Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-09

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eouipnsut for su ofscer Of the lev, or
ciating in the temple Of justice IN Land
Of peaeel
Gathering Of the CsHspiratora
Early in the day. ill-clad, iow-bsOwed
and Misunderstanding men began to
make their appearance In the strests Of
Charleston. They were observed mostly
in snail knots on streeteorners engaged
in low conversation, and il did not escape
bat rather excited remark,
that nearly all Of them were conspicu-
ously srmsd With revolvers. A few sol
diers also came in from their homes to
take the evening train for Mattoon. A
few Of these also had reyolvera, but the
majority were without arms Of any kind.
There were no Government arms in
had there besn, the issue Of
the conflict about to ensue would have
been different from what Il waa Nearly
all the officers present were, Ike the
men, quite uaarmed, YsEy few Of them
having even pistola
The first intimAtion Of the diabolical
scheme Of massacre that bad been coz
eocted and vas about % be enacted was
received in the forenoon. A knot Of
brethreR Of the "Mighzy Host we're col
lected at the northeast corner Of the
Court House Square. ssgaged ia dispa-
tstioa With citizen nansd Martin Hill.
The principal man in this knot. and one
Of the leaders Of the subsequent kghf,
Was Johs Frssier, prominent aud veal
thy farmer 10 this county. In this place
| give the swsrn testimony Of Mr. Ds-
vid johnson, a citizen Of undoubted
verscity, who Witnessed many Of the in
portant events Of the day
David Johnson beiag brat duly sworn
says:
Ia the forenoon | saw . collection Of
people apparently lisiening 70 some
angry words between JEAN Frazer and
Martin Hill Heard Frazier tell Hill he
hsd better keep still, Cor IL they
got into 8 6ght hs would get hurt,
for they had come wsah the intention Of
cleaning out . certain crowd. There
vas . squad Of 6fteen OF twenty men
Close by, all Of whon seemed 70 be
frieads Of Frazier aud Wella Hender-
son o Hair stepped up to the crowd and
said, "Doa't ons Of Jou Democrats
leave, for we came here TO attend to lhis
thing aud mnst stick right sogether.
D Hair thea remarked 10 James McCroy
that the soldiers bad been running over
the citixsns long enough, aud "ze are
going 70 clean them eat | observed
that nesrly every man lad pistols Just
before the shooting commenced, I ssw
John Gzlbraith rua to the east door Of
the Court Hoass And ssk tao msa who
wsrs there Il they bad their pistols ready,
aud they said yes. Two other men thea
joined them. and al I've wsnt to the
west Of the Court Hoase 90 q fast walk
Aimostimmsdiaiely shsrwsrd the shoot
ing commenced, Tie witness then
gives the names Of some persona wko
were firing upon the soldiers saw
John frAzieF come On horssboek in the
the street, 6Fing upos soldiers ia she
Square. When be he'd emptiea his fevol-
yer be rode rapids % the Square, where
he dismonntes, wsnl 20 Q wsgon, and
got = shotgun he then weni 10 the
fence and again ers on soldiers in the
Square fThs witness farther testifes
TO seeing other persona, after they lad
Discharged sksir pissss. get utheF guns.
ready loaded, from wagons The wagons
we're 10 the street, directly bshind the
/" line OF battle which the insurgents
formed, os attempted to form, along tha
sidewalks, facing the Square, and af.
terwards formed 10 different direction
When they we're forming = second lins
/ heard one Of thea shout in q loud
voice, "By Cd, boys. the town is ourz %
The main points Of Mr.. Johnson 8
statement are eorroborated By q number
Of other witnesses. whose testimony
wozld be but repetition, and would too
greatly extend tkis letter.
Joseph = Hntcls1son testifes that be
vas in the knos referred to by Mr. John.
son. James o'Hair came up and told
John Frazier not to be talking 10 such
trash (meaning the soldisrsl, but give
'en hell by-and-by." The soldiers su b.
seqaensly seat away. oas Of the
0'Hsirs remained, talking With Sol.
Casssl The latter said 20 0'aair that
any man who waa for JET Davis was not
. white man. Nelson Wells intsrfered,
saying, There are plainly Of JEFF Davis
men around here"
Marcus NJ. Hills eorroborates the fore.
going. and slso aitssts that just before
the firing began be vas standing smong
the crowd Of armed msn, and heard
James O'Hair say that IL he could
get Major York be would be satisfied
Effort 70 AssassiHafe Col Mitchell
The massacre did nos begin un,iIl neal
o'clock, p n Gel Mitchell came in
By the noon train from M.ttoon. At sks
railway sssiion, which is half mile frors
the Court House, be vas cautioned By 4
friend not 70 70 up town, as there ga,
goisss 70 Be fYossbie He, however, pro
eaeded 70 the Ccnrs House, thinking
doubtless, that IL there vas gsing 10 b.
trouble, bis duty vas to be where ths
danEsr existed. Near the Court HousI
be net one Of the 0'Hsir fsmily, wh,
greeted hiz cordially and thssksd hin
Tor the right spirit be had shown in dis
countensneing aud preventing any snis
oehasio. on the part Of the soldiers
While thsy were speaking, three oths
men Joined 0'Hair. Col Mitchell oh
served that thsy wefs sll armed snd re
memberisg the warning be had received
and not liking their appearance, left thl
spot and entered the Clerks ofies, whiel
is . small building on one side Of III
square. While there one Of his Captain
came to him and asked him If be va
armed, telling him that there was
scheme 90 foot 70 attack and msssaer
the soldiers. Col. Mitchell bad no arms
and ths Captain gave him derringe
pistol, saying be would procnrs . revolvsE
He resursed shortly With revolver 70
Col Mitchell Not long afterwards th'
firing conmeaced, and Col Mitchell &C
ing out Of the Office, was almost cor
frouted ct The door By the same mis
sreants who had joined OHair durinI
the eoryersation previously mentioned
As the Coiossl came out these villains
With weapons ready drawn, blazsd avs
At him. Qniek ~ thought bis weaPol
was ont and the ere returned One G
them fell woundsa; the othsrs took 9
their heels, followed By bullsts, until u
I ColoneE's revolver was empty, when b
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