Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-10-01


augurahng a reign Of terror At "a.
mina, tclogrpphcd from Bainbudgc
90 Augusta, Ca, yesterday, were
In some particulars incorrect Tho
loss of lifc was hy no means 70 great
as represented. The criminal conduct
Of the carpot.baggers Poaroe aud
b Murphy, is fully established by the
Shcrids testimony
The following is tho statement Of
the sheriff of Mitchell county, sworn
to By himself and other prominent
citizens. IL is addressed to the mem.
bers Of the Legislature
On Saturday, the 10Th inst, il was
made known 20 the citizens that
John Murphy, of Albany, Ga, had is
sued circular and secretly circulated
the same among the colored men of
this county, ordering them TO bring
their arms with them to political
meeting advertised for that day at
this place The information was cor
roborated by statements made by
Robert Cochran, Sr., Thomas Jones
and others, who came from the road
in the direction OF Albany, stating
that armed negroes were assembling
in large numbers at China Grove
Church, waiting for the delegation
from Albany, headed by the said
Murphy and Pearce, candidates for
Congress, who were to be the speak
ers on the occasion. At the request
of the citizens, Mr. NJ. j. Poor, the
Sheriff, with a committee Of six other
citizens, went out to meet said pro
ccssion, and to protest against armed
negroes being marched in procession
in our town, and 20 state to them dis
tinctly, that II they io0uld lay doiCn
their arms no objection wOUld be made
10 their entering the t00n and holding
their political meeting, The Sheriff
delivered this message to Murphy and
Pearce the leaders Of the procession,
and they replied that they had moth
ing to do with these armed men, the
guns belonged to them and they were
in the habit of carrying them where
ever they went. The Sheriff replied,
as a peace officer Il Was his duty under
the ldW 10 forbid the dSSemblage Of
armed men at political meetings, and
assured them that II they entered the
torn Nth their music and banners, fol-
lOioed By armed men as they then toere
that there DOHld be a breach of the
peace, and that he ipOuld not be respon-
sible for the consequences.
Shortly afterwards the column
moved into the town in regular order,
headed by Pearce, the (whitel, in a
buggy, armed with a doublebarrel
shotgun and Spencer rife, and two
pistols, with a quantity Of ammunition,
as was afterwards ascertained; next
followed column Of negro men, on cot,
Of betDeeR three and four hundred,
attended by about tlDmty mounted out
riders. At least one-half, ifnot two
thirds, were armed with guns, and
most Of them with pistols The mu-
sic was playing and the crowd we're
noisy and threatening in their con
duct. Murphy and one Philip Joiner,
a negro, were in buggy in the rear
As the head column approached the
square, one ofour citizens, Jas Johns, |
who was intoxicated, approached
within few feet Of the column and |
ordered the music TO stop, which was
not done, and the column moved on.
When about twenty steps from him
his gun was fired, whether Intentional |
ly or not is not known, but il was
pointed in a different direction, and
the shot struck the ground about
twelve feet from him. The column
fired volley, some of the shots at |
Johns, most Of them in the direction |
Of Naples store, thirty or forty steps |
from the column, at which place there |
was a number Of our citizens, all un-
armed, wounding six OF them. Imme-
diatoly, about twenty Of our citizens
sprang TO their arms and fired into the
crowd, by which two negroes were
killed and an unknown number woun-
ded The negroes Immediately broke
20 a thick cluster of timber one hun
dred yards north Of the court house.
At this point there was an attempt
made by Pearce TO rally his routed
forces. Our citizens, to the number
of about thirty, part of them being
mounted, Immediately made a charge,
and completely routed the whole force,
Pearce flying through the woods and
fields, Murphy and Phil Joiner csca-
ping in buggy up the road towards
Albany.
Seven negroes were killed, and from
the best information we have been
able to procure, between thirty and
forty were wounded, all of whom have
been properly cared for. 1t is a
source Of deep regret that the calami.
tous consequences Of this affair fell
exclusively upon the poor deluded
negroes, led on by wicked white men
Murphy, Pierce and Putney, made
good their escape in the hour of dan
ger, with but little injury to them
selves. This sad result is to be
attributed more TO the sharpness than
shrcwdncss Of their gallant leaders in
eficctine their escape, than TO atten-
tion on the part OF our people. We
hereby disavow any purpose or inten.
tion on the part of ourselves or our
citizens TO violate law or the peace Of
the State in what was done. We
were willing, and so expressed our
selves TO these leaders, for them to
hold their political meeting at the
Court House in our town il the ne
groes were disarmed but we did
think, and still think that it was our
duty TO obey the orders ofthe Sheriff,
as civil officer Of this State, in break
ing up this unlawful asscmblagc. We
felt, as their numbers vastly exceeded
that OF our citizens present, that had
this meeting taken place, the ipes Of
oRr DiUcs and children ir0uld be al TIE
mercy Of an iafurfatcd mob. while lis
consequences are 10 Be regretted, and zoe ]
do n0i boast Of iohai was done by oar
people. We feel that they have but
discharged a painful duty imposed
upon them by wicked and corrupted