Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-06-13
Extract of letter to the editor dated

CHAMBERSBURG, June 8, 1861.
Camp life has Il popularity about it which
in the first place needs much patience and
thought, and those who do not exercise these
virtues are Vefy apt to Syuwl and grumble
and make themselves generally miscrable-
Not knowing that hard fare is necessary to
make them endure the hardships of cam
paign, such fellows are never contonted even
if they 1.-Two much better than they ever did
at home, but such is human nature Oar
tents are occasionally enlivcncd by braw's
but as these are against the regulations, the
guard house settles the refractory much : on
er than your constables and Jail can The
principal event that has occurred here sin e
my arrival is the death Of a cnlorcd man
named Frank Jones. ut the hands Of Il mum
Der of soldiers who bad congrcgatcd n dis
reputable quarter Of Chambcrshurg, and
which becomes Of local interest from the
fact THAT IN some Of the subsequent proceed
ln@S one from your county got mixed in
The following account trum one of the pa
pers here ! believe to lie substantially Y correct
From some cause attack waS made on
JJncs'S house. The windows were broken
in, the doors forced open, the stove upset and
the culOTGd man and his wife knocked down
In the mcLee Jones discharged gun, the con
tents Of which wounded two o. the soldiers
in the legs. The cry was then raised to kill
the niger" and he Immediately fed from the
house going out of the backduor and crossing
the lots in the direction Of West Market
street. When his flight was discovered
Lieutenant in one of the Pittsburg compan-
les, attached to the Seventh Regiment who
had arrived on the ground, called out for
six good men" to follow him. and led off
in pursuit of the negro. The soldiers pur,
sued the man to the residence of George Eys-
ter, Esq, on Federal Ill., where they found
him concealed ia the kitchen chimney. They
dragged him from the chimney, but assured
the lady of the house, Mr.. Eyster not being
at home. that they would do hiE3 no harna,
that they intended only to take him to jail
This was the sole intention of the party who
first arrested Jones. They brought him
down the yard till near the gate, at the lane
leading to the barn; here they were met by
tie Lieutenant who had given chase from
Woilstown, who ordered the men, who had
hold OF Jones. to stand aside, when he in
stanty discharged his revolver into him, the
first bail striking him in the front of the BODY.
Jones then turned and made for the fence,
when four other shots were fred at him. from
the same pistol IN rapid succession, Ghe ball
striking him in the back. When this was 90
ing on one of the soldiers was beating him
over the head with heavy club. lie fell on
receiving the fifth shot, when a number of
bayonet and sword wounds were fnilicted
upon him. lie was a long time dying, while
the Lieutenant and soldiers stood around him
and would not permit any one to afford him
any relief
A large and excited crowd soon collected
at the spot. and threats were very freely made
to burn the body. quarter it, &c. Several
shots. one of which accidently struck SOL
dier in the right groin inficting severe
wound, were fred at the dead body. Mr..
Eyster, upon whose premises the body lay,
and who is Prosecuting Attorney for the
county, obtained company of soldiers from
General Williams to keep down further dis
turbance and have the body removed. This
was marched to the spot where the
body lay. but through the order of a subor-
dinate officer was marched back and the body
suffered to remain on the ground exposed to
further mutilation. Mr.. Eyster then, With
the assistance of some citizens, removed the
body to the Jail and had it locked up. The
negro mad no less than twenty wounds, six
bullet and the others bsyouet and sword
-Four persons were implicated in the killing.