The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-10-20
Correspondence of the st. Louis Republican.
Trouble I'm ArkanSaS--Fiye Men
Shot Down While i'm Church.
WALNUT GROVE, CROOKED CREEK,
CoRRoLL COUNTY, ARK, Sep. s, 1868.


CoRRoLL COUNTY, ARK, Sep. s, 1868.
On Sabbath last, at the conclusion of
the religious services the whole congre-
CATION were thrown into the utmost con-
sternation by the sudden and rapid firing
of pistols in their very midst, The
shrieks of the atfrighted women and
children, in connection with the pell
nell rush Of the innocent and unsuspect-
| ing congregation, doubtless thinking
they would be instantly murdered, were
hidous in the extreme. Five men were
instantly shot down, against whom no
charges could be justly preferred, save
only that they were Conservatives or
Democrats. A Mr.. Ferrand, an eX-Fed-
eral soldier, died instantly. A Mr..
Thomas died the next day, and Charles
Lamb is not expected to live: while the
other two, Wamic and Robert Lamb,it is
thought will recover.
The loyal League had been heard to
say that swhen the militia are organized
we will ask you no odds" And since
the organization, and at the very time
of this murderous assault upon unarm-
ed citizens at church, these loyal militia
of our Radically reconstructed State were
heard to say, 'sNow we are a hundred
strong, we will do as we please"
Young Ferrand, who died instantly,
was shot for having on an ordinary cali
co duster-a fashion adopted by the
istudents of Berryville Academy, in con
tradistinction of that Of the young men
of the country-they (the Rads) believ-
ing it to be X. X. garb, when, in fact,
none of the Klan are among us. As an
evidence of the murderous intention Of
this lawless banditti, they deliberately
informed some of their supposed friends
then on the ground Of their design.
There are some ten Democrats to one
Radical in this county; and although
the excitement has been intense almost
to frenzy, yet nothing has been done by
the citizens to bring these brutal ,assas-
sins to account by enforcing the civil
law, hoping the loyal militia, as it was
, their imperative sworn duty, would
see the laws adopted by their Legislature
faithfully executed, and peace and order
promoted. But, to the wondrous
amazement Of everybody, these very
cut-throats went Immediately to their
own kith and kin (the militia) for pro-
lection, and it is now generally known
that runners were sent pretty well
throughout the county to rally and
bring together the largest possible num-
ber of the Union League, lest they
should have been overpowered and the
criminals arrested.
tits now stated, and generally believ-
ed, that these bad men have since been
escorted by strong guard of the mill
tia and Loyal Leaguers out of the coun-
ty to the State Of Missouri, likely to
Spring gfeld, as two of them, named Long,
have brother, Baptist clergyman,
living at no great distance from that
place. Such occurrences are becoming
very common throughout the State. In
our numbers consists our only safety to
life and property under the so-called re-
constructed South. The militia
organized and thrust upon us in time of
profound peace commit these fiendish
deeds in order to have color Of pre-
text to justify the necessity of their ex-
iStence.