Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-15
LARGEST CITY CIRCULATION.
Blsess ana Whites In collision In rsxss-
Fatal Winding Up.
Prom the Marshall (rexaD FLAG. Sept. ~

Prom the Marshall (rexaD Flag. sept I'll
On Tuesday, the 25th, little after
dark, an alteration occurred between
Col. |. w. Johnston, Of this county, and
a freedman about the turning Of pail
of mules into the garden. in which the
negro was impudent and overbearine
and prove ked Colonel Jehuston 40 much
that he struck him over the head with a
stick. and also with six-shooter. The
negro summoned help from another
plantation, and his allies were approach
ing TO attack the house, when they were
told that Johnston's neigbbors, two OF
the Webb boys, were with him. Think
ing that their force was insufficient, they
sent of 10 three other plantations for re-
oruits. and about o'clock, on Weines-
pesday morning, about fifteen or twenty
of them. armed with loaded guns, pre-
scented themselves in front of Colonel
Johuston's residence, and sent word in to
him by a negro woman, that they wanted
N see him. Colonel Johnston's cousin,
Mr.. Oscar Johnston, went out on the GAL
lery, on the front side of the house, and
spoks to the negroes to this effect: $50,
bows, you have come here for fight,
nave you lOu hut bCttci occ thot
your guns are all right"
Col Johnston then told Mr.. Oscar
Johnston not to shoot He, however, ac-
cordng to the testimony of the negroes,
the Johnstons not being allowed to testify,
fred his pistol into the air, which was
followed by two other shots from the
, house. whereupon the crowd of negroes
fred a broadside into the house, as the
bullet-holes prove, and took to their
heels, leaving one Of their number dead
on the ground. The freedman was shot,
as we are informed. in the back, and the
hole where the ball entered is too large
10 have been made by six-shooter ball,
and all Of the negroes, according to their
own testimony, we're facing the house,
and hence the impossibility of the shot
which killed him being fired from the
house. That the negro was killed by
some one, however, is an established fact
reformation being received in this
place of the occurrence, Col. Johnston
and Mr.. Oscar Johnston and the negroes
were brought up before Capt. T. M. K
Smith, commanding the post, for the pur-
pose of having the case examined. The
testimony developed the above facts, and
the decision of Capt. Smith, whose only
duty in the premises was to see that the
civil authorities took cognizance OF the
case, and whose entire action, in our
opinion, was unwarrantable, uncalled
for, and ill-sdvised, was to fine Col.
Johnston 500 for striking the negro over
the head, and to require him to give
bond of $500 to keep the peace. The
negroes be turned loose.
Now, Captain Smith is aware that the
testimony did not show that the dead
negro was killed by either of the john
stons-if it had be would have passed
different sentence upon them. But MUIR
der has been done, as the fresh-made
mound under which the negro reposes
proves conclusively. Who, then, killed
Cock Robin? The facts point to some
one of his comrades as the one.
Take it for granted that it was acct
dentally done, yet must the negroes
who, at the very dead hour OF the
night, attacked citizen in This own
house, and although frustrated in their
design, yet kill one Of their own number,
be turned scot-free upon society," Has
Capt. Smith the authority to take such
high handed step? We think not His
course is extraordinary, and subversive
of the civil law ofthe land.
These negroes that he has thus turned
loose will doubtless feel themselves pri-
vieged to re-enact the scene Of last We'd
nesday morning, feeling that they have
bis sanction for so doing, in which case,
if their blood is shed, upon his head let
tba raononaihiiitv raet