Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-09-16
That Telegram I" Under Duress.' >,

That Telegram - Under Dnress."
VicksbuTg Herald, lith.l
Last Friday, William H. Harvey,
the colOred sheriff OF Kinds county,
telegraphed to AttOrney-General Pierre
pont as follows:
"EDwARDs, MISS, September 10, 1873. y
ITO Attorney General PierrepOnt, Washing.
ton, ID. c.:
"Perfect quiet prevails throughout
Kinds county. Peace officers are not
prevented from exercising legal authori-
ty. The good citizens will assist me in
the discharge OF my legal duties, if
needed"
Shortly after sending the foregoing,
Sheriff Harvey went to Jackson, where.
after being "intimidated" by Ames and
his gang, be was induced to send off the
following Dispatch:
JACKSON, MISS, September 10.
To Attorney General Pierrepont, Washing
ton, u. c.
al did not send the dispatch OF this
morning. There is no protection for life
to colOred men in my county. Tie tel
egram sent was presented to me by q
captain off military organization there.
For sa'ety TO myself and property, l
could not do otherwise. | am free to
confess that my knowledge and convic-
tions are to the contrary.
w. H. HARHEY.o
We present these two kilograms as a
simple preface to tire following letter
from Captain VIM. A. Montgomery,
giving the history of those very dissim-
liar dispatches
EDWARDS, MISS, September II, 1875.
1t is but justice to my fellow. citizens
who have been so basely misrepresented
by our State officials for so long time,
and especially within the past few days,
to give public explaua alton Of the tele-
grams sent to the encouragement at
Washington by our Kinds county
sheriff, w. H. HarDey. Knowing that
Governor Ames was using every effort
to get the aid OF Federal b8yOnets to
perpetuRte his rule Of ruin in Mississippi,
and knowing, too, that as far as Kinds
county was concerned, the people were
quiet and peaceable, both white and
colored engaged in their usual vocations,
excepting only those few who fed to
Jackson, and were afraid to return on
account of having been engaged con-
spicuously last Saturday in the murder
of Chiffon, Sivley and Thompson ct
Clinton; knowing, also, that Sheriff
Harvey had just passed through the
county to this point from Jackson, on
The cars, and that at all points en- route
as well as here, he received information
from citizens, both white and colored,
that everything was quiet and peace
able, and believing that Sheriff Harvey
could not be made tool to keep up an
excitement when there was no necessity
for it, wrote the following dispatch:
EDWARDS, MISS, September 10.
ITO Attorney General Pierrepont, Washing
ton:
Perfect quiet prevails throughout
Kinds county. Peace officers are not
prevented from exercising legal au-
thority. The good citizens will assist
me in the discharge of nay legal duties,
if needed.n
And carried it itunarmed and unsttend-
ed, down to where Harney was con-
versiDg with some twenty or more col
ored men. Showing it to him, l asked,
''if he could conscientiously sign that?"
He read it and replied, 81 might not
have been able TO sign this few days
sgo, but can now, honestly and cOD-
and started to place his
signature toit, when remarked ID him,
''if you do not think ycu are perfectly
justified in so doing do not sign it, fJr
will protect you in refusal il you had
rStberi not" He signed it, at the
same time remsrklng, "If there
was any appearance of force ne
would not do it," AS / srsTted of,
he remarked, "Captsln Montgomery, ifI
/ were to hear OF a murder in any paIt
Of the country, could get your assist
snce TO make an aTrest?" My answer
was, ayes, sir, with as many men as
you desire" The dispatch was forward
ed to the attOrney-genersl at once.
Later in the day the vultures in Jack
son seeing it in the press reports,
Jumped, l suppose, as if a bOmbshell
mad fallen in their camp, as will be seen
from the following telegram received
by Harvey in the evening: "Did you
send that telegram to the 8ttOrney-gen-
eral this morning% Harvey, trembling
in his boots for fear OF the political lash
that be now saw was to be poured into
him for having shranE from the
Radical rule, and general order
No. /, Of "Lie on those south
ern white people whenever you
can" answered by telegram, "Dt-
lay action till / come, and / will ex-
plair." He took the first train for JACK
son, for the purpose OF explanation, but
none would answer them except in
strict obedience 10 general order No. /:
Tile on these southern whites when
ever you can" SurTCu 1ded thus by
he was forced TO pay the
penalty, for trying to be honest, in exc
cutting general order No. (which be did
''uDdeT duress, Of course" in this tele-
gram of the eleventh, to the attorney
general. To show you that ne was
forced to sign that last dispatch, will
give you a few extracts from letter to
me OF the eleventh, from Jackson, under
Harney's own signature, and which /
now have in my posse ssion:
JACKSON, September IL, 1875.
a ". A. Montgomery, Esq
"DEAR FRIEND-Wbile / am quite
willing, captain, to ssslst the white peo-