Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-10-19
Mob Rule at Canton.
4 Republican ~ estips Brokep NJ

The account found below is from a
Mississippi paper, the Jackson Times.
According to announcement, Gen. Geo.
c. Mckee. candidate on the Republics
ticket for Presidential Elector from the
State-at-large. visited Canton. on Saturday
last. for the purpose OF addressing Il Re-
publican meeting. At about 2 IL O'Clock
Gen. Mckee arose TO address the audience
when division of time was demanded by
some OF the Democrats present. General
MIk ee replied that he would only be per-
united 10 speak there from the court
use steps, during the recess OF the court.
which had just adjourned. tor dinner and
that there was scarcely time for joint
discussion which lie declined to engage
in, but lie had, of course. no objection to
anyone speaking after he had concluded
his remarks.
The General began by saying that lie
was there 10 make "a Republican speech,
and had not proceeded more than two or
three moments in general terms when
someone in the cSowd demanded that he
should tell ;hem about Radical stealings.'
The speaker said he would frs. tell
them about some Democratic stealings
aud was proceeding To explain TO his hear
cr> hox. prior to the war. the Democratic
administration OF the state misappropriat-
ed and >quandcred the school funds. which
were donated by the general government.
when. it answer to one of his statements,
Mr. Samuel Devine advanced few PAGES
and denounced the speaker twice as
liar
General Mckee, seeing that it was the
intention Ci the crowd to precipitate
difficulty of some kind, aud preferring to
ansa hun
of them. denounced Devne in return and
dared him to come out OF his crowd and
repeat what he had said to him (Mckee)
face to face. Devine thercupoD put his
hand behind him as il attempting to draw
a weapon when Mckee was violently shOv.
ed from behind toward the place where
DeviDe was standing, falling from the
parapet. about four feet high. At this
moment, without the slightest warning.
and without seeing his antagonist, he
was Knocked senseiess with q club BY
man by the name OF Weatherby, who
he had never seen or spoken tn.
General Mckee was carried into the
courthouse perfectly insensi0le from the
effect Of the blow. After partially regain
ing consciousness he was carried by the
Sheriff assisted by friends, to the post
office, where he received medical aid and
no personal difficulty with any of his assal-
ants, indeed he had never before seen
them.
Afterwards some one of the crowd cut
the heads Of the Republican drum. (eye
witnesses say that Weatherby is the man
who did this as well as assault Mckee,
and hauled their Democratic cannon about
town firing it and held Tilden and re-
form meeting; on the very ground from
which they had just driven the Republi-
cans.
General Mckee remained In bed in the
Postofiice under the charge Of physician
until Sunday morning.
At about nine O'Clock Saturday night
stones and brickbats were hurled ut the
Postoffice and during the next hour an &C.
casiOnai one struck the building.
Between eleven and twelve. fire was
opened in earnest. A rifle ball which
penetrate the wall of the building struck
Mr. Mark Joseph Oh his te,nple INJECTING
q slight wound. bat one which caused the
blood to flow quite freely. Oth-r shots
came through the building. but y" other
occupant was hprt,
The folloYiny are the gentlrmen
n ho were besieged aud fred upon rs de-
scribed, and by whom the truth Of the
foregoing statement can be verified: