In 1865 the Constitution's XIIIth Amendment was adopted, forbidding the keeping of slaves. In 1866 Congress passed a statute making slave-keeping punishable by a $5,000 fine, five years in prison. Not once in 70 years had the law been invoked until three months ago when a Federal Grand Jury at Little Rock, Ark. indicted Paul D. Peacher, Crittenden County cotton planter and former deputy sheriff, for "aiding and abetting in causing persons to be held as slaves."
Last week Planter Peacher, who now serves as city marshal of Earle, went on trial...
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