Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-02-02
Horrid State of Affairs in Arkansas.

We recoil, says the Memphis Avalanche, in
very terror and sickness of heart from what we
have to write Gladly would we believe that
the sad, blood curdling tale were but the fancy
of an alarmist-the creation of diseased im~
agination. But the truth, in justice to OUT
ragged virtue and for the information of civ
ized world, must be told. We have read and
written so many sickening tales from Arkansas
of late that the very name has become syno
nym for an earthly hell, and We are assured by
truthful citizens that the reports concerning
outrages and oppression in Arkansas as pub
lished In this journal have not been exaggera,
ted in the aggregate, but have fallen far short
of the whole story. Gladly would we hear that
it is all a mistake, that the people in our sister
State were engaged In peaceful pursuits, @pro-
tected, under the laws, In life and property,
and secure from lawlessness, rapine, and lust,
but ne such pleasing picture can be truthfully
drawn. alrp
In Crittenden County, Arkansas, not many
miles from Memphis, lives loyal man named
Tate Galloway. He is loyal in a truly partisan
sense, and at the last election voted the Radi-
cal ticket. Last Friday, the 10th instant, two
boy went to the house of this Galloway and at
once arrested him. After placing the boy over
him as guard, they seized his wife and her
sister and violated their persons in the house
before his eyes, There was in the house at the
time small boy named Jim McGehee, but he
was intimidated into silence by the pistolssand
threats of the negroes Having satiated their
beasty lusts, they stripped and dressed them
selves in Mr. Calloway's clothes. They then
asked Mrs Galloway for hymn book. She
told them that they could take what they
They replied with brutal jeers and oaths, that
they intended to sing hymn over her dead
body, and were about to perpetrate further VIC
lence when some white militia came along and
released Mr.. Galloway, at the same time giving
him gun and telling him to avenge himself
upon the destroyers Of his wife 8 purity. But
to the disgrace Of mankind, he stood tamey
by and made no effort to STAY the brutes, who
grinned at him, wearing his own clothes.
The white militia then arrested the negroes,
and took them off toward Marion. Galloway
is condemned and denounced by all his neigh
borS for not selzlng the weapons of the negro
boy guarding him in the first place, and pres
venting the awful crimes committed on his
household. He isa Radical of the EXTREMIST
type, it is said, but we cannot find in that fact
palliation for the deeds Of the ravishers, or en-
terrain any less sympathy and grief over their
ruined peace and happiness.
Four other rapes have been committed upon
white women near Marion within few days
The full particulars have not reached u.s. but
we have convincing assurances from persons
who know, that these outrages have been COM
mitted, and that the fendish perpetrators go at
large UNPUBLISHED, and are still depredating,
unrestrained, upon the terror stricken people.
One hundred and fifty of the cavalry under
command of Gen. Upham have gone to Missis-
sippi County on pundering expedition, but
the infantry highwaymen remain to further ha
rass and distress the people Of Crittenden
County.