The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-09-29
Statement of G. NJ Lewis lwbitel

am mayor OF the town or Clinton.
On Saturday, September 4th, there was
Republican Barbecue and Mass meet
ing at this place; the place where the
/ barbecue was had, and where the meet
/ ing was held is about three-quarters Of a
mile from the town. For IL few DAYS
previous, it was generally known that
there would be joint discussion On
Saturday morning about 10 o'clock the
negro clubs from the surrounding country
commenced coming into town; negro
club came from Bottoms Depot, number
ing about 1871 counted them as accu-
rately as | could. Another club from
Edwards, which was larger than the Boil
tons club, came into town about y
o'clock; a large sized negro was in COM
mand of the Edwards club; have been
informed that his name is Scott, and that
he Is justice of the peace; as he marched
his club into town he halted it near the
hotel, and rode forward alone up the
street; he was armed with a cavalry
sabre which he carried in his hand drawn;
other clubs came into town; and many
negroes gathered from the country; /
saw i'll town several other negroes carry
ing drawn swords; supposed them to be
officers of clubs; the Bottoms and Ed
wards negroes came into town mounted
and in procession, formed in column of
twos. In my judgment there were about
1000 or 1900 negroes in town after the
mounted clubs came in, they passed
through town, and shortly afterward re-
turned through town going in the direc-
ton of the place for the barbecue and
meeting; before the negroes left Clinton
T. I IL, e a.
many crowds of them cOEgregateG about
the streets, and many of them in their
manner were boisterOus, loud, and dis
orderly; heard several negroes say, the
Democratic rarty was gone up that
day, or words to that effect: there were
about fifty white men in town; they had
nothing to say to the negroes they
avoided coming in contact with the ne
grOes; the white men were quiet and
orderly in their conduct and bear ing.
About haii-pa twelve the crowd Of ne
groes had assembled at the barbe, ne
grounds. The negro men numbered about
1000 or 1900 there were not exceeding
forty or fifty white men on the grounds
| am sure at least ten of that number we're
mot armed cannot tell how many were
armed from all | have heard, my PIN
ion is that there were about twenty hite
men on the grounds armed / went out
to the grounds about half-past one; Judge
Johnston, (Democrat), was speaking at
that time heard nothing from Judge
Johnston calculated in the least to pro-
duce any disorder, or lead to breach of
the peace; while Judge Johnston was
speaking there was Il good deal Of laugh
ing and talking among the negroes, APP
parently intended Ia keep persons from
hearing his speech; heard one negro say
IN the crowd. In 4 tone Of voice loud
enough to be heard several yards, lbut
not 10 be heard as far as the stand),
damn 1t what do we want 10 bear a
Democratic speech tor;" and another say
III about the same tone Of voice, that the
speaker ought to be put out, and not
allowed to speak many Of them were
angry because he was allowed to speak
at the meeting. There was no disturb
ance, or fight until H. T. Fisher, Re
publican speaker, had spoken a little
while, perhaps ten or fifteen minutes be-
fore the fighting commenced. At the time
the firing commenced, !, with Mr.. J
II. Dupree), was lying under tree
about one hundred and fifty yards east
one hundred and fifty or two hundred
yards from the speakers stand !; ten or
| fifteen minutes before the firing, negro
| approached US, and asked In preremp-
tory way, 'who is speaking 2" | replied,
| Judge Johnston the negro said, ''hell,
thought this was Republican meeting
and not damn Democrats meeting" A
/ few moments before the firing began, a
| negro Woman came near me, SAYING in u
| loud tone, q fight. fight" The negro
men commenced moving rapidly towards
| the branch, where a few white men,
| (tlIree or four1, were congregated, about
one hundred or one hundred and twenty
| five yards from the speakers stand sew
| eral of the negroes SAID : ego for them,
| boys )" and heard this expression used
| by negro - this is the thing IRE hare
,canted, boys, kill all the white men"-and
| one negro told another negro to go to-
wards the stand and have the drums beat
| en-, and for them to rally at the drums
| the drums were beaten. All this occurred
| before shot was fired. As the crowd of
| negroes rallied by the drums, they COM
nenced moving or surging towards the
| place where the excitement commenced,
| THAT is the point about the branch where
the few white men had gathered), a pis-
/ toll shot was fired this was followed in
quick succession by two or three other
| shots, and then a general firing com
| menced; | walked down towards this
point; going around the crowd of negroes,
and had just started to walk in that direc-
ton when the firing commenced; where