated that
Gen. Winder was present to testify in behalf of the prisoner, and then argued at some length to show that, by the ordinance of the
Convention, under which the accused was arrested, the case belonged of right to the military authorities, and should be turned over to them.
If the
Mayor has the power, on the mere oath of one person, to arrest and imprison for ten days every party charged with crime, the action of the
Government might be clogged and the
Southern cause seriously injured.
Military commandants were, of necessity, compelled to have their confidential agents, and to protect them, and all alleged crimes of this character should be turned over to them.
Mr. Gilmer therefore asked to have his client bailed, on the ground that the charge against him was not within the jurisdiction of the
Mayor, and ought to be heard and disposed of by the
Confederate authorities.
Judge Meredith read the ordinance of the
Convention, and then declined to bail the accused; first, because the arrest had been properly made, and second, because the
Mayor had not had time to get the necessary witnesses before him, and to make out the cause of the
Commonwealth.
