New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-09-17
Alabama OusrageS.
The Ms,rder Of the Negro Mali Agent

REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC VERSIONS
o.' THE ATROCIOUS CRIME.
The Meridian (NIiss.) Mercury, Demo-
cratic paper, gives the following regarding
the assassination of Thomas l.. Ivy, negro
United States mail-route agent:
" Friday afternoon, as the Alabama and
Chattanooga train was coming this way,
about three miles beyond Y ork, and this way
from Livingston, man stood upon the track
and tagged the train down with his hat
Charlie Briggs was the engineer, and stopped
his train. Immediately as the train stopped
some three or six shots, variously stated BY
eye witnesses, were fired at Thomas l.. Ivy,
the colored mail agent. He is said to have
uttered a single exclamation of pain, and
from tie terrible character of the wounds,
was doubtless killed instantly after. The
train brought the body on to the city. 1t is
supposed that Ivy came to the door of the
car to observe what the train was stopped
for, and SO gave his sayers the fair Oppor-
tunty they wanted. 1t is said there were
assailants on both sides of the train Their
woik was quick and decisive, and they dis
appeared in the brush, and no one of all the
people about the train recognized any one.
We lately heard from Ivy riding about
Livingston with his double barreled gun bid
=
voklng things, as for instance, SHOW me
the man who shot Billings. and III shoot his
head off,. From what we have heard of his
incendiary talk and acts we conclude that he
has foolishly and needlessly provoked his
fate"
The Montgomery (Ala.) Jou,nal comments
as follows upon the same outrageous affair:
Shortly after the assassination of Billings
nv NIX Ink namnrr,ox Of
county. the Meridian Mercury got up a story
about Tom lvy's never travelling from home
except in company with squad of associates,
and that his house was generally occupied at
night by humber of men for his protection
Specific al:nsion was made in the .Nercuy's
article to a pretended rising of the negroes
in the Coatopa neishhorhood on the succeed
ing SATURDAY.. That was the day which had
been appointed for the meeting of the Re-
publicans in the neighbOrhoOd of Coatopa.
and the exposure which we made of the med
itated outrage at the place had the good eff
feet to save she meeting from disturbance and
the life of Tom Ivy! The Ku-Klux Democ-
racy were then in force on the occasion of
the Republican meeting, and we all know
they did not. come there to participate in the
proceedings. but to watch for a convenient
opportunity to carry into execution their
well-known threat against the Republicans
in that neiShborhood Tom Ivy was. next
to Billings, The most active Republican Or
GAMER in Sumter county, and on this ac-
count alone he had incurred the dspleasure
OF the leaders of the Sumter Democracy.
But Tom W., although he escaped death by
the means Hhich he adopted while at his
own home, was destined to elude the men
who sought his life but short time. He isa
route agent of the Post Office Department.
lie lives in Sumter county near Coatopa sta
tlon. lie WAS on duty as route agent of the
Post Office Department last Friday hight.
" hen the railroad train bearing the United
States mail bad reached the vicinity of York
station, in SHmter county, it was tagged TO
stop. 1t dbl stop, and Tom Ivy, the route
agent of the Post Office Department, came to
the door Of the car to see what was the mat
ter, when the ku-kluy Democracy, who had
doubtless 'h..gged' the train for the purpose
rlddled his btdy with buck-shot, and he fell
back into the postal car, to which his duties
confined him. a dead man.
Thus has anOther Republican been assas-
sinated in Simter, and for no other reaso,
than that he vas actively engaged, when not
on duty, organizing the Republicans of his
own county! Here is route agent of the
Postal Department shot dead while in the
car set aside i>r mail matter, and in the faith.
tul discharge Of his duty to the Government
whose servant he was! He fell while dis
charging his dGty to the Government of the
United States, in an important public posi-
ton, and, whih, his murderers NAV glory tenn.
porarily in his untimely taking off, they have
surely made hln glorious in his death! No
man, however humble, can die in tbe faithful
discharge Of duty without winning the meoJ
of well donel But. to be killed under sncb
having first tagged the train
so as to force il to stop for the purpose. and
then to shoot him down in the car where The
Government OF the United States held com.
plete custody through him, its humblest ser.
Vant-what is this but to strike at the Gov.
eminent through its agent: We do mot
permit ourselves to doubt that this dastardly
outrage VIII be properly resented. 1t has
ever been the boast of Americans that allie
glance as a citizen carried with it the obloa.
ton OF protection. If this be so in foreion
why should it be less so in m
friendly sections? Tom wv. while onlv 9
col0red citizen OF sumter, was also an officer
IN the service OF TIE Government of the Uni
ted States lie therefore has special claims
upon the Government which he served On
we'll. w." 81
PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR,
Gov. Lewis, of Alabama, has offered a re.
ward OF $500 each for the arrest of the MUIR
ierers OF Thos. l.. Ivy, the colored mail
agent. He has also issued the following
PROCLAMATION, calling upon the law abiding