The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-03
Mississippi BandItti.
A Republican Mariyr-story of his A..as-
sination by Mississippi Democrats by hi.
Widow.

james Redpath, in the course of very in
terestng series of letters respecting affairs past
and present in Mississippi, gives the following
Shocking story of the murder of man in the
presence of his wife by ruffians who got their
inspiration from the Democrats of that state:
All the brains and pluck of Mississippi were
10 the rebel army. If we are going to denounce
tnem as rebels still, we shall never have Re
pupacaR party in that state that will not prove
an enoless rope of sand. The best Republicans
IN mississippi to-day, both old and young, the
nen on wnoIa we must rely In the years to
come, did battle under the confederate flag"
The responsibility belongs to the Democratic
leaders, and here is one Of their performances
as he introduces it. and as the widow of the
murdered man tells it:
William p. Haffa was a man of spotless
character. OF siDgnlarly mild and inoffensive
manners, be was beloved BY the colored people
and respected by all the unprejudiced whites.
he was not fighting man. He did not 90 to
corn.
Six years ago last February he leased a plan
tation near Auburn, in Kinds county. After
Mr.. aud Mrs. Haffa and their children had
ilved there, quietly working, never ''interfer
Ing IN politics. the owners Of the land called
on them and asked them whether they were
friends of the white man or the - Niger.
He said las any honest northern man would
nave said to such question: that he was a
friend TO every one who was worthy of friend
ship, whether black or white
we understand you"' they said, "you are a
friend of the - nigger,
After this interview be was threatened more
than once. The colored people soon afterwards
nominated him for justice Of the peace. Gov.
Aicorn made the nomination and refused to
eject him when the Democratic leaders asked
that he should be removed, on the ground that
no northern man should come down and rule
tnem. The majority of the people-the
Diacks-desired his appointment and no onesof
either color could complain of his character.
ne served out his term of two years. He was
renominated and again elected.
The local Democratic leaders then "waited''
on him, took him out of the house and lashed
MIN without mercy with cowhide; and when
nus wite pesought them for mercy and clung to
hlm, one of,the ruf6ans, who was joint owner
OF the plantation, threw her off so violently
that she was laid up for month from the in
juries she received. She has never to this dav
fully recovered from the shock. Mr.. Haffa re-
NAMED; ne was threatened again; his boy was
shot at; his own life was put repeatedly in
peril. He disarmed one would-be assassin, q
member OF one of the families in the district
After these occurrences both Mr.. Haffa and
his wife taught colored schools. As the blacks
trusted them they had influence over their
votes. This was the heal and front of their
offending, They also taught the blacks in Sun
day schools.
The Kuklux were suppressed, and there was
peace in Mississippi until last summer, when
the campaign of intimidation and assassina-
ton was inaugurated. Bound to carry the
state at any costa boast made everywhere
and openly-the fate of Mr.. Haffa was sealed,
He would not leave. He could not be driven
off. He must die.
speak.
I'VE were aroused by the barking of our dog
furiously on the morning of the 9th of Sep
tember.
hollered, who is there? and no answer.
i u repeated i, and there was no answer. And
then Mr.. Haffa got up and said, who there?
They said, We will let you know who is
there, or something TO that effect
And said, MY God! they have the yard full
presume there were from fifty to seventy
i've men barricading the whole of the house.
And they had not only armed themselves with
one or two weapons, but they had some of
them half dozen. They had them buckied
around them, besides the musket that they
carried; They tried to unfasten the door to
get ID, but put my foot between the door and
the sill, and kept the door closed. My daugh-
ter helped me. Finding they could not get in
tney nnally took one of the fence rails, and
broke she door down, and part of the furni-
And we were hollering all the time, .Murderl
MurderP No one came to our assistance. They
could hear me holler 'Murderr for about two
miles, as the neighbors told me afterward.
Finally, Mosely, the agent of the Singer
sewing machine, came up to me and choked me
he choked me said:
Il am not afraid if you will choke me and
spare my husband-that is all''
Mosely said to me when called his name
several timea, ''Sh-sh.'
had nursing baby thea, and It was lying
on the bed screaming. After was choked so
that could not holler any lon ger my daughter
father.
The men outside broke shutter off the win
dow and tired at MIR. Haffa, and my little boy
told me yesterday-he said he would take oath
any time-that it was Jimmy Whitehead who
nred one OF the shots at Mr.. Haffa, and Sid.
whitehead, the owner of the land that we
rented. He had threatened Mr. Haffss life
several times, which the children knew Of
They fired twice, and went to him, and he
asked me to take him to the bed; SO my daugh-
ter and assisted him to the bed. We had no
light 1t was utter darkness there, and says
he to me: Mamma, 1 want water" As soon
him down and ran out for assistance, and sent
my little boy over to some colored people, and
they came rushing over.
Finally, Sid. Whitehead came along and re-
fused ma to let me mel have physician. Hs said it
Mr.. Hatfa said: Mamma L am going to
die;' and he asked God to have mercy on his
soul, and he laid his head on my shoulder and
expired.
After the colored people had laid him away,
said to Sid. Whitehead: "Moseley is the one
that choked me, and he had revolver at my
head" and Sid Whitehead said, "You know
Mr.. Moseley was not here" said, Yes, sir;
he was" Sid Whitehead spoke out that 1
had to recall those words for the sake of my
life.
They made me recall it and say 1t was not
him.
They came up there together and sat up the
first night-Whitehead and two or three other
gentlemen-and they did nothing but use pro-
fame language all the time and abuse the
Northern people. They said that they wo uld
show them that they were fully armed now
and ready for war at any time, and that they
could not rule oaer them or do as they pleased
with them.
They would not allow me to have cofin for
him at all. Col. Griffin, formerly United States
Senator here-at least SO they told me--he came
and said: "Mrs. Haffa, | regret this very
much" Says he, 81 cannot get any coffin for
you, for they won't allow it,