Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-10-14

New orleans Picayune.l
The following letter from the fugitive
sheriff of East Feiicisne willeXplatn itself:
BATON ROUGE, La, October9, lS75.
To Lieutenant-GoveruOr and Acting Govern
or {. G. An ,oine:
SRI here give you the particulars of the
late troubles in East + Felicana. II has been
stated by some parties that the troubles were
caused by myself in Personal difficulty.
Such is not the case. Monday. october 1870,
the day fixed by law for cOnveDing the dis
tTict court, the same set Of men were in Gin
ton, armed with TevOlvers; but the district
Judge not geJTing there on the above date, the
court was adjourned unin thursday, October
7th. ON that day these men were again
in Clinton, as above stated, Al, Al
had been completed, remarks Were
made by these same men, numbering about
thirty or forty, hey did not intend TO allow
the district court to go on; and, on leaving the
courtroom, to go TO my office, met some
colored men and was talking to them. a
young man, named Alex. SkIpwith, apparent
ly the leader OF the crowd, came 10 Where l
was standing in the courthouse-yard, near my
office, and said that some one across the
street said that had better be careful how
talked to men that were on the jury. asked
him who it was that said 80. He refused to
give me the name. told him 10 go and tell
the one that said so - stsnd 10 his business,
and ] would attend rs mine. = either Of these
cClored men that was talking TO were MEM
bers of the grand or petit jury. He went about
ten steps from NE and gave signal, which
-
Saunders. turned then to go INTO the court
room, seeing that some harm was IN
tended me i'll performing my duties as
sheriff of the parish. Sklpwith, Norwood
and saunders went up the stairway just
ahead OF me, Skipwith putting himself in the
courtroom door, and as l passed he kicked
me. l turned and asked him why he did this.
He replied l mad better go on, or that he
would do worse; that he intended to Kill me
and that blue-bellied son of a b-h (mean-
ing, as 1 suppose, the district judge. About
this time thirty or forty armed men were at
the courthouse door, and commenced loud
talking. The judge then told me to invite
them into the courtroom TO be seated, which
did. They refused, and told me to go on or
they would give me seat. They Kept up
courtroom, with the exception OF d. c. Har-
dee. He started out, when the judge called
him Colonel aardee) and asked him If there
was no way he could keep the men quiet, for
if not, 1t would be impossible for him TO go
on with the court; d. c. Hardee told
him him the judge dad that was vas. What yhat
they Intended to get rid of him and thesherih,
and not allow the district court to go on; see
ing that they intended TO murder me at the
courthouse, attempted to make my escape,
and in coming out was assaulted by Lewis
Moore and Alexander Skipwith. On getting
down stairs, seeing Skipwith and the crowd
that he was leading drawing their revOlverS,
hastened to get out of the way; there must
have been sixty or seventy shots fired at me,
one taking effect in the right hip-the only
one that struck me. was captured, brought
back to the courthouse, and was told to sign
my resignation, and to leave town, and that
WOul be allowed five minutes 10 leave. AS
to the signing of my resignation, | refused,
After | WAS captured quite q number wanted
to kill me; 1t was only gOuseud that my life
was spared. | succeeded in making my escape
to Baton Rouge through the woods, as
they had the roads picEeted. | am here and
have had doctor. My wound IS painful but
not dangerous There has scarcely night
passed in East Feiciana for the last two
months that has not witnessed the numbering
or shooting OF some colOred man. The loyal
people there are at the mercy of an armed
mob. Hoping that this letter will NEE with
your early and favorable consideration, re-
main your obedent servant,
HENRY SMITH,
Sheriff of East Feliclana.