Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-09-15
THE CLINTON MASSACRE.
The Difficulty Wholly UnsOught by
the Blacks.
Assolin cd Pre-. Dispatch in courior-Journal

Assoia ed Press Dispatch in Courier-J ournal.
MEMPHIS, TENN, Sept. The fol-
lowing report of the riot at Clinton,
Miss last Saturday, was received from
Jackson tonight:
According toa widely extended no.
tice throughout Kinds county, Miss,
"A Republican meeting was assembled
at Clinton last Saturday, The menu
hers of nearly all the Republican clubs
ia the county We're in attendance, with
many women and children. A barbe-
cue was announced, and arrangements
made to- feed nearly 5000 persons.
Nearly this lumber were in attend-
auCe.
THE SPEAKING.
y half-past p. NJ. the procession
filed upon the grounds, and speaking
commenced ten minutes thereafter,
Democratic speakers being on the
ground, and asking for division of
time. In the interest of peace and
good feeling, their request was granted,
and Joint discussion was fixed between
Judge Johnston, Democratic candi-
date for State Senator, and Capt. H.
Fisher, editor of the Jackson Daily
Times, Johnston to speak an hour,
Fisher to follow in an hour and a quar-.
ter, and Johnston TO close in quarter
of an hour.
Johnston made liberal and courte-
Gus speech, and Capt. Fisher took the
stand and congratulated the audience
on the suspicious opening of the cam
| paign in the county, and expressed the
hope that the same good feeling would
characterize all their meetings. He
complimented Judge Johnston on the
conservative tone of his remarks, and
said he would be glad to have such
meetings generally held. The Repub-
| lican party wanted peace and harmony
| to prevail, and he should say nothing
/ that would not contribute 10 this end.
THE FIRING.
/ Captain Fisher spoke in this strain
about eight minutes. When he saw
/ the outskirts of the crowd leaving to
| 90 to the scene of difficulty, about fifty
| yards distant, the speaker paused and
| urged the audience to remain, but eX-
| cited words drew most of them away,
and he stopped speaking to await their
/ return. In about three minutes a pis-
! toll was fired in the crowd, and quickly
/ another, and in a moment fifty shots
seemed to be discharged. The widest
/ confusion ensued. Men, women and
children scattered Horses broke loose
! from their hitchings and joined in the
stampede.
In the course OF fifteen minutes, eX-
/ ceeding five hundred shots were fired.
! Three whites and four cOlored persons
were wounded. a large number of the
blacks were unarmed, having been
cautioned against carrying concealed
weapons to the meeting. The diff
Guilty was wholly unsought by them,
and they fought only in self-defense.
MEN ARRIVED FROM vICKsBURG, ETC
BY five O'Clock not colored man
was seen on the grounds. Armed
whites came from Clinton and took
possession of the grounds. At the
same time the Vicksburg train brought
armed men from Edwards and Bolton.
On Saturday night 500 armed white
men occupied Clinton and there was
quiet.
Sunday morning at day-break the
Nicksburgers, 200 of whom were there,
commenced Strengthening negroes. All
the colored men they could find were
shot down. A dozen or more were
killed in cold blood. Armed bands
were OIRdlllLtu duh SNOuiCu INC tuul-
try, and the work of slaughter went
on there. 1t is estimated that so men
were killed in this way in the country
Sunday. Those who were not killed
had to flee to the woods and swamps
for protection.
a complete reign of terror possesses
the county. Colored men for two days
have been hourly arriving and report
ing new outrages. The civil authori-
ties are utterly pOwerless to stop the
marauding bands.
Gov. Ames has issued an order COM
handing the rioters To disperse. The
city is full of cOlored refugees, who
dare not return to their homes. They
ask nothing but protection. Governor
Amcs is doing all within his power to
prevent further hloodshed, No sher-
ifs posse is sufficient.
The following is the statement OF
State Senator Caldwell concerning the
origin of the difficulty:
Judge JOhnstuu had spoken about
one hour to an audience of over :, 900,
all of whom listened attentively. The
Judge said lie had never addressed q
crowd as large as the present, one that
had behaved so well and given him so
much attention, and he hoped that
they would accord his opponent, Capt.
Fisher, the same courtesy. Captain
Fisher then assembled the stand and
commenced speaking. In about five
minutes some one called the speaker a
liar. Hendricks said to me: "There
is going to be a row out there" mean.
ing on the outer edge of the crowd.
/ paused for a minute before going
out On hearing some very loud re,
marks, | proceeded to the spot indicat.
ed. When l got there | asked who
was the matter. 4 policeman said this
man Thompson had drawn pistol on
one of the colored men who was
marching in the procession, using GER
| tain opprobrious epithets. | remarked
/ MY young friend, for Gods sake dom
J disturb the meeting" l soon saw thai
I the feeling was strong and determined
and | called for other white men to as
4 sist me in preserving peace. No one
responded.
Neal Pierson and Thompson white
f drew pistols, and ! stepped up to Neal
> telling him that 1t would not do.
a did the same with Thompson, anC
they put their weapons back in thei