American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-02-12
The Clinton Riots.
{ Extract from the report of the Kinds coun
ty Grand Jury |


ty Grand jury ]
The riot at Clinton has been thor
oughiy investigated, and while it is
that Inany person were kill
ed, both white and colored, the Ju
~ have been unable to find any sim
gle witness who saw any man kill
or to identify any person
engaged III the continuation of hos
tilIties resulting in the death of any
individual on the day following.
More than one hundred witnesses
have been before the Jury and SUBJ
jected to the most scrutinizing ex-
animation. Although there were
among this number many who were
present on the ground on the day
the riot occurred, no one has been
able to tell just how the sad affair
began, or by whom the first breach
was committed. BY every witness
we gathered the fact that no hostil-
ity was contemplated or any demon
stration made i'll anticipation ofsuch
an event. The necessary arrange
ments for the barbecue and speak
ing were being made for some weeks
previous to the day of this occur
renee, but OH the part Of the white
people or the black people we have
failed to discover any plan or inten-
ton to bring on trouble or precip-
itate q collision. 1t is evident the
white people had not anticipated
such fight from the limited NUNS
Der present, the lack of arms among
them, and the inferiority of the arms
they had, and this is equally true
of the colored people. Though their
numbers were 100 to l, they had but
few arms, and on the grounds were
their women and children. We are
satisfied that the results of that
day were not anticipated, and that
the bloody hegiuning and ending
which brought sorrow and affliction
to many families were not the work
of forethought and preparation. The
few arms that were present on that
occasion were there on account of
the habit in this country of carrying
arms, with or without the necessity
of doing so, and tho origin of the
difficulty will perhaps forever re-
main unknown. 1t was a time of
great political excitement and par
ty feeling, which no doubt intensifi-
ed the feelings of men when the
fight began, but in the inception
played no part. Politics had moth
ing 70 do, in our opinion, with the
origination Of the disasters OF that
day. There WAS no purpose or pre-
meditation OH the part of either par
ty to bring on any trouble. Howev-
er, after the fight began, men. run
mad with passion, committed deeds
most revolving Ill atrOcity and bru-
taiity, pursuing and Staying men on
the Sunday morning following.
Who those parties were that were
Immediately engaged, we have not
been able to ascertain. Some men
on both sides were seen with pistols,
and seen to shoot, but whether they
killed anyone or not could not be
proven. No one testified directly
as to the killing of any particular
man by another, who was known
and seen by the witness.
The jury has investigated most
thoroughly the killing of Charles
Caldwell and Samuel Caldwell, in
Clinton ON the 30th of December,
1875. We have been unable to find
the party OF parties engaged in this
deed. The whole affair is shrOuded
in mystery, and though mes rly eve>
ry man, white or colored, who lives
in or near Clinton has been before
the jury. we have no proof sufficient
to attach guilt to any man. There
is a theory to this case, but its solu-
ton fastens guilt to 10 particular
individual or Individuals. We have
had every witness that could be
heard of who was likely to know
anything of the affair, but utterly
failed to elicit any evidence upon
which we could take any action.