Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-23


BAh.c PotIrICs.
forrcpeIideacr NJ The f.loih4aG Ga-ette.
JAcEsoN, Mss, Sept. rs.
have Just been present at an interview he.
tween Mrs. Haifa. white LADY whore husband
was murdered in this county on the 9th inst,
and an officer of the State taking her deposition,
and tho facts sworn to by her are as follows
"We lived OH n leased place ton miles south
of Edwards depot Kinds County. Have been
living there about Blk years. Came South from
Philadelphia, Pa, to engage in planting. For
four yoars have been engaged in teaching a
colored school, aud my husband has
BEES TEACHING A coLoRLp SCHOOL
for two years, seven miles from our home. lie
rode there on horseback and returned oach
day. On last Sabbath week. when ho came
home from Sabbatl-school, le SAID lie feared
We would have trouble, he passed two white
neiBhbors on the way and they barely spoke to
him. We retired that night at the usual hour.
We nave growh-np daughter q son nine years
old. and nursing baby. At about 2 or 3
O'Clock that night the violent barking OF our
dog awoko III. l got mp and asked who was
there no response. Then heard noise on
the porch no one answered, heard men all
around tho house, and exclaimed, 'Oh dear,
we are surrounded Then they commenced
breaking III the door with rail. | screamed
murder, and 10 did my children. They forced
er and met them, and said,
'epARE MY HUSBAND AND KILL ME-
Just then a strong man seized me by the throat
with ono hand, and put his revolver in my face
with tho other, and said, 'Hush' Another man
seized mo violently by my arm. They choked
me so | could not speak. Then they broke the
window open, and my son and daughter ran to
protect their father, standing near them
"Whon they got the window open they fired
three shots into my husband, one passing
through his side, one through his breast and
one through hle neck. Then they all hurried
away. | think the number of men around the
house was nearly fifty. When they LETT, found
my husband lying on the floor, under the table,
which had been thrown upon him. He said
Mamma, help me up get me drink of water.
Then my daughter aud helped Inn on the bed,
and lad him down. We then tried to stay his
wounds. We had no neighbors we could call,
and at about ) o'clock
MY HUSBAND DIED IL MY ARMS,
About il o'clock that day three strangers came
to my house armed and came in. saying they
were looking for nggels l said they were well
comesto search, but no one was there but my
dead husband. They then left The road was
full of armed men that day, riding back and
forth They killed two cnlored men. Joe Ste
phens, leading Republican, and his son. at
about IL O'Clock in the morning, only quarter
of mile from our house. Both Of them were
filled with balls. / could not get coroners in
quest Oh my husband and on Thursday, Gen.
Grifen furnished rude plank coffin, and wrap
ped in bloody sheets, he was buried. As could
not stay in my house, had to take my family
and go out and stay with an old colored woman,
TIE ONLY PROTECTION COULD GET,
and remained with hor until the 1ith inst when
/ gave up what property we had to a man to sell
and came away, and am now on my road to
where my parents reside. | am
destitute of money. Ii they had warned my hus-
to leave he would nave gone, but thoy gave ns no
notice. 1 do not know what they could have
against him, except that he was u Republican
and taught a colored school,
The sad, sad story of this lady was painful to
hear. Her feelings We're deeply moved as she
told il, and her poor suffering children were
gathered about her to confirm with their tears
the heart-rending recital. Mrs. Haffa IL very
intelligent and highly-educsted lady, and by her
bearing and conversation shows that she once
enjoyed more than ordinary opportunities. Her
husband
WAS AN ISoFFENsIvE MAN,
and never had any office in this Stateb ut that of
Justice of the Peace, to which he was elected.
But his intelligence gave him influence with the
colored people, and he has been relied upon in
that section of tho country to look after Republi
can interests. Hence the murder, following
within two days after the Clinton massacre.
just now thore is comparative quiet, but thou
sands OF arms and thousands of pounds of pow
dor are being distributed among the white-liners
every day We may at any time have more
bloody outbreak than any heretofore.
MIssIssIPPIAN.