Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-11-29
MASSACRE OF CITIZENS II AREAN.
sAS BI CLAYTGN'S MILITIA.
ATOwn sacked and Plunderea.
charmed Wen Shot fD Cold
HI0O0.

The absurd proclamation OF martial
isW by tne Eo-eailed Governor of Arksn-
sss Gould hardly have other result thar
Eapine and biooashed. The Washington
tArk.l Telegraph OF Wednesday, the
18Th Inst, comes 10 cs with az Secount
Of one OF the most shocking occurrences
OF thee troubious times, which We have
not space to reproduce entire this morn
ing
Is appears that On Wednesday, the
I0.a Inst, a band II between 200 and
800 srtned men entered the little town of
Center Point, IA Sewer county, about
/ twenty-eigkt miles from Washington,
and took possession Of the place.
TaEsn By surprise, the citizens were
entirely 0efeDseless, and were maTshaied
en- masse "a IN open field, where they
were kept uutii four o'clock in the after
noon, not knowing by what authority or
for what TessoB they we're arrested. In
The meantime the town was ransacked
and pluaieFed BY the armed Wretches
calling themselves ClaytoE's militia, OF
everything Of value, and whatever they
couId NOS carry away they destroyed.
Finally oDe Capt. Reeves addressed ihe
captive citizens IL the following strain,
IS reported by Abe Telegraph:
"9oy. Clayton had declared martial
law in Sewer county. They were there
30 enforce his proclamation. It Was the
FIRST raid they had made. It was only
the initiation OF what would GceCr. His
men were enrsged. 1t was with great
difficulty he could restrain them. They
wanted TO KILL Z OF TWELVE MEN
any how. They want TO HANG sOme Of
you fellows. We are coming back here
again, perhaps tomorrow, ETC."
The darkest part OF this monstrous
outrage remains to be told. Next
day, a number Of citizens from the
adjoining country, hearing it reported
that jayhsvEers had made q descent
upon CeBteT Point, came into town,
some Of tbsm aimed. A meeting vas
held, and it was agreed, in view Of the
authority under which the raiders hsd
pretended to be acting, to appoint con-
mtttees TO visit MuTfrsesborO and Wash
iHgton 10 confer with Clayton and The
military authorities. While they were
still in consultation the horde OF thieves
and sEs8ssin5 again suddenly entered the
town ami commenced an indiscriminate
onslaught, shooting down a number and
making prisoners CT those who were lot
fortunate enough to escape. They after
wsTd selected three citizens from among
bnG oldest e mOst respectable, leo LDem
out and murdered them IN cold blood.
The Telegraph thus concludes its account
OF this mos5 horrible fruit Of Clsyton's
blOOd-thirsEy brutality:
%Three citizens of Ssviar county, Ar
ksnsas, noted for their respectability and
standing in the community, strong and
u~RWaveriDg advocates Of peace, of law,
OF order; respected for their age and es-
teemed for their virtues; Hester, Ander-
son sEd Gilbert by name; living under q
government declared by Congress to be
republican in form, were led out to the
Cf slaughter and shot down like
dogs, by men acting under instructions
the executive OF the State. There
also FOme SIX or eight citiZsns
wounded, but how many Of the militia
were killed and wounded we were unable
to ascertain. The militia are still in pos
session Of Center P3int, and have all sp-i
pT5sehss to the town guarded. They
permit persons 20 enter the place but will
not allow them TO pass OF. The citizens
.ad all dispersed except those whom they
Sill hold as pF;soEeFa.n |
d" Blood will have blood, 4" and the VEN
geanee of an outraged people will yet fall
Upon snd crush the miserable wretch
who thus prepares a b~aBquee~of plumber
aGd slaughter fOT HE murderOus minions.