Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-08-11
THE GRAND JUNCTION AF-
FAIR.

| A True Statement of the Cause,
which Led TO the Negro Disturb
| anccs.
/ From the Memphis Appeal, Aug. 9.
Our city was startled one day last week
with rumOr that a body of 200 armed
negroes were marching on Grand juno
ton, and that the Sheriff of Shelby
county and Chief of Police of this city
had been telegraphed to for aid. We i'm
mediately telegraphed to Grand Junction
to learn the truth of the rumOr, and re-
ceived reply to the effect that a negro
had been whipped to death, and that the
AIMED negroes were merely insisting on
the punishment of the perpetrators of the
deed. The following, from the Bolivar
Bulletin, explains the whole affair, and
puts different light on it from that
given by the dispatch:
"a few years ago an. Alabama negro
named Lewis Miller made his advent into
the neighbOrhood of Grand Junction, and
this year was cropping with Col. w. B.
Jourdan, an acknowledged and recognized
Christian gentleman of over fifty years of
age. Three or four years ago, Miller's
crop having become, through his careless
ness, foul and choked with weeds, and
MIR. Jourdan having an interest therein,
spoke to him and told him that it was
wrong to neglect 80 important a duty,
and the negro went to work. Pretty soon
Colonel Jourdan ordered all of his plows
to the assistance of Miller, and when the
plOwmen came into the field he
asked who sent them. He was told
that Colonel JOurdan did; he became
enrageG, and swore that he would not
strike another lick. He quit work. Af-
ter this, he and JOurdan met at the latter's
residence, and a trivial difficulty ensued.
Subsequently, the negro's conduct became
worse and worse, and ON last Saturday
night disguised party of unknown men
went to Mlller's cabin, took him out in
the road few miles southeast of Grand
junction, and there killed him. Next
morning his body was found, stiff and
cold. The friends of the deceased were
quick TO suspicion Colonel JOurdan, j. T.
BOwden and FL. ]. Allen, who, on hearing
that so grave an accusation was made
against them, promptly expressed their
willingness to submit to arrest and trial,
feeling within themselves, as is no doubt
the truth, their innocence. Warrants
were procured and they were arrested and |
conveyed to Grand Junction for exami- |
nation. By en early hour Monday morn
ing, the negroes of the neighborhood be- |
gan to assemble in large numbers, nearly |
all of them being armed, and threatening
terrible retribution, saying that the ac-
cused should be tried there and no where
else. The citizens, prisoners and Off
GERS became alarmed, and the Sheriff |
telegraphed to Bolivar and other |
points for assistance. As soon as
the news reached here excite |
ment ran high, and scores of good and |
true men made hasty preparations to |
leave on the eleven o'clock train; but be- |
fore that hour came another dispatch in
formed the public that the matter had
been adjusted, as the prisoners had been
put on trial and ali danger of an at
tempt to lynch them had disappeared.
In the afternoon of the same day the ac-
cused gentlemen arrived here in charge of
the proper officers, and readily gave bond
in the sum of 81, 500 each, to answer at
the next term of the Circuit Court; and
until that time arrives, without a breach |
of the peace by the negroes in the vicin- |
ity, so ends the Grand Junction troubles"