Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-14
MERIDIAN.
Statement Of the RevsrRsd Repre-
sentative J. Aaron Moore (Ns-
grO).-A Doubtful Story.
How He Escaped from Asrldian-
A Story-"And the Same He is
frss 70 Maintain"
Before tbs Fire-Sses the Sheriff
Al the ChurCh-At hOms-At
The Examination.

u
The Examination.
The R8w-Ihs ShO0tiRg---D8a h O.
Judge BTamIstts---H5 Walked
Away---AOrs Refugees,
Our New Officials The GszBtts Ed
itOFialIy says---Ths People
of Meridian Resolve.
From the Jackson Pilot
j. Aaron Moore, the member Of the
State Legislature, residing at Meri-
dian, ana who was reported as being
killed in the disturbance occurring in
that place last Monday, arrived, safe
and sound, excepting being prOstrated
with excessive walking, in jackson,
yesterday morning. We interviewed
Mr.. Moore at his boarding house, in
the afternoon, and took down in full
the following statement OF the incl
dents connected with the affair as far
as he is COgniZaut OF, the same. Moore
was upon his bed and suffering con-
siderably from exhaustion and lame
ness, but mentally seemed capable of
taking care Of himself. He said to US,
that
BEFORE THE FIRE.
At about 4 o'clock on Saturday af-
ternOOn last, 1 was passing by the
court house in Meridian, and / heard
some persons in it apparently speak
ing. 1 accordingly went up. VIM.
Dennis, sometimes called Vim. ClOp-
ton, was speaking. ! took a seat and
listened attentively to what he mad to
say. / could not exactly make out
what object he had in view. There
were quite a number of cOlOred citi-
zens present. Warren Tyler was the
next speaker. He read and offered
some resolutions. To the best Of my
recollection there was nothing incen-
diary in them. The object seemed to
be that some steps should be taken TO
the end that the white and cOlOred
population should get in better accord,
and that there should be peace and
quiet i'm the town. As there had been
so many cOlOred people shot it seemed
necessary that something should be
done. was called upon, being q
minister Of the gospel, TO make some
remarks, and did SO. The substance
of what / said was that a concerted
movement should be had among
both white and black combined TO
keep out desperadOes. And 1 stated
that the State Executive had said to
me that he would give his aid and
protection to the community, and
further, that if the officials at the time
on duty there were not ready 10 exc
cute the laws, he would cause their
removal and appoint men who would
see that we had peace and quiet.
There were q number of white men
in the audience, who approved Of all
said. They remarked that l was
right. The meeting broke up quietly
at about half-past in the afternoon.
This, it will be remembered, was be-
fore the fire.
In the evening the people (colored)
got together and beat a drum ana
marched about, but it was for no evil
intent. If any were armed I did not
know it; l saw no arms; / then went
home to my house; after supper /
heard the bells ringing and the people
hOllering, and / went TO the door and
saw the town was on FIRE. 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.
AfterWaT it was cOntradiCted, and /
heard that he had been beaten over
the head with a gun, aud then had
been arrested. / did not 20 out to the
fire at all.
GOES TO SEE THE SHERIFF.
On Sunday morning Warren Tyler,
Isaac RadfOrd and / went to see the
sheriff about Dennis. ! asked how
Dennis was getting along. The sheriff
said he Was doing quite well. (The
fight resulting in Dennis arrest is re-
ported to have taken place at the fire
on Saturday night. OF that / person
ally know nUthing.) ] asked the
sheriff if he considered the prisoner
would be perfectly safe in his hands
that night. He answered that he
would, as he intended to have a guard
about the place 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 partiality on the part of the author
tiles for people Of one color or the
other. He thgreupOn told Warren
Tyler to 90 out and bring him half a
dozen or a dozen reliable COlOTed men
to act as guards.
Tyler subsequently informed me
that he Obeyed the order, went out
and secured men, and was going with
them 70 the SherifI7s Office Sunday
night, when he met with q crowd of
armed white men, somewhere be-
tween Dred, Finley's and the court
house, and the white men said that
the Sheriff had ordered them to 90
out and disarm every cOlOred man
they could find. Tyler says that he
informed these persons that he was
also acting under the same Sherif's
orders. They replied that it made no
they had just received
their orders and must disarm them.
AT THE CHURCH.
was in the pulpit at the Method
ist Church, ready for the evenings
that night about seven
O'Clock, when Warren Tyler came to
me and said that If he were in my
place he would have no services on
that occasion. L answered that "We
must administer the word of God"
/ then took my text and commenced
my sermon. In a few minutes in
came Henry Kiso and said that Mr..
MOsely, the Sheriff, had ordered the
white people to 20 out and take away
all the guns from the colored people.
Shortly thereafter armed white men
commenced marching back and for