The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-04-27

may help 10 fnApfeee good clSixepS q
hhak k1nkaL Sffh t6a necee6itY o!
nlaintSinine law and order, aud PRO,
noting Christian civilization in the
South. ts
What cognixancc Kentucky courts
will take Of this crime is yet to be
det ermined.
4. Il. FAIRCn1LD,
h President Of Berea College!
JOHN G. FEE,
/. t Pastor Of Church.
~ s J. A. r. ROGERS,
Professor in Berea College.
JOHN A. JACKSON, So
Justice of the Peace.
. srATEMEHr.
On tho 14th Of March I went, with
my wife and little daughter, TO Fitch
bnrg, in Rstill county, the seat ofthe
Red River iron works, on business.
We wefo acquainted with about .
dozen oolorod people, most Of whom
had been students in Berea, and two
whites. On the 18th, after attend
ing 70 my business, I visited my for
mer acquaintances. We took din
ner with . colored family, for
merly residents of Berca, and
toward night the woman rode ont
with my wife from the hotel whore
We were stopping. At night ! at
tended q prayer meeting at the col
ored church, the only church in tho
place, and - l was returning alone
was met by two men, who, when
they had passed me, called out rough
~, "Hoid on, YOU are the man we
want to see." / replied, 81 don't
want to see you," and passed on.
They rushed up, crying, aSurrender!
Surrender |" ran, and they fired
at me. At the same time two or
three other men sprang from the
roadside and fred. After running
about thirty steps in the darkness, l
stumbled over q pile OF cinders and
fell. They had fired seven shots and
ceased, probably supposing l had been
hit. Along tho street and at the
hotel l met crowds who had heard
the firing, and thought it was an Of
fort to rob me. retired without
informing my wife OF the occurrence.
About two or three o'clock we were
awakened by confusion In front of
the hotel, and heard voices calling,
"Open tho door," / looked cautious.
~ ont, and saw, by tho light Of tho
furnace fires, swOnty or thirty mon
in limo, some or oil with guns. Sew
eral were soon at the door shaking
il violently, and calling, "Opcn the
door, you shan't be hurt" My wife
said, "Oh what shall We do?" "Pray,"
said l, "Jesus will take care Of me"
Knowing that resistance would 10
worse than useless, I opened tho
door. There stood the landlord with
. light, and . half dozen men, who
seized me and dragged me down
stairs, and rushed me bareft OF over
the oinders, the leader shouting !:
"Fall in, file left, double quick"
Meantime the leader pounded
me with his fist, uttering the
most terrible curses and oaths. In
reply to some threat of theirs / said:
II love Jesus, and He will tako care
of me-" "Yes," said they, ssyou
Methodist hypoorito, you'll sec how
Jesus will take care Of you when you
are hanging twenty feet high I
said: "Y0u may hang me, but you can
not harm me-" About q quarter Of
q mile from town they halted ct .
large log. The leader seized me by
the hair, smother by the feet, and
stretched me over the log, and two
strong men began to whip me with
large hickory whips. After thoy had
struck several times, / counted
thirty-nine blows, when they stopped
for y parley. Their only accusation
against me was that l was q North
ern man with Northern principles;
thatI assooiatedswith "niggers." }" and
had come to establish . "Digger"
school. / told them that ! was for
morly from Michigan, and held North 1
ern principles. but had no intention
Of establishing . colored school. They
said, "You must give up your princi-
.plcs." l replied, II can not" "Then
We will whip them out of you."
"This," said /, "you can mot do. )"
"Then we will hang yoa." l said,
"rbis will not kill my principles =
Thcy added dozen lashes, then took
me TO spring, and, at my request,
let me drink. They asked me if
had q family, and il / wished to
write to them. said, "If l never
hoped to SEQ them again l would
The officers retired for consultation,
and determined to give me ton more
lashes and an hour TO leave town
As my busines was done, and VIZ
were expecting TO 60 at daylight,
promised to leave within the time
''Now boys" they said, ''give it u
him." | folded my arms and the,
gave me ten lashes about my should
ers. I was very thankful that
could receive the blows upon new
place. Having sworn most awfu
revonge if should ever reveal thei
names, they let me CO. 1t, was 81
dark l could not distinguish an,
faces.
While was gone from tho hote
my wife entreated in vain for som
persons to follow after me. Thougl
there were twenty or thirty lodger
ut the hotel, and many Of the com
pany's hands within easy call, no on
seemed inclined To do anything abou
| il. w. w. WHEELER.
| We stated day or two since, tina
the Wholesale liquor dealers bool
known AZ the coupon Kishe book, wa
to be dispensed with after the Il
!, ofMay. Such is..tho case, but parti,
having these books will be permitte
] to use them until they are oxhau
: tod, dispensing with tho use Of II
extra coupon which has hcretofol
Q boon sent to tho purchaser of liquo
=