New-York tribune., 1869-01-04


his preaching and became guerilla captain:
In such capacity, in 1864 he took an old man Of
MOI MONTGOMERY County 20 years OF age and hanged geo
| Union army. The old man begged week III which
to prepare for death. rhe preacher guerilla refused
| The old man still recognizing Hurt as his pastor
solicited his prayers in his behalf. To this the mon
ster consented, and actually got upon his knees and
went through the impious mockery of praying for
ended with String him up" and the old mans soul
was IN the presence of his Maker. This preacher of
the Gospel, John. Hurt, during the late campaign,
was shining light among the Democracy as an
| orator, making incendiary speeches against recon-
strnction:, He is now spoken of as "a prominent
Democratic citizen" and s without doubt. from
port correspondent from whom reliable Democratic
news from Southern Arkansas is published to the
world; From him, doubtless as q reported leader of
portion OF the lncendiary forces came the accounts
published regarding the dispersion of such forces at
| Center Point. The terrible outrages committed bv
the militia in and about Lewisburg, in, Conway
| County on the Arkansas some seventy miles above
Little Rock, have also been rung in all their changes
| through the,Democratic Press.
From sworn testimony before me it seems that, on
| negro cabin in which two blacks were living, and
called them to the door. Making their appearance,
they were fired upon. One was wounded the other,
George Washington; was killed. One of the masked
men dropped his tall, paper hat. IL was found to be
made, in part, of newspaper marked with the name
of Thomas Hooper. This, and other circumstances,
led TO the arrest of Thomas Hooper, Joseph Jackson,
and Robert Ferry, by regular constable, aided by
0militia. When arrested Perry confessed to the con
stable that he was present at the murder. Shortly
after selzlng an apparently favorable moment Perry
and Jackson broke for the woods, to escape. The
ed, Jackson killed The next morning Hooper was
started for town, in charge of eight
| men, EndeayoriDg on the road to escape. he
This man Hooper, reported as a "peaeeable Jaw
abiding citizen, Is known Ohave threatened the life
OF the black, Geo Washington numerous occasions
and was considered a ku-kuX Captain. Such were
the murders 50 extensively circulated The militia
cannot he said To he TO blame, yet by none was the
affair more regretted than by Coy Clayton himself
Again, II has been telegrapbed from Democratic
sources that IN Lewisburg the night OF the lGth
the militia marched to the store Of Messrs Breeder
d Casey. and set fire TO IT, after pouring coal oil on
the floor Howard & Wcllss store was also burned.
During the fire Mr.. Casey was shot down, aud the
body thrown into the lames after riling the p0ck-
cts The town Is still occupied by militia, who go
shooting, dc. Now your correspondent Is sorry 10
spoil such fine sensation accounts of the Democracy,
butlustce must be done On the table before me lies
official copy of corOnes verdict found over the body
OF John Casey in LewsbuTg Ark, Dec. II TO Dec. 20
From this verdict found upon the oaths of jury of
twelve old citizens Hemselrs an g0od DeDlOcyaL il
seems that Casey came to his death by being muir
dered for his money by one Pompey a. Brceden and
one George Selden, and the house in which he was
set on iire and burned 10 the ground" Thus tits
seen That instead OF u militia outrage, u was mur
der Of citizen by his own partners, al good Demo
6d's.' IL such gross pcryerslon OF fact Is thus
proven IN the one case what opinion may reasonably
DC had oi ali similar accounts i!
The affairs at Augusta, Woodruff County. havo
also been used as basis for terrible hue and cry
/
which Augusta is situated, since the commence
ment of the war, has been the thoater Of much of
the awlessness so prevalent IN the State No section
oi the state, IN fact, was notorious during the
war, aud most OF tho ontrages on steamboats, and
NantOn murders OF pilots on White River.
Augusta since its organization. has been noted
headquarters for the Ku-kluX of that section.
force Of militia sent IN for suppression Of the
lawcSsness IN that county The ku-kluX rallied III
some force and for time disputed The authority Of
the State After some skirmishing they have finally
dispersed or been driven into jackson county, and
the leaders have been arrested / have now before
me written pledge, signed hy about 800 citizens Of
Augusta and Woodruff comfy, In which ths anthor-
;ty of the state ns ~ present constituted IS heIeaf
ter to be reoognized' what u statement from loyal
citizens and all pledged TO assist in enforcement
oi the law Upon this, ere my communication reaches
yon, the militia Will be- removed and civil law re-
stored. Through pressure of militia, peace and quiet
viii thus have been restored 10 all save portion OF
Conway and jackson counties. Throughout the
whole of the numerous other rcsnntes, where. solt
time ago, cIYll law Was ignored and awlessncss
rcgncd supreme for the first time the authority Of
the state is now respected and enforced. There is
little doubt that the hope entertained by the
mics of he state Government, that unable 10 SUPPRESS
the terrible lawlessncss prevalent the State woud
le forced 10 call upon the General Government for
assistance. and thus prove reconstruction practically
% nulltty. Finding themselves crowded To the wall,
however. through the determined cXrrtons of Gov.
Clayton, the hope now is by terrible hue and cry
Of militia outagcs. 10 bring about collision between
the authorities of the State and General Government,
IN this, as in their former desires, they Will hnd
themselves mistaken Gov. CLAYTON has simply been
doing what he was sworn 10 do-eniorcc the laws,
and the aeents of Gen Grant can bnt find In accord
auce with such fact Elected Governor, he is de-
to1nlned 30 make his government properly respected.
Do the citizens OF The country expect anght less or
more at his hands OF one thing ali NAV be assured
80 far, at least, he Is master Of the situation
IHR ARKANSAS TROUBLEs-FIvE PRISONERS RE-
PORTED TRIED AND SHOT BY TIE MILITIA.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Jan. SIT was reported
here tonight that the militia at Marion, Arkansas had
taken 1--WE prisoners, who wero confined in jail, tried
them by drumhead courlnartial and carried them to
the woods and shot them. Tho OF Dr. Mckenzie
aud John Thorpe, two wen-known citizens. alone are
given The report cansed considerable edtemout here
Associated Press Dispatch.
VIRGINIA POLITICIANS FAVOR UNIVERSAL
SUFFRAGE.
RfCIIMOND, Jan. 2.-For two days past n con-
ference Of some Of the leading men the State has been
IN session. attended by the Hon. A. H. H. Stuart Of staun.
tom the Hon Thomas s. Flournoy formerly whig eandi
date for Governor John L. Marye r the present Con
servatlve candidate for Attorney General Wyndham
Robertson. formerly whgacDg Governor of the State;
George W. Boiling, James +. johnson, formerly Whig
Senator Frank q. Ruln, Gen. John Echols. w T. suth-
erln and others. Last night after midnight, they
agreed on preamble and resolutions which sets forth
that while the people Of Virginia do not believe that the
negroes In their uneducated condition as yet nt for
suffrage. yet In view OF the expression Of public
opinion In the recent national election, ana
In tho hope Of restoring harmony aud
unIon they aro willing to accept universal suffrage
coupled with universal amnesty Committee OF Nine
appointed TO visit Washington nnu nISe 10
THE Committee composed or MeSsia. ~ ~ ~ stuart
W Robertson J. b. baldwin James Nelson W L Snther
md " l. Owen. A resolution was adopted rccOmmend
ing the people Of the state To hold convention on feo