The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-01-29


| in full com pensarion for such service.
SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, That ali
Acts and parts of Acts in conflict with the
provisions of this Act be and the same are
hereby repealed, and that this Act shall be
In force from and after its passage.
By Limitation, February 8, 1875.
REPORT OF THE GRAND JURY
The Grand Jury of this Judicial District
of Kinds county adjourned at o'clock, on
Monday, and submitted the following re-
port:
JACKSON, MISS, Feb. 9TH, 1876.
Hon. Geo. r. Bro,on, Judge Circuit Court,
1st District Kinds county:
The undersigned, Grand Jurors, beg leave
respectfully to submit this report, and, hav-
ing finished their laboIs, ask to be dis
charged. The duties devolved upon the
jury at this term have been tedious, delicate
and com piicated; but they believe thew
have performed them conscientiously.
While some persons have escaped indict-
ment in cases that were thoroughly investi-
gated, 1t was because of an honest difference
of opinion among them, and not sufficient
number favoring indictment to enable the
jury to find a bill
The riot at Clinton has been thoroughly
investigated, and while it is evident that
many persons were killed, both white and
colored, the jury have been unable to find
any single witness who saw any man kill
another, or to identify any person engaged
in the continuation of hOstilities, resulting
in the death Of any individual on the day
following. More than one hundred wit
nesses have been before the jury and sub
jected to the most scrutinizing examine
tons. Although, there were among this
number many who were present on
the ground the day the riot occurred, no
one has been able to tell Just how this sad
of al nv hn aool
was committed. By every witness we gath
cred the fact that no hostility was contem-
plated, or any preparation made In antici-
patton of such an event. The necessary
arrangements for the barbecue and speak,
ing were being made for some weeks prior
to the day OF this occurrence, but on the
part of the white people or black people, we
have failed to discover any plan or intention
to bring on trouble or precipitate q collision.
1t is evident the white people had not antic-
ipated such fight. from the limited num-
Der present, the lack of arms among them,
and the inferiority of the arms they had
and it Is equally true of colored people.
Though their numbers were as an hundred
10 one, they had but few arms, and present
on the occasion were their women and
children. We are satisfied that the results
of that day were not anticipated, and that |
the bloody beginning and ending, which |
brought sorrow and affiiction to so many
families, was not the work of forethought |
and preparation. The few arms that were |
present on the occasion were there be- |
cause of habit so common in this country of
arms with or without the |
for doing 40, and the Or
igin of the difficulty will, perhaps, forev-
er remain unknown. 1t was y time of |
great political excitement and party feel |
ing, which no doubt intensified the feelings |
of men when the fight began but in the in
ceptiOn played no part. Politics had moth |
ing to do. in our opinion, with the origina-
ton of the disasters of that day. There was
no purpose or generalization on the part of
either party to bring on any trouble. How
ever, after the fight began, men run mad |
with passion. committed deeds most revolt
ing in atrocity and brutality, pursuing and
Staying wounded men who were unarmed,
and the killing of men away from the scene
Of troubles, and killing some men on the
Sunday morning following. Who these
parties were, that were Immediately en-
gagged, we have not been able to ascertain.
Some men on both sides were seen with piss
tolls. and seen to shoot, but whether they
No witness testified directly as to the kill
ing of any particular man, by another, who
was seen and known by the witness.
The Jury also investigated most thor
Samuel Caldwell In Clinton on the Both of
December, 1875. We have been unable to
find the party or parties engaged in
this deed. The whole affair is shrouded
in mystery and though nearly every
man. white and colored, who lives In
DR. near Clinton, has been before the jury,
we have no proof sufficient to attach guilt
to any man. There is theory of this case,
but its solution fastens guilt upon no par
ticular 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 evil
dence upon which we could take any action.
We have examined the Jail, and find ev-
erything clean, and believe the wants and
health of the prisoners are strictly cared
thorized and instructed to have the grating
in the windows re-fastened and secured.
Some of the iron bars have been tempered
with to such an extent as to render their
removal a matter of easy accomplishment,
and the aperture thus made would give am
pie room to permit any prisoner to make
his escape Into the jail-yard, from which
final escape could be made without diff
Guilty The jail-yard fence needs new
posts and railing in some places, and should |
be repaired at once.
JONES s. HAMILTON,
Foreman;
P. HART,
C. WILLIAMS,
JNO. c. CARRAwAY,
b. F. HARDY,
E. BLOOM,
JNO. G. PATRICK,
E. w. FUNCHERs,
JACOB HUGHES,
JAS. PEACHY,
JOIN WALKER,
CHAs. CLIFTON,
MAJOR EUBANKs,
b. SPRIGGs,
HANDY MILES,
PAT WINDFREY,
LEWIS ROBINSON,
JAMES III. BOWMAN.
When boy has been off all day, con-
Lrary to the expressed wish of his mother,
and on approaching the homestead at
night, with an anxious and cautious tread,