Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-15
STATEMENTS by t,C0 other Union Men tobo tcert
Threatened By the Rebels Of
MauTy County.

u
Ne have again 20 record the particulars of a most
dsrtsFdly rebel Outrage perpetrated in Maury coun-
~, and which gives Us vivid picture Of the con-
SItlon Of society Ia That section Of the State The
,a,tist Who we're The victims Of this high-haDded
and barbarous outrage are now in Che city. They
rave stated tho fscts to tie authorities, and sAkCd
fyy the proper protection, which ia such case as
.his can only be military aid. We have received
The sAtsmSns Of both, written odt by their own
hlnd and shall proceed TO lay them before our rea-
dk-s hoping that they will be perused with care by
,boss wEo may heretofore lave had doubts concern
lnR the aninus Of Tennessee rebels.
NJ. Graham, whose statements we shGil fret give,
Is Wel-known Union nan, and has lived In Nash
vile for some time past:
sTITElIENT OF =. H. oRAHAM
eft Nashville Marck 25th, Ia company with
ny Bon-remainsd IN Columbia over night next
Jay we went 10 Mount Pleasant, whsrs concluded
70 remain and engage in school teaching aud assist
n the organization Of free schools, Eupposing BY
slEet attention 20 the business in accordance TO law
The public would bs plesHed. While in pursuance
Of ny duties, ] went about o'clock IN the day
time 20 the post ocs in The center Of said town. 70
INQUIRE for my mail some ten or twelve men vsre
about the peat of1co. As 1 approached near the
Door tslutsd one Of their number, who ssemed 20
bs scrutiRiEibg me most closely and suspioiousy By
iayinE, How do you dc, BIZ" he did not reply,
but followed me into the Office. Aftsr inquiring for
ny lsttsrt be sgain faced me. and asked me who !
Hst where I was from what was my business
whore / had been stopping ever since had been
thsYs1 accompanied with the threat 10 answer or be
would Kill me- In the meantime the crowd alled
I'd the post Office. answered his questions, stating
Whsrz haA hesa s.oDpirE evs.5y 49, Z hss sss1
there: that came % aasist in the organization OF
schools BY request and in 2 lawful manner that
was one Of their best frends that they were with
out free schools and had TO pay taxes and should
have the benefit. They asked then II was Yam
kss. tod them I thought not in their under
Sanding One Of them whom afterwards learned
was named Rufus Polk. bat st the time called him
self Srssh-ssked il / was born in South Carolina.
told him no, was born in Ohio, and my name
was Graham, there and the world over. One Of
them by the name las l was afterwards told OF
Ni1ou then accused me Of insulting his mother, be-
cause The house was neares 10 the school, and ap-
piled for board there. ] was not IN their house, and
while converting treated the lady IN the most cour-
b4ous manner I told him he was certainly nlists-
ken. BE drow his pistol 10 shoot me, and said,
Don't say am mistaken" The brother, who Is
Gho constable, standing me, struck me, brosk-
lng or cutting my hat while on my head, with she
remark, ~ will Anish him ]" did not see what
be hsa in his hand but think he had weapon.
Some were Ia favor Of hanging me, and some for
shooting me l asked them what / had done, or
what they wanted me to do. They said / was q
d--d Ysnkee-that they had fought Yankees for
four yesrs-they had whipped them many times
tlHt they owned that country and intended TO bold
i8-thst they don't want and, by Cd, no Ysnkee
HAould teach their schoOls-that they 3ould teaeh
thsir own--thAt must leave in sn hour, OF would
Do killed. / went 10 the school house 70 get my
watch, and inform the other teacher Of my orders
In few minutes aftsr We saw them approaching
one Nixon, constable with q gun, through the
helds, the bsckway, and the others in 'front.' with
their pistols Tom Mosg so-cslled. came % the door
.ad demanded that shouid 20 with them, crying
aloud Eve minutes was Ell the time I had. Ihssrd
hs clich Of The lock as The trigger Of the gun wal
palled back BY the man having It. Upon my look.
ing around ke skulked by the outside OF the bal
door. I was led by tho arm from the schOol-hous:
By two Of thom, with threats and implications thai
should die ] made, 90 this time, an appeal x
thssr ohivAlry, and asked If they had been Confsd
crate soldiers. They replied in the Affirmative
ootstin6 OF whas they bad done and that they were
sti IN possession Of that country that Il WAC theiYp
and they intended 70 hold Il. Rsked them IL shey
Rers brsre--if they wsro Americana They saic
yes bat not citi5enC. In view Of this aEkea then
Il was brave for many 10 attack stranger, with
ont provoCation, aud Intended 60 leave immedi
Stsly 20 give me their hand snd word Of honor a
ConfedsYate soldiers that should not be molested
on my way. Two Of tbo party shook hands but !
was buried along back 20 the town. I stated tha
was TOO unwell 70 walk, and wished them to wal
few moments, until the other teacher overlook N
They took NE into the hotel in q few minutes th
teacher arrived, and was allowed 10 leave for Go
lunbia. We had not gone far until rot uuon th
hufss for had been very unwell for some 6ms.-
We did not e out Of q walk, and about mile fror
town iutt &C we had forded q stream, ltho name Z
which have forgotten,) one Of the party on hors.
bach overhsuled as and with pistols drawn told IN
20 dibmount / had % 20 back they only agree
60 see me safe out Of town. and they had done It.
again rsmonstrstod with them, to let me leave Wit!
out taking my LIFE as that was the agTeemelg
towu. A woman and little boy were AppToacnll
Us on the read in 8 top buggy. l insisted on spea
ing 20 her ono minute. 90 placed his hand on D
pistol and again ordered me 20 dtmount thougl
be thsn intended 70 kill me. As both Of rs was {
one hor1e, be could not we'll shoot mo alone h
Esr5lsss OF his threats started 10 the lady in q
Buggy % interCede in my behalf a. hsd done notl
ins wrong and had received orders u leave and va
doing So Her reply Wa she could not help me.
Two other men Of The party now arrived fro
NJ PleSssnt--all well mounted. Mr. Nixon ",
mere friendly disposed, and BY The earnest sntr5
ties Of the other party, be used hla inhuence 10 4
low IA 70 prooaef Tom Moss still Ewors yengeSno
sud Nixon telling him 70 be still occsIioaSlly. Il
about threo miles they kept with Us Nixon was y
LAST 70 leave, and said be could noi gs4fantse
safety any further, but thought Uonlo % sAls lo
u they did not come upon me through lie ns@s Ag
aile.' giving us the impression that they night "a
fouad and come in ahead Of us. we arrived
Columbia about dark
Tho above statement is clear and explicit out
shRN nov proceed 70 give that Of Mrs. T. r. Al
sou, principal Of tbe free colored school AZ Moo
Pleasant. Mrs. Allison is a native Tennesseea
bot Union 20 her hearts core, and just So brave.
She has been tescbing school in Msury county !
come time past. About two months ago, Il we mi
take not Der school house was burned dowRi set
Gre By some rebel incendisry. She was not to
put down, however, - she procured smother buii
ing and still kept brsvely 81 work. Her sehooi ?
came 20 large and abe having been elected Ooan
superintendent she wrote 70 Mr.. Graham 10 Goa
down and assist her in organizing the free schoo
y ths county under the recent school law. "
hsvs copy Of that letter now before us. Tht le
'sF OF hrt. Allibon caused him 20 80 20 Mt. Pies
sas Ars. Allisen, in her statement which we 81
below, speaks of herself ss the principal" a.
tae other teacher
AIRS. y. T. ALLIsoNG sTATEhEhT'
a, The teacher, on Tuesday evening, 3lst Of MARC
set, oallad a. The roSt ofics Ia Mt. Pleasant Wke