New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-10-08
The Political HIurd ers,

The Political Murders.
WASHINGTON, Sept. :, 1874.
MY DEAR SIR: was most deeply an,
painfully interested in the conversation witt
you this evening concerning the condition o
affairs in Alabama. 1t is certain that TIN
people OF the north are both uniformed an,
mlslntormed. 1t Is believed that there ha
peen eXaggeratiOn as to the number an,
character OF the assaults and murders result
ing from political causes, and that rumors O
outrages are started by republicans with .
view to the effect upon the elections. | have
listened to your informal narration of late
occurrences in your district. know Won as
native and lifelong resident of Alabama
engaged largely in planting, formerly the
largest Shareholder in that state, and a sol
der in the confederate army throughout the
war. Please give me in writing as com
pactly as clearness will permit the substance
OF what you have told me. want to pub
llsh it at home and give it to my neighbors
and constituents as the account of gentle
man o. uni'npeachable honor.
Sincerely yours,
JOSEPH X. HAwLEy.
To the Hon. Charles HAYS, NC.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. :, 1874.
Hon. Joseph z. Hawley, Hampton, Va:
MY DEAR SIR: Your letter of even date
with this is before me, and hasten to reply
for am anxious that the true condition OF
affairs in the state of Alabama should be
known as soon rs possible to the people oil
the whole country, in order that they may
begln to realize the fact that the spirit Of re.
belliOn against the laws and government OF
the United States, to extinguish which SO
many brave and gallant men laid down their
ives, still exists i'll the hearts of many mis-
guided people. They embrace every Oppor-
tunity to commit deeds of lawlessness and
crime, that are everlasting stigmas upon the
tar name of the nation, and an open insult
to the flag Of our country, which many of
your people are vainly patriotic enough to
believe is an iegis OF protection, wherever it
floats. had fondly hoped that the "reign
OF terror" in the south was over, and that
peace, good will and prosperity might hence
forth reign supreme. In this hope, / am
sadly disappointed, for candor cOmpels me to
say that to-day riots, murders, assassinations
and torturngs for the purpose of terrorzing
the true friends of the government are more
common than they have been at any hour
since Lee surrendered to Grant. aud unless
the strong arm OF federal power can avert the
calamity l can see nothing in the future but
gloom and despair to the loyal men of the
south, ruin to the material interests of the
66SSqntEX 2HasS Oa4e aa tH ,e se2as the up
and counsel submission to the laws of the
United States. But need make no appeals
to the patriotism or the sympathy of north
ern men, who, like yourself, have barred
their breasts to the battle storm in the dark
and bloody days of the eventful past. The
bare recital Of proven facts shall be my only
appeal. That will cause the heart to shuddcr,
the cheek to blanch, and the mind to Won
der how such dastardly Outrages, such uu-
provoked murders, and such ficnd-like con-
duct can be tolerated for an hour. shall
be particular to narrate no rumors, to color
no atrocity, to ''set down naught in malice"
but simply to give you we'll authenticated
facts, with dates, names and localities, so
every man in the land may himself verify the
accuracy Of my statements, if he deems it
necessary. These then l proceed to give
you, with the deliberate opinion on my part,
that the half cannot be told, and that to-day
many victims of hellish murder are sleeping
in unknown spots and secluded places from
which they will never be wakencd until the
final judgment day.
THE CASES-SUMTER COUNTY.
On or about the lst day of August, 1874,
in Sumter county, Ala, about one mile from
his residence, near Ramsey's station, on the
Gainesville branch of the Mobile and Ohio
railroad, Captain W. p. Billings, son-in-
law of exhibited States Judge Wells, of
Missouri, and formerly resident Of Brook
lyn, N. Y, was brutally murdered. When
discovered he and his horse were both lying
dead IN the public road, his body pierced with
buckshot, and that of his horse riddled with
bullets. The ''hiding place" of the assassins
was found, but the corOner's jury returned
the usual verdict "that he came to his death
by gunshot wounds, and that the parties firing
were unknown" Captain Billings was a
Republican, and had that day addressed a
Republican meeting at Abraham's plantation
some Is miles distant from the spot where he
fell. He had about a twelve-month since
purchased cotton plantation in the county,
was man of unimpeachable character, and
did not know he had an enemy in the world.
His widowed wife and orphan children are
now in Jefferson City, Missouri, "driven
from their adopted home.' Mrs. B. can
furnish to the incredulous many narrowing
details of this revolving murder, from which
my pen turns in loathing and disgust. His
only crime was that of being yankee"
and "Republlcan."
AS fit sequel to this horrid political as
sassination, will now narrate the case of a
northern man named Allen, keeper ola hote
in Livingston, in the same county, where
Billings was murdered. Up to this time, and
for twenty years past, Allen has voted the
Democratic ticket in Albania. Since the
taking off of Billings Allm has been out.
spoken in his denunciation of the crime and
its perpetrators, and has openly asserted
that Billings twas murdered on account o.
his politics." The last week in August. in
his hotel, while he was ptaceably pursuing
his business, Allen was sd upon by a gang
of ruffians, who beat him numerically with
their pistols, and threatened to kill him ''i
he didn't keep his mouth shut about the dc
Yankee Billings"
The next "example," as the rebel leaders
are wont to term the Usual Killings is
| perhaps one of the most atrOcious, unpro
voked and terrible that hal ever stained the
pages of Southern desperation. About six
months since 1 had Thom,s L. Ivey, an in
| offensive, intelligent, homes, and hard-work
ing colored man, appointeda United States
route agent on the Alabama and Chatta.
nooga railroad, running htween Meridian
| Miss and Livingstone, Ala. Mr.. Ivoy
had never been charged witlany crime agains
the laws of the State or society, and was uni
versally regarded as an exemplary and faithful
employee of the Government. Yet on Satur
day, August 90, 1874, he vas wantonly muir
dered while in the discharg, of his duties, al
will most fully appear finn the following
taken from the Selma Dails Times, "a leading
Democratic newspaper,) Of September l:
"Ats three o'clock p. n, last Saturday
| while the South-bound ALBANIA and Chatta
.-.u to o. Il sfs'! "'+ t-"