The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-05-28

1t died, but IL rejoiced-"I lie
Crushed by her tread, by herI die;
By her, by her
Beneath her blessed feet"
The MOyver-Ship Island Tragedy.
From the Handsboro (Miss) Democrat, May Q.
Every week adds something to the
light which is being shed upon this dark
mystery. The lame and inpotent attempt
in New Orleans to hush up the matter has
only resulted in an inconceivable conflict
of testimony among the volunteer witness
es, and a concentration of public attention
throughout the United States upon this
most singular and remarkable event.
In the first place Yankee puppy by
the name of Perkins, on the publication Of
our first article, came forward in New Or
leans and denounced it as utterly false"
This miserable whelp must certainly
have been inops cons,lii when he thrust
himself so prominently forward, for, on
the same day, the carpet-bag scalawag
sheet in New Orleans came forward and
stated that the negro had attempted to
commit a rape on Miss Mower, bit had
failed; and declaring they had been cog
infant of all the facts for two weeks thus
confirming the essential truth of all we
had stated, and giving the Gle direct" to
the swift testimony Of the volunteer Per
kins,
Since our last issue We have received
the letter below, which We publish in full,
as follows:
SHIP ISLAND, April 80, 1868.
To the Editor of the Handsboro Demo,
crat, Hands6Oro, Miss.
SIR-We, the undersigned, officers al
the post of Ship Island, Miss. have read
the article published in your paper and
republished in the Commercial Bulletin OF
New Orleans, concerning a soldiers enter.
ing the house of Gen. Mower, one night
during the early part of this month.
We desire to inform you that the state.
ment, as published by you is essentially
false. A man did erter the house OF
Gen. Mower, but his designs are not posi-
lively known, neither did he succeed in
doing anything more than to alarm the
|
ly suspicious to warrant his arrest and
punishment; while undergoing the latter
he escaped from the guard.
Very respectfully your obedient serv'
ants,
D. A. Ward, Captain 39th Infantry, r
Robins, Captain 39th Infantry, and mum
Der Of other officers.
We have several comments to make on
this letter, to which We invite especial at
tention:
1st. If this letter is true, then witness
PEI kins was guilty Of willful and wick.
ed falsehood
I'd. If this letter is true, then the scala.
wag republican was guilty ola willful and
wicked falsehood.
3D. we are at loss to know the moan
ing Of the charge that "the statement is
essentially false" No evidence is adduc.
ed to convict US or our informant.
4th. These officers state substantially
that negro soldier "did enter the house
Of Gen. Mower" that "his designs" were
not positively" knowu-tbat his conduct
was sufficiently suspicious" to warrant
his arrest and punishment
So now it seems that Perkins lied and
the republican lied-a negro did enter
Mower house that his designs were doubt,
full, but in spite of his doubt he was ar.
rested and punished
Now, we have but ore question to ask
these military gentleman on Ship Island.
Do they arrest and punish on suspicion
Such thing is unknown to all civil law
Where is the military law. the rule, OF
article Of war which sanctions punishment
on suspicion
But it seems, whil lc undergoing the pun.
ishment he Escaped" from his guard
Escaped from water bound Ship Island
How? by swimming, in sal! boat, schoon.
er, or steamboat? Bah Messieurs Off
GERS, this won't do, as you will find when
the fats Of the negro comes to be investi
gated by higher military authority as Il
mast and wiU be.
We have collected and are collecting
further testimony, which We shall publish
at the proper time. Suffice it now to say
that we are satisfied, from all we know, o
two things-1st. That great, if not {
namelcss outrage has been committed on
female of Gen. Mowers family at Ship Is
land by negro soldier.
I'd. That his negro is dead.
What a delightful place Pittsbure
n,rvt ha "a live in Accordipo to a rocou,