Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-20

before IL was presented TO members OF
the Republican party. My petition
was drawn ia the morning and Circu-
lated at intervals during the day. The
next morning there upon it 374 names.
They saw that / was hrm in my posi-
ton.
aO0ut three weeks ago about one
hundred Alabamian5 came to Meri-
dian, armed principally with double
I8Eeled shot guns, for the Ostensible
purpose of arrestiug one Daniel Price,
originally an Alabamian, who was a
Federal appUintee, but who was re-
moved when the ku kiuK came into
power. Mr.. Price is an intelligent
gentleman, and seemed 70 want
nothing but justice. He had removed
from ms birthplace 10 Meridian for
protection. ] gave him to understand
that would aid him, or help defend
him from the invaders; but he was
advised % depart and get away. The
ku-hIuE have since preferred base
less charges against him. These Ala
bamiaus. uuuer the command, as l
am informed, of one RenfrOu, who, as
4 believe, was with his gang uLder
Lfie immediate charge Of one Lewis A.
g
bound their men with ropes, took
them u Lewis A. R8gsdale's hotel,
ald then what they did L know not,
bat l believe that the capdves were
murdered. l asked Governor AlcOrn
of Mississippi 10 send me some sol
dleIs. lie sent them Immediately,
ua1u Friday. Saturday / busted
myself iu getting evidence against
s8ue-gil Zaus whom / knew as the
prime movers. intended to arrest
Lleu upon Monday, but before that
The troops were recalled to Jackson,
aud I was left pOWerless. There was
40 chance t0 have the order counter
m8uded, and the soldiers returned.
4 viii state that L believe Governor J,
A.. AIc8ru 90 be a true Union man;
lover of mis- country. He was, no
doubt. mi-ieu i'm this matter OF with
drawing the troops.
Only snort time ago one OF the
Board of Supervisors, Joseph Vii
Iams, was called out at night by, as
hs supposed. a friend. He was then
and there completely Tiddled by bull
lets, and killed Only a short time
before that several ku-KluX entered
the apartments where some persons
were sleeping and killed three Of the
llmate9. And l viii say that killing
and whipping are the order of the
day. j. A. Moore, Wm. Dennis, and
ID. M. Tyler, COiDred, were, As / think,
tle three most Intelligent negroes in
LaudeIuale county, They desired
peace. They had, doubtless brOOked
many an insult ln order 10 Keep the
peace. j. A. Moore was the Repre-
sentative OF Laulerdale county,
Methodist preacher, true to his race,
ever desiring their elevation; tue to
his country, always trying to COncili-
ate. aud true tc has God, asking sim
uers 10 fee from the "Wrath to come"
j. A. Moore, Wm. Dennis, aud ID. W.
Tyler, after 80 many murders had
been committed, desiring peace, /
called O meeting Of the citizens OF
Meridian, and there made speeches /
regreuiug That a better feeling did
not exist; and begged the white men
90 aid them ia putting down the Ku-
kluE. From the evidence i had OF
heard the following Monday, that
was the full import of their speeches
The Union party was growing, at all ,
times; had been triumphant. The
Aa
lIie. On Monday the hu-kluX, as ! /
think they are OF should be named, /
called a meeting OF the citizens of /
Meridian. Some spoke, and one re- /
itefated after another: "Ihe pres /
ent iECumbeuts must be swept away 4
from the face Of the earth" etc. /
They adjourned; and no sooner had /
they adjourned (l believe all that was /
pl8uueu), than some one made afn- /
davit that the negroes had uttered in- /
cendisry speeches. iLet me say " hat /
i believe; they asked only for peace |
and some reward for their labor, /
which, in many Instances, they had |
not gOt) They were arrested aud /
tried. I think there was no evidence !
against them. ] saw the guns uumer-
Ou-ly carried toward the courthouse. !
/ Iapgrehended a serious dihculty; in- /
deed it was apparent. / went TO the |
courthouse. The guns were brought |
there. The killing was premeditated. |
After staying for time, l saw pass |
IBg back and forth, making, as 1 con- |
eeived preparations Tor the murder.
I went thence directly to my broth |
er's house, where 1 had some guns 1
went into the garnet, intending 70 /
make a. vigorous a defense a. pOssl- /
BILE. in few moments ] heard report 1
after report, which told me that the
numbering which ] feared had COM
meuosd. Immediately afteWaTd /
heard the cries Of mOUruers and the
waiIing Of widows. The Ku.KluX
cavalry were marching through the
streets. Their numbers were great,
probably 800, including infantry. No
chance Tor me 10 escape. i heard A.
q. Horn, the editor of The Mercury,
as he passed nay brOther's house, say, I
We must get that id rascal" !" / /
expected nothing but death. / knew, 1
or believed, that there were
mt enough to take me out Of that
garrst { ia their whole gang, until they |
should Save burned the house. There 4
STAYED Until the soldiers (sOldiers,
iid saw God forgive me for 50 dig I
1ifvfug the villains), had departed. !
me- numbering had been done.
The Ku-kluX will endeaVOr to
make the people of the North believe
that Judge Bramlette was killed by
& negro. They may make some be-
lieve it, but ] do not believe that any
Of the arrested negroes had any
weapon other than pocket knife, as
/ was present at the trial for some
time, and sat close to the accused, and
saw none. But ia a direct line frOm
The Sherif's 0hice door, to the main
sntrance-hali, there sat one of those
negroes; and i believe, although i I
3aW not the shooting, that one OF
many of the Ku-KluX, in carrying out
heir design, shot Judge Brsmlette, !