Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-12-02
ANorHFR FRANOEs TAOMPsON Ease.

ANOTHER FRANCES TAOMRsON OAsA'
The Cincinnati Commercial of yester-
day argues the Eliza Pinkston side Of
the story, but says, nevertheless:
There are certain parishes that should
be thrown out-ior the proof sustalns
and the law requires that a%ction-but the
Board must stop right there. The Board
may, with indifference to all other con-
siderations, proceed TO arrange the State
for the Republicans, but the evidence
that they have done go will mo- De 90
scure, aud the party that pgohted By
such a transaction OF once would soon
fad occasion for repeateneei Tor the
Presidency would turn to dust snd
ashes in its hands, like an spple Of
Sodou.
The Republicans pretend to oe'isve
this monst,ous story, and circulate 1t for
the present effect at the North. This is
calculated to fire the hearts Of the peo'
pie in that section against the South
divert the attention Of the public from
the real issues and justify any usurpa
tions by the Grant party. Ten years ago
when there was a riot in Memphis and
many persons killed, a Republican com
mittee was sent doan to Investigate it
The testimony Of worthless, ignorant
negroes was oil taken down, printed In
book form and widely circulated
for political purposes. Among others
was the notorious Frances Thomp-
son. a degraded, loathtome negro,
apparently a omar She testified
that a number OF men committed upon
her person a namelesS outrage. She
pointed them out and some Of them bad
to fee from the city for safety. Il was
impossible to contradict her or disprcve
the horrible charges. The whole North
read aud devoured The story with eager
ness. aud get it dowa to the account Of
Southern barbarity. We might deny il
but what vas the ~use-there was the lv'
ing w~itness2 Ten years rol'ei by End
still it was believed, where not forgotten.
Last summer the old woman VAS arrest
ed for yagrancy, and 90 suspicion wal
examined BY a beard OF physicians and
found to be a man, and in 70 respect q
woman" The facts we're published and
certified to, but the Northern papers
which had published page after page o.
the suFsring' Of poor Frances and the
brutality Of Souihern whites had nol
a word to soy about this exposure.
The testimony Of tie wretch had 81
swersd 8 purpose, and vixen he was dis
covered not one Of the Republicans bert
or elsewhere would pay the little Gre
which would have released hin from tb'
cbAiu-gang. he af.erEArd vent 70 th'
hospital and died. and was buried as
pauper. None Of the Radicals went 4
the funeral, aud they would not in NeT
Orleans give q nickel to boy medi
cine fer Eliza Pinks,tn II she wer
dying today. The sympathy Of Repud
licaus lor the negro is al . uoekery an
8 sham. When a Southern negro get
ND North, unless be has money, be
kicked around worse than ad5g. Tb
people there would not let one tleep o.
their back steps, much less take him ]
their houses snd feed him This Eiz
Pinkston's story is dished up By the Nc.
thern Republican press IS choice mo-
sci. Her utterances are relied upon q
an offset against ell the rascalty Of ID
Returning Beard. It is evident that sh
has been well drilled in the CustoI
House. She says tho white, killed h
husband 10 her presence, cut her caili
throat, aud committed fearful crimes q
her. Tho child was loaHd in a baJc
three weeks a~lterward, but its throat ".
not cut. There is evidence and reasC
to believe that she killed it herself.
sSe made a similar attempt to get it o.
of the way once before. Child.rsisir
has become less common sad more d
testable among Southern colored
dies" every year since the a II
husband disappeared, aud we have on
the word of the woman that he was Ii
ed by white men. He was a hgbtir
character and there is GOOD reRson t. |
lieve that be was killed by rsgrces. z
woman was bruised aud cut up bad
If white men had undertaken So
an a%trocity it is not likely u
any witnesses would have escaped ais
The avidity with which such sensation
stuff is snapped up by the papers allud
to shows the desperate straits Of
R ,dical party and the abnormal pre-.
dice Of the Northern mind 10 regard
Southern affairs. We caonot exp
justice from that quarter. Our II
policy is to keep out Of this Gght, RS
our own bread and meat, pay our del
edueaie our children at home, tea
them to obey the laws, respect the C
stitutional traditions Of the fathers, a
to fear nothing but 10 do wrong.
o
ALL the parishes in Louisiana givi
D mocra'io ~majorities are contest
even il the sealed returns have to
opened in secret to attach the prOtel