The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-08-17
washington Letter in n. Y. Times.)

ln0ttenSIVe manner; he was beloved Dy
the colored people and respected by all
the unprc JUDGED whites. He was not a
fighting man. He did not 60 to Missis
sippi for office, but to raise cotton and
corn.
Six years ago last February he leased
plantation near Auburn, in Kinds county.
After Mr.. and Mrs. Haffa and their child
rem had lived there, quietly working, never
interfering" in politics, the owner of the
land called on them and asked them if
they were friends of the white man or
-nigger. He said las any Northern
man would have said to such question:
that he was friend to every one who
was worthy of friendship, whether white
or black
1--WE understand you," they said, "you
are friend to the--nigger."
After this interview he was threatened
more than once. The colored people soon
afterward nominated him for Justice Of
the Peace. Governor Alcorn made the
appointment, and refused to eject him
when the Democratic leaders asked that
he should be removed, on the ground that
mo Northern man should come down
and rule them" The majority of the
people-the blacks-desired his appoint
ment, and no one of either order could
complain of his character. He served out
his term of two years. He was renomin-
ated and again elected.
The local Democratic leaders then
waited" on him, and took him out of
the house and lashed him without mercy
with cowhide; and when his wife be.
sought them for mercy, and clung to him,
one of the rufians, who was joint owner
of the plantation, threw her off SO violent
ly that she was laid up for month from
the injuries she received. She has never
to this day fully recovered from the
shock. Mr.. Haffa remained; he was
threatened again; his boy was shot at;
his own life was put repeatedly in peril.
He disarmed one would-b assassin, mem
Der Of one of the families in the district
After these occurrences, both Mr..
Haffa and his wife taught colored schools.
AS the blacks trusted them, they had iu-
fluence over their votes. This was the
head and front of their offending. They
also taught the blacks in Sunday-schools.
The Kuklux were suppressed, and
there was peace in Mississippi until last
summer, when the campaign Of intimida-
ton and assassination was inaugur tted.
Bound to carry the State at any costa
boast made everywhere and openly-the
fate of Mr.. Haffa was sealed. He would
not leave. He could not be driven off.
He must die.
And now I stand aside to let the widow
speak:
ave were aroused by the barking of
our dog furioasly on the morning of the
9th Of September.
l followed, who is there? and no
answer | repeated it, and there was no
answer And then Mr. Haffa got up and
said, who is there?'
They said, 'We will let you know who
is there, or something to that effect.
And | said, "My God! they have the
yard full or men.
presume there were from fifty to Sew
enty-fve men surrouding the whole OF
the house. And they had not only armed
themselves with one or two weapons, but
they had some of them half dozen. They
had them buckled around them, besides
the muskets that they carriad. They
tried to unfasten the door to get in, but !
put my foot between the door and the sill
and kept the door closed. My daughter
helped me. Finding they could not get
in they finally took one Of the fence rails
and broke the door down and part of the
! furniture.
And we were holloaing all the time
'Murderl Murder!' No one came to oul
assistance. They could hear me hollel
'wurder' for about two miles, as the
neighbors told me afterward.
Finally, Mosely, the agent of the Singer
sewing machine, came up to me, and held
a revolver close to my head. Before he
choked me l said:
II am not afraid, if you will choke me
and spare my yhusband-thatis all"
Mosely said to me, when I called his
name several times "Sh-sh!"
l had nursing baby then, and it was
lying on the bed screaming. After was
choked so that / could not holler any
longer, my daughter came, and she left
me and went over to her father.
The men outside broke shutter of
the window and fired at Mr.. Haffa, anG
my little boy told me yesterday-he said
he would take oath any time-that it was
Jimmy Whitehead who fired one of the
shots at Mr.. Haffa, and Sid Whitehead,
the owner of the land we rented. HI
had threatened Mr.. Haffa's life severa
times, which the children know.
They fired twice, and l went to him
and he asked me to take him to bed; SC
my daughter and assisted him to bed
We had no light 1t was utter darkness
there, and says he to me, "Mamma,
want water. AS soon as / could get 9
light l gave him water and laid him down
and ran out for assistance, and sent my
little boy over to some colored people, and
they came rushing over.
Finally, Sid Whitehead came along anG
refused to let me have physician Ht
said it was no use; that he would die
anyhow.
Mr.. Haffa said: "Mamma, l am going
to die, and he asked God to have mercy
on his soul, and he laid his head on ny
shoulder and expired
After the colored people had laid hin
away, | said to Sid. Whitehead: 'Mosely
| is the one that choked me, aud he had ,
revolver at my head and Sid. Whitehead
said, You know Mr.. Mosely was not here.
l said, Yes sir, he was Sid. White
head spoke out that | had to recall thOs,
words for the sake of my life.
They made me recall it and say it WA
not him.
They came there together and sat ul
the first night-WhitehOad and two O
three other gentlemen-and they di,
nothing but use profane language all th
time, and abuse the Northern people
They said that they would show then
that they were fully armed now and ready
for war at any time, and that they coulc
not rule over them or do as they pleased
with them.
They would not allow me to have
coffin for him at all. Colonel Griffin
formerly United States Senator here's
! least so they told me-he came and said
aMrs. Haffa, ] regret this very much.