Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-10-21

procession came up to where he was
he announced that he was a courier
sent TO say that the blacks and thei
friends would not be allowed TO have
a speaking in Camilla. The blacks
paid no attention to this, and moved
on toward Camilla. Soon afterwarC
they We're met by the Sheriff, who
told them that the people in the town
were opposed to their speaking there.
Mr.. Murphy, as one of the leaders o
the procession, proposed that undei
the circumstances they should have
the speaking at DR.. Dasheris place.
near which they then were. The
eolored people urged that unless they
could in aquiet and peaeeable manner
go into Camilla, and hold their meet
ing, they would not be allowed 10
vote on election day. They wished
to show the people of Camilla that
they were law-abiding citizens, and
would do wrong to nobody. DIR.
Dasher objected to having the meeting
at his place, as he said the Court
House Square was the proper piece
for holding il, and the procession
ought to go there. The procession
passed on, and when near the edge Of
the town was met by Johns, who
discharged q -barreled shotgun
at those who were in the band wagon
Of the procession, and wounded several
persons. The white citizens of
Camilla at once opened fire upon those
in the procession. The eOlOred men
who had guns fired single shots in
return, and then men, women and
children took 20 fight. Their assail-
ants mounted their horses, and pursued
the flying crowd, following, shooting
and beating murderously all with
whom they caught up. Every negro
caught was shot or beaten, and the
chase was kept up for eight miles.
The only way in which any Of the
blacks who were caught ESCAPED un-
harmed was by declaring that thew
had not been at Camilla, and were
Democrats. Messrs. Murphy and
Joiner were in the rear of the pro-
cessiOn when the attack began. They
turned the buggy in which they We're
riding, and drove rapidly away fOr six
or seven miles. FourOf their puFsuers
finally came close after them, and,
jumping from the buggy, Mr.. Joiner
ran into q cane patch anG escaped
Mr.. Murphy sprang out and ran into
an old building. His pursuers coming
up, called on him to come out. He
declared that he would not, but would
sell his life as dearly as possible, un-
less they pledged their honor not to
hurt him. They finally promised
that they would not harm him, and
he came out Three of them began
to speak TO him, when the fourth came
M nd kne
him over the head, inflicted a shock
ing wound. In this emergency his
murder seemed inevitable, but the
assailants recognized MI. Murphy as
a Mason, and this saved his life.
There is not a particle Of evidence
that there was the slightest prOvOca-
ton for the attack on the procession,
and Col. Howard is confident that
there was none. 1t grew simply out
of the determination that there should
be no Republican speaking in Camilla.
The sssailants adRit that they have
buried seven OF those murdered by
them, and it il the general opinion
that between thirty and forty Of the
blacks were wounded, some of them
very seriously. OF the assailants six
received slight hurts. s.---------------'---..i7
Il is-the impression of nine-tenths
Of the Union men of Georgia with
whom have eOnversed, that the
election Of Seymour and Blair would
be inevitably followed by an outbreak
and another civil war A prominent
official said to me yesterday, "The
rebels are more bitter by far than
they were three years agO.n A Gov
ernment official recently exported, al
am satisfied that the feeling against
the Government, the flag, and every
thing connected with it, is so much
more intense and bitter than at the
close of the war" As ALWAYS in the
case OF civil connections, the men
who are most ready to rush into
another bloody and ruinOus war are
those who have least to lose, but there
is no effort by the better class of |
Georgia planters and people to check |
partisan bitterness, to retain Illegal
violence, to deprecate Outragcs and /
Of Republicans or even
TO punish the -eauseless murder of
freedmen. About September 5, John
p. Lumpkin murdered two freedmen.
but no Investigation has been had or K
Is likely 10 be. ! am told that thel
Freedmen's Bureau has information
Of murder of freedman in SehIey
county ON September 19, and such \
cases are of frequent occurrence.
a memorial, signed by ten Of the
most reliable freedmen of Wilkes
county, states that the freedmen there
are living in perfect reign of terror,
and they implOre protection, as they
anticipate an attack being made upon
hem on October as they are to have
Republican meeting on that day.
n some places the freedmen are
'Orming semi-military organizations
% protect themselves, as the civil
viii do nothing for them
md the bureau is powerless.