Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-08-15
3:flisttIlang
Mr.. Ticitchelps Stain Sister.

Mr.. TWichelPs Stain Sister.
! FUNERAL ADDRESS By REV. DIR. BAYLIss-
TRUE LESSON OF THE HoUR.-"sHALL
WE ELEVATE THIS PRESCRIPTION INTO
PowERg"
The funeral OF Mrs. Helen +. Willis
took place 10 Indianapolis, on Sunday
afternoon, July 6. Mrs Willis was the
sister OF Senator Twitchell, ot Louisiana.
The ci. .cumslauceS OF her death and the
causes which led To- il were strongly set
forth by Rev. DIR. Bayliss, who conducted
the services. She was tho victim OF u
false civilization and cruel system OF ter
rorism, rs one brother. her husband, and
other relatives had been, and rs her
manned and mutilated brother who sur
wives her also is. This brother was pres
ent at the funeral, armless and helpless,
the living victim OF Southern intolerance.
Under these extraordinary circumstances
the reverend speaker did not hesitate TO
depart from the usual routine OF funeral
addresses aud TO state the facts OF the
case in all their eloquent simplicity. Fol-
lowing is his address. as reported by the
indianapolis Journal:
We are standing to-day at the culmina-
lion vi tragic personal history. 1t Is
not often. in times OF peace, that funeral
service brings men iace 10 face with facts
at once SO melancholy and appalling.
| And | ieel that, though we were strangers
personally 10 her whose sad end we con-
template, as we are TO the solitary mourn
er who follows her to the burial, there
are IN the case circumstances which will
interest US all, and will justify depart
ure, in some measure, from the usual
| form ol funeral addresses. Mrs. Helen
| T.. Willis was native OF Townsend, W.,
was thirty -one years Of age, and sister
OF Marshall II. Twilchell, who is here to-
day, the only relative who is permitted 10
| be present on this sad occasion. She was
making her way from the lnhospitable
! neig hborhood in which she has suffered
Tor Years, 10 Louisiana, TO her native
place in New Eogland. She stopped
here TO rest, and, II possible, 10 recuper
ate. But she has suffered too much TO
rally, and alter few days OF delay death
came Yesterday morning, and with q
grateful heart TO those who have min-
! istered TO her SO kindly aud assiduously
during her briel stay in this straege city,
she Tell gently asleep aud is at rest.
At The close OF the war, Capt. witch
ell, brother oi the deceased, was on Gen.
Sheridan's staff, and was assigned TO
duty in the Red River country in Louisi-
ana. where he became acquainted with
the lady who afterward became his vile.
| He bought land and settled there, de-
terminipg TO become a citizen and devote
himself to the Improvement OF his for
tunes and the development OF the country
of his adoption. To this end he built
saw mills aud grist mills, opened stores,
did what could be done TO establish
schools, and in every possible way has
labored earnestly to promote the pros
perity OF the country about him His
energy and economy led 10 business sue
cess, and his brother and three sisters,
with their husbands, al length joined him
in his Southern home. His mother also
became resident there, and thus his en-.
tire family, and all his interests, were
transferred and established permanently.
as was supposed, in Louisiana.
! In 1874 there were various riots IN the
parishes adjoining that in which these
| families lived. Senator Twitchell was
himself absent in New Orleans, and Ii
brother -in-law named King was sick, as
was thought unto death. As disturbances
continued in the surrounding country. q
number OF Democrats came TO those who
we're we'll and at home and said to them :
I'VE are sure that you are here as per-
manent residents, and we are satisfied
with you and your principles. But some
OF Your neighbors are not so satisfied.
and there will perhaps be danger to you
unless you put yourselves under our pro.
lection: but il you will put yourselves
into our hands, we will vouch Tor you to
The rioters. and you shall be protected" ="
After some conversation Homer fwitchell
and two brothers. law concluded, with
some other northern men in the neigh
borhood, to accept The offered protection
of their Democratic neighbors, and ac-
cordingly put themselves under their
direction. They were led away into an
adjoining parish, lar enough to obstruct
the process OF legal prosecution, and then
with treachery OF which we supposed
none but Indians capable. their protectors
turned them over to the mob, and Homer
Twitchell and two brothers in-law were
murdered in cold blood. 1t seems in
credible-it is almost too diabolical TO be
believed Even alter all we have heard oil
Fort Pillow, and Audersonville, and Belle
Isle. this is so horrible as to make us
hesitate before believing it. We were in
The heat OF war when the Fort Pillow
massacre was perpetrated; Anderson
vile was the offspring OF passion and
fury. but this was calm enough to be
simply malevolent. and horrible enough
TO be iendish.
One OF those who fell in that treacher-
Gus massacre OF August 81, 1874, was
Mr.. Monroe Willis, husband OF her whose
weary heart at last stands still. and how
much OF the disaster of yesterday is
traceable TO the catastrophe OF 1874 it is
impossible Tor any human being to tell.
Still the remnants of the broken, per-
secuted household remained in the South.
There was their property. aud there were
the graves OF their beloved dead. And