New-York tribune., 1872-08-13

sire nothing to be allowed to attend peaceaby
to their business and to vote they fit at the
election. If martial law is declared here it VIII be
an unparalleled outrage upon an uuoiiendlng COM
munity.
BLESSINGS OF CARPET-BAG GOVERNMENT
HEARTLEss DEEDS OF BLOOD IN POPE COUNTY
| FIENDIsH CONSPIRACY BY COUNTY AND
STATE OFFICIALS TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW
| A COLD-BLOoDED MASSACRE UNDER OFH-
| CIAL sANCTION-MOCKERY OF JUsTICE--TiIE
| AssAssINs IN CONSULTATION WITH SENATOR
| CLAYTON AND GOV. HADLEY.
| TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The troubles in Pope County in this State
have already arrested the attention of the country.
The case is such extraordinary one, the obvious
motive is of such general interest IN the national
and State canvass, and the Misrepresentation have
been so gross aud from high an official source,
that sense Of duty TO the people of the country all
! of whom from the significant bearings Of this ease,
| are concerned in the matter-impels 10 state the
facts as understand them. / Will merely premise
that as you know l have had special opportunity
to ascertain the facts. Pope County lies % miles
west from Little Rock the capital of Arkansas is on
the north bank of the Arkansas River and near the
center of the State For more than three years 1t
has been as quiet and peaceable as any county IN
any State of the Union.
For several months past. HiclcoX, the Clerk OF
Pope County has stated in Little Rock that he ex-
pected the Ku-Klux would rise in that county'
! Senator Powell Clayton returned to Little Rock
from Washington, D. c.. for the first time since the
beginning of the late session of Congress, about the
1st of July. Whether his return has any connection
with what follows. the country must Judge On the
4th of july James V. Fitch, the Circuit Clerk OF
Pulaski County and Registrar of said county who
committed many of the frauds at the election IN
1870 which Congress has been investigating M the
Boles and Clayton cases visited Pope County osien-
sibly to speak on the 9Th AT barbecue gotten up 10y
county officials and supporters Of the Clayton party
of the State Administration, who are usually W TINS
State also friends of the Grant ticket. flich Il an
appointee of Hadley, the Governor On the Same
day in that county two barbecues were held by the
friends of Greeley and the Brooks State ticket each
of which was more numerously attended than the
one conducted by the officials. 1t would seem that
this circumstance suggested the diabocal plot Iior
such it was, and propose in this communication TO
call things by their right names which promptly
| put into execution.
THE AssASsINs.
The officials Immediately engaged in carrying ont
the plot are men Of bad records and desperate cha
| raeters. Hickcox the County Clerk, who Is the
leading mind of the party. is of reserved AMI for
bidding demeanOr. For the four years lie has held
the Office he appears 10 have perslsenty refused all
intercourse with the citizens and lives in open adul
tery Stuart the Circuit superintendent OF Schools,
was once preacher of the gospel. Bart Cloninger,
also actively engaged in what follows, is low lei
low of the basest sort. Stuart has been heard re-
Gently to say that they had the power and mtend-
ed to use it - Hckcox, that he going To hold
his office four years more at all hazards" Dodson.
! the Sheriff, to utter similar sentiments. un tho
evening of the 4th Dodson, hckcoX. Ftch'
| and Williams the deputy sheriff, VINO ~
| soon to figure prominently in the srene'
repaired to Dover the county ste probably for con-
sultatOn. The paramount object OF the plot seemed
| to be to lay foundation for raising the ku-hlnN
cry SO as to furnish pretext for declaring martial
law, and thus prevent fair election IN November.
How to do this, at whatever cost to the unhappy
people was the problem difficult to solve, but finally
attempted.
The next morning, Friday the 9Th, Williams, tho
deputv sheriff started for his home ten miles north
| of Dover. Dodson, Hickcox. and Fitch started for
the southern part of the county for the pr0iesscd
purpose of visiting the Union Leagues. That night
| Williams pretended to have been shot az from the
brush: and claimed that three shots were fired one
passing through his hat through his coat sleeve,
aud the third entering but not penetrating, his belt
in front none of which so much rs scratched hirn.
| No one pretends TO have been near him 10 witness
| the attack, save Hinchey, who bears
| the general reputation of being notorious
liar. At first, he reported that he was
IN the corncrib by and hearing the shots "ut
and saw three just disappearing in the brush bat
was not able identify any Of them He as since ad-
mtted that the story false, aud that Williams did
| the pretended shooting. Williams refused to he exam
ined by Committee appointed at meeting OF his own
township BY surgeon, they suggested Even his
own relatives do not believe he shot at by knknx
or any else. Dodsou, Hckcox CO. did not return
to Dover until they with pretended posse 10
arrest the who shot az Williams. They profess TO
have consulted fortuneteler, Friday morning before
they left and to have learned from her that Williams
was to be shot that night and after occupying day
or two collecting aoou, 20 Of the supporters OF inc
State Administration many OF them the worst eharac-
ers suddenly reappeared In the vicinity OF Dover ana
arrested the Hales-father and son-who live several
miles from where Williams claims TO have been sho; AT
RESPECTABLE CITIZENS KIDNAPPED.
The old man. known Old Jackey Hale, IL one Of the
most respectabc and worthy citizens OF the county;
man OF property character and influence When arrest
ed n conversation ensued between him and Dodsou. 10
which Dodsou informed him that he did not believe that
he shot williams but that he arrested because 10