American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-01-09
CANTON, MISSISSIPPI, JANUARY 8, 1868

| UNPARALLELED ESoRMITy.-We have
| before US two copies of two dispositions.
which detail the circumstances of one of
the most 6endish outrages which our tru-
" diabolical foe has yet perpetrated-
These dispositions have been forwarded
/ TO the War Department through our
generals in North Carolina. where the
crime was committed. The Opponents
are Caswel Woods. and Elizabeth. his
wife. Of the country of Craven. Mr..
| Woods is certified 10 BY Gen. Evans as
being a respectable citizen. and loyal to
our cause, which. with his being a poor
man. seem to be the only causes for the
fenaish outrages by the hellish savages.
/ 1t is stated that he is class leader in
| the Methodist Church. 1t is due to the
civilized world and to outraged human
/ ity. that the facts stated in these depo-
sitions should be known. and yet they
] are too UNANIMOUSLY obscene to be fully
described in newspaper. The houses
of these quiet and aged citizens was
visited on the night of the Cd of October.
by two Yankee troopers. armed with
pistols and sabres One of them. (the
younger) who was addressed by the
other as ..csptain." and sometimes as
John" rode into the piazza. hurst open
the front door, and then rode into the
house The other. who was addressed
by the "captain" sometimes as ..Charlie"
and sometimes as George" and Lieu
tenant. !" walk in.
Mr. Woods had retired to bed. We
copy from his deposition
Il came down stairs in hurry, in
my night clothes, and the one on the
horse said to me, '.you id old grey
headed son of b-h. where were you
day before yesterday % And when l
told him | was at home, he said. You
i lie, for you shot at me-" Upon this
pretence, they cut out the cord from a
bed in the room. and said they would
hang him. bat finally Tied him. took him
out Of the house and dashed him to
tree, with the threat of instant death If
j lie made any outcry or attempted to get
loose They returned to the house and
locked the door after them, and the old
man had the inexpressible agony of list
ening for the rest of the night to the
screams and doleful lamentations of his
wife and daughter.
The statement made by Mrs. Woods
her deposition of what passed inside is
truly heartrending. The unparalleled
Williams made the poor helpless women
not merely the victims of their brutal
| lust, but accompanied the outrage. which
is worse than death. with circumstances
that mark them as the most abandoned
Of Williams. Commencing by cursing
Jesus Christ. with pistol in hand and
with the threat of instant death. the de.
fponent was required by one of the beasts
to divest herself of every particle of
clothing. But this was almost christian
treatment compared with other acts which
may not be related. While such were
her own sufferings, the shrieks of her
daughter in another room told that hers
was similar fate About sunrise the
next morning the human devils departed.
leaving a horrible disease with those
whom they had otherwise SO terribly
outraged.
1t is with pain that such sketch as
the above is admitted into the columns of
the Enquirer" But it is due to our
own people and to the world that the
villaineis of our enemies should be known
The dispositions have been laid before
with the suggestion endorsed thereon
by the Adjutant General. .'that SO much
Of this account as is not too foul for pub
LEGATION should be given to the public.
through the press, in order that Tie right
eous Indignation of our people. our gen
erals and our armies may under the
Providence of God, visit just retribu
ton upon an enemy fend like. Con-
curing in the propriety of the sugges-
ton. we have acted accordingly.
We are happy to say that Gen. Gus
tavus w. Smith has directed every eff
fort to be made to ascertain the names
of the parties. and TO demand their de
livery for trial and punishment. We
hope copies of the dispositions have been
forwarded to the authorities of the en-
envy. Surely there are some. even among
them, who would be Mortified by such
conduct. The vengeance of Heaven
mast light upon them and their cause i
Richmond Eaqirer.
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