The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-08-22
The Texas Excitement.

DR.. Pryor writes to the State Gazette, I'M
der date of Dallas, July % and "a, the fol-
lowing additional particulars of the progress
Of the Vigilance Committee in their work Of
ferreting out the guilty parties in the late out
RACES in that county
The Vigilance Committee have been in ses-
sion all day, and this evening they announced
that three of the ringleaders of the insurfec-
ton are to be hanged tomorrow. These
scoundrels were among the most hardened
and INSCRIPTIONS of the whole number The
decision seems to give general satisfaction
The crowd dispersed after this announcement,
and strong guard was detailed to watch the
Jail in which are confined six or eight Of the
criminals. The police are active and unre-
hitting in their efforts, and it would be i'm
possible for the whole abolition fraternity to
surprise US now, although we might be easily
overpowered. They would have to fight for it,
however.
TUESDAY, July 24-This evening. at four
O'Clock, the three ringleaders, Sam, Cato and
Patrick, were escorted from the Jail, under
strong guard, to the place of execution An
immense concourse of citizens and negroes
assembled to witness their exit from the scene
of their wickedness. As they passed th s-ssshi
they surveyed vito composure the ruins Of
the once fourishing town that now lay in
blackened mass before them. Patrick Jen-
nings (so-called) remained calm and collected
during the whole day, and betrayed no re-
morse or feeling whatever in view of his ap-
preaching doom. He it was who fired the
the town, and that night, after its destruction,
glori6ed himself for the deed, and pronounced
it only the commencement of the good work.
old
ses, who testified to the same facts without
any hesitation, or contradiction of each others
statements. Sam Smith, so-called from the
name of his master, was an old negro preacher,
who had imbibed most of his vilainous prin-
ciples from two abolition preachers (Blount
and Mckinney who had lived in the country
q year before, and had had much intercourse
with said negro. This old negro was a deep
dyed villain. Cato had always enjoyed bad
reputation. They met their fate with COM
posture worthy of better cause. Patrick
Jennings, with unparelled nonehalanee, died
with a chew of tobacco in his mouth, and re-
fused to make any statement whatever.
They were hung on the bank of the river
above town, and are buried beneath the gal
lows.
Investigations are still going on throughout
the country, all of which tend to confirm the
facts elected at this place. The evidence OBJ
tanned before the committee will be published
in due time. More anon
The Quitman incendiary, who was fired
upon and escaped, leaving his shavings and
matches in front Of Sparks law office. had not
been discovered. The Herald extra says:
Since our paper yesterday, [giving an &C.
count Of the attempted incendiarism.l made
its appearance, we learn that Mr. Ed Pollit
residing some fifteen or eighteen miles south
OF this place, saw stranger on Thursday
last of suspicious appearance He came to |
Mr.. Pollit through the woods, and inquired if |
he could get through to Quitman, and came |
on in this direction. On the day after the at |
tempt to fire the town, about noon, a man. |
answering fully the description, came through |
the woods to Mr.. Gilbreath's, about fourteen |
miles southeast of this place. He said he
was lost. What a stranger can mean to be I
struggling through the woods is question
which very naturally excites suspicion. Some
of the citizens are inclined to the opinion,
from combination of circumstances, that
this is the identical man shot at on last Friday
night
We will give these circumstances as we
hear them, thinking, perhaps, they may lead
10 some light upon the subject.
The Herald says:
Our streets are now nightly guarded with
light men, who will require strict account
rom all who may be seen lurking in suspic-
GUS places, white or black; and slaves win
lot be permitted to struggle through the town
It late hour, even with the written permits
ion of masters, unless on urgent business,
md then not without the company of a
,uard
We believe (says the Houston Telegraph
very city and town in the State, or nearly
very one, is now guarded by vigilant vol
lnteer night police. There are no evidences
to anything of there having been
ny plot in the Southern half of the State
till, these vigilant guards have done much
ood in arresting vagabond white men, and
unaway negroes. I,