New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-14
vHE MERIDIAN MASSACRE
STATEMENT OF ]. AARON MOORE
His Escape and Arrival ia Jackson
From the Jackson Pilot, March II.

His Escape anu ARRIVAL IN jackson
From the Jackson Pilot March H.
]. Aaron Moore, the member OF the
State Legislature residing at Meridian, and
who was reported being killed i'll the
disturbance occurring in that place last
Monday, arrived safe and souni, except
being Frustrated with excessive walking,
in jackson yesterday morning We inter-
viewed Mr.. Moore at his boartling-hOuse
in the afternoon, and took down in tull the
following statement of the incidents com
nccted with the affair as far as lie is cOgni-
zant OF the same. Moore was upon his bed
and suffering considerably from exhaustion
and lamcncss, but mentally seemed capable
! Of taking care OF himself:
Saturday afternoon last, l was passing by
the courthouse i'll Meridian, and heard
| some persons in it apparently speaking. l
accordingly went up. William Dennis,
sometimes called William Clopton. was
speaking. l took a seat and listened at
rentiveiy to what he had to say. l could
| not exactly make out what object he had
| in view. There were quite Il number OF
| colo.rd citizens present. Warren Tyler
was the next speaker. He read and
offered some resolutions. To the best OF
INV recollec ton there was nothing incen-
| diary in them. The object seemed to be
that the white and colcred population
! should get in better accord, and that there
| should be peace and quiet in the town. AS
! there had been SO many cOlOred people
! shot it seemed necessary that something
| should be done. l was called upon, being
| a minister Of the gospel. to make some re-
marks, and did so. The substance OF what
| ! said was, that a concerted movement
should BE- had among both white and black
| com mbined to keep out despeTadoes. And
stated that the State Executive had said to
me that he would give his aid and protec-
ton to the community, and further. that ii
the officials at the time on duty there were
| not ready to execute the laws, he would
| cause their removal anu appoint men who
would see that we had peace and quiet.
| There were number OF white men i'll the
audience who approved OF aid said They
| remarked that l was right. The meeting
! broke up quietly 1T about half-past five in
| the afternoon. This, it will be remem Uered.
! was before the fire.
| In the evening the people (colored) got
| together and beat d drum, and marched
| about. but it was for no evil intent. Ii ally
were armed l did not know it; | saw no
arms. then went home to my house. After
supper heard the bells ringing and the
| people hollering and l went to the door
! and saw the town was OH tire. In about one
| hour a friend came in, and said that il was
| Sturges' store that was on fire. | had gone
| to bed that night When Clopton otherwise
| William Dennis. was reported to me AS
| dead. Atterward it was contradicted. and
| heard that he had been beaten over the
| head with gun, and then arrested. l did
not go out to the fire at all.
! On Sunday morning Warren Tyler. Isaac
Radtord and went TO >rc the sheriff about
| Dennis asked how Dennis was getting
along The sheriff said he was doing quite
| well. The fight resulting i'll Dennis arrest
| is reported to have taken place at the ire
on Saturday night. OF that l personally
know nOthing'. l asked the sheriff il be
| considered the prisoner would be perfectly
safe in his hands that night. He answered
| guard about the pl| all night | asked to
have such guard composed OF blacks and
| whites. and thought that such action on the
| officers part would show the community
| that there was no partialltv Oh TIE part o.
| the authorities for people of one color or the
| other. He thereupOn told Warrell IvleI tC
| 60 ont and bring him halt a dozen orr &C. .cL
| reliable cOlored men to act as guards.
Tyler subsequently informed me that he
| obeved the order. went out and secured
| men. and was going with them to the
sheriff's office Sunday night. when he met
with "a crowd of armed white men some
where between bred. Fnleys and tie
courthouse. and the white men said that the
| sheriff had ordered them to 60 ont and dis
! arm every colored man they could find.
Tyler says that he informed these persons
| that he was also acting under the same
| sherifFs orders. They replied that it made
! no difference, they had just received their
orders and must disarm them.
! L was in the pulpit at the Methodist church.
] ready for the evenings service. that night
! about seven o'clock. when Warren Tyler
| hot IL ha ITly
| place he would have no services OF that Oc-
| casion. answered that I'VE must admins
| ter the Word of God" then took my text
! and commenced my sermon. In few min
utes in came Henry kisO, and said that Mr..
| Mosely the Sheriff, had ordered the white
people to go out and take away ali the guns
/ from the colored people. Shortly thereafter
| back and forward in front of the church.
| confusing the congregation, and finally the
| meeting broke up | was done preaching.
| and had sat down. when a colored man
| came in and informed me that dozen or
| fifteen white men had been to my house. l
| said surely, they could be there for no
harm, for | have done no harm to any man.
went home, when l found that they had
| frightened my wife and little children OFF.
| MY wife came back soon. Presently
| neighbor came in and told me that these
| same white men had been at his house, de
manded and taken away his gun. and that
three different squads of armed white men
had been patrolling the streets all the night
through
/ went to bed and slept until Monday
| morning.
On Monday morning l went to see the
| sheriff. and inquired # lie had given orders
to take the peoples arms from them He
said: Yes. issued an order last night to
disarm every colored man" l then said
that there was such confusion about the
church that the services had to be discon
tinued. He denied telling them to go near
the church, but acknowledged that he had
| ordered the colored peoples arms to he
taken away. l asked why. He said he
was afraid they would get up fuss /
then answered that if such was the case the
better way would have been to have pat on
a guard composed of both races, and have
the city patroled all night He informed
me that the white people were going to have
meeting. of which printed notices had been
posted, and invited us to attend. He wanted
to see me there. 1t was held in the court
house. / went to the meeting. and was glad
to see that there were at last hopes that the
matter would be amicably arranged. | at
tended. but was not allowed to speak. |
desired.
Subsequently Warren Tyler and I were
engaged in talking to Joshua Smith, the
postmaster, wren Sheriff Mosely rushed up
and said that Tyler and / must consider
ourselves under arrest. | asked what had
done, when he said l need net feel uneasy,
that ! was all right, would not be hurt.
l insisted that \ should know why bad
been arrested. He said, 'for the speaking
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