Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1869-12-11

RUnWAA MalHGAH
Fua ~ Glrnad ua1arh. Mrs.
On Saturday eseninglm. about
O'Clock, q terrible Eight con-
manood on the public square il
the town Of Somerset, Pulaski
county, and lasted until the par
Ties had exhausted their ammuni-
ten. Three men, Todd, Dalton,
and William Peasants, we're kill.
ed, and one man James Peasants,
desperately wounded. About
twenty men we're engaged on each
side. The difficulty originated
over the whipping Of q man by
the name Of Cooper by 4 party Of
Regulators. This man Cooper,
who lives somewhere on Fishing
Greek, below Somerset, is said to
be q bad character, aud was q short
time ago taken from his house by
Q party OF men at night and Sc
veFely whipped.
Afterwards he armed himself,
and made war against number Of
neighbOrs, whom he accused Of
whipping him. One man was
shot by him, and several others
taken unaWares and knocked down
with his iron ramrod and severely
beaten. He also swore out q war
rant against q number Of persons
and had them arrested. Saturday
last was the day fixed for their
trial. On the morning of that day
Cooper and his friends came into
the town Of Somerset In q wagon,
c0ncealing their arms under ZONE
hay in the bed Of the wagon. The
trial Of the parties who we're ar
rested was postponed until the
succeeding Wednesday. The quar-
rel commenced between the par
ties, and continued to grow warm.
er and more aggravating until 3
o'clock in the afternoon, when it
eliminated in q regular pitched
battle. It seems that in the pro-
gress of the quarrel one of the par.
ties challenged another to shout
for JET. Davis, which was done.
The fight then commenced
in desperate earnest, being
brought on by the anti
Lynch party making the first
offensive demonstrations, The
nt-lynChers, under the leader
ship Of q man named Logan, re.
treated out the Mount Vernon
road about two hundred yards, to
where they had sent their wagon in
charge Of one OF their comrades,
procured their guns, returned to
the public square and made a fu-
riOus attack upon their opponents.
Both parties stood their ground
|. is said, without GinChing until the
fight abated by mutual consent,
both parties being without ammu-
milton.
Town Marshal Shepherd, with
a posse Of three men, endeavored
to prevent the fight, but the par
ties were too numerous, and he
had to take himself and
posse to q safe distance, and allow
the desperate riot and difficulty to
proceed. Over one hundred and
fifty shot were fired, and the shouts
and yells Of the combatants are
said to have been almost deafen.
ing. The complexion of the
whole affair is very unfortunate,
uncivilized and barbarous.
or the family Of Peasants who
were engaged in 1t, one cousin
was killed on one side, and anOth-
er was MORALLY wounded on the
having his skull broken
a blow and some very bad
cuts on his neck and chest, The
also divided in the fight,
and also tue Burtons.
On Wednesday last one of the
hostile parties, which had recruit.
I'd its forces until they numbered
'orty men, approached to within
.Wo miles of Somerset, but were
warned by the citizens of the town
lot to come In under q penalty Of
bred upon. The other par
y was also, on the same morning,
the neighborhood of the town,
md received q like message from
he citizens, and both parties re-
ired. So much apprehension ex-
SITS in the town OF Somerset that
he whole population is in arms
o prevent the recurrence of an
'ther such difficulty as the one
which took place on Saturday last,
nd Pulaski county Is enjoying a
eign Of anarchy and terror.